Help Pilgrims of Ibillin raise funds to renovate the MEEI Library!

We are half-way to our goal of $52,000!

Can you help?

As one of the most frequently used spaces at MEEI, the library has aged to the point that it no longer meets the growing needs of its users.

The library was one of the first buildings on the MEEI campus and is now a bit out of date.

The board of directors of Pilgrims are now focused on raising funds to help renovate this much-loved and needed space, with new books, modern furniture, work-spaces, computers, printers, and air conditioning units.

MEEI is proud that its library is one of the best in the whole of Galilee. Not only do students and faculty benefit from this resource, but scholars throughout the Galilee region make use of the resources housed under the MEEI Library's roof.

With your generous donation,

we can raise the $52,000 needed

to give the library a face lift.

Huge thanks if you have already made a contribution; with your gift

we are half-way to our goal!

We have learned this week that the current Israeli government wishes to increase funds for some Ultra-Orthadox Religious Jewish schools. The coalition government's budget had already included unprecedented billions for ultra-Orthodox and Haredi education, known for their strict religious observance and devotion to Torah study, but do not teach core subjects such as math and English. Additional funds will be funneled to these schools to teach Haredi Jewish culture and identity. Earlier this month, the government approved NIS 480 million ($126 million) for Haredi education.

The Haredi political parties are an integral part of coalition governments in Israel, and they have used their political influence to advocate for policies favorable to their community, including increased funding for Haredi schools. Many Jewish schools will be excluded from these funds and, of course, all Christian schools will also be excluded from these funds.

This decision has resulted in anger and frustration among many Jewish schools in the secular sector and also among Christian schools that have not been included in the new reform known as "New Horizon." The Ministry of Education argues that they do not wish to increase school tuition for parents. However, it is worth mentioning that the Haredi schools have been included in this reform without increasing tuition.

With all the recently added funding, the gap between a student at the Haredi school and one at a Christian school is vast. While a Haredi student receives an average of 20,700 ILS per year, a student who studies at a Christian school receives 5,990 ILS per year.

Based on these funding inequities, 6 Christian schools have joined many dozens of Jewish schools in their appeal to the court. Maryam Bawardeh, the Elementary school at MEEI, participated in this appeal which was heard the week of 25 September.

The court in Jerusalem held the first session to consider the appeal regarding the exclusion from the New Horizon program.

After intensive discussions, which lasted several hours, the judge requested that the Ministry of Education contact schools to reach an agreement, according to which only the schools that submitted the petition would be granted the possibility to join New Horizon.

The Ministry of Education requested time to discuss the issue and the judge scheduled a second session for October 23, which will be held only if the Ministry agrees to his proposal to annex the petitioning schools to New Horizon.

If an agreement is not reached, the session will be canceled on 10/23, and the judge will make a final decision.

I will certainly let you know when we learn the outcome. 

The play yard for MEEI’s youngest has received a new outdoor space with play equipment, thanks to a very generous donation from the French government.

The Palestinian Wiam Center conducted a workshop for two women's groups on: "The Role of Women in Community Work.”

The group will implement their plan during the Global Campaign against Violence and Discrimination Against Women. They identified three main issues to work on:

1. Finding a safe path for villagers, especially children while going to and from school and protect them from settlers and assaults.
2. Activating the health clinic in the village and re-working the adjacent village safety clinic to meet the needs of women and children’s health.
3. Develop the work of the group with productive projects for income such as with use of a production kitchen.

All the proposals are important but only one will be selected to act on as an initiative. The women will meet further to narrow down to the issue they will work on.

Pilgrims of Ibillin has been blessed with the talent, creativity, and passion of a retired graphic designer who volunteered with us for many years — Mary Sue Alexander. We are profoundly grateful for her years of service and commitment to the mission of Pilgrims of Ibillin.

The time has come for Mary Sue to step away in pursuit of others of life’s offerings. 



We are therefore seeking graphic design support and assistance. Perhaps you are looking for a way to plug in and support our work to foster a just peace for all in Palestine and Israel through education? And promoting Archbishop Chacour’s vision of building peace on the desktops of students?



Please reply to this email if you have graphic design skills and experience with InDesign, Photoshop, Constant Contact, Wordpress, or other sorts of design skills and would like to help out — I’d love to have a conversation with you to learn more about your skills, interests, availability, and all that! Thank you so much for considering!

Have you been thinking about a trip to the Holy Land?

This is your chance to see the incredible historic sites that you’ve probably heard about your entire life AND to learn about the current crises in the Holy Land from the very people who have dedicated their lives to working toward peace to benefit all who live in this fraught land.

We invite you to join our April 2024 Living Stones Pilgrimage: a unique tour of witness and pilgrimage in the service of peace in the region a third of humanity call “The Holy Land.”

This alternative travel study tour provides an opportunity to escape the mass tourism experience of typical trips to the Holy Land. It is educational and cultural with a focus on the people (‘Living Stones’) who are working in this region for a just peace. This trip will encourage deep thinking, open minds, curiosity, and sensitivity to people living in this region.

During our tour we will visit many holy sites with the benefit of having an engaging early Christian History instructor with us. Our West Bank guide will introduce us to a wide range of Palestinians and Israelis who are working to make a difference and work for a peace that is sustainable and fair. You will have the opportunity to meet Christians, Jews, and Muslims who have incredible faith and are creating hope.

If you are curious, enjoy learning about culture, history, politics, human and environmental rights, and want to meet and engage with the

people who live where you travel -

this trip is for you!

April 7 - 19, 2024

Submit your deposit before Dec. 15

you not only receive a $500 discount

off the pilgrimage fee

(or a total of $3,000 rather than $3,500), you also hold your spot on what promises to be

a trip of a lifetime!

We have shipped 100s of copies of Abuna Chacour’s book, We Belong to the Land, across the country. We still have more to share so that you and those folks in your community, whether it be a church group or even a group of friends, will be inspired by Archbishop Chacour’s story of working for peace and reconciliation among Israeli Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

Because this book is so impactful, we wish to offer it to you, free of charge - as many copies as you’d like to host a book discussion group in your community, using this book. We have created a discussion guide (on this webpage) and will ship as many books to you as you’d like to one address, we only ask that you cover the cost of postage. (We leave it to you to distribute the books however you wish).

Go to: pilgrimsofibillin.org/we-belong/ and complete the form to request your copies of We Belong to the Land.

NOTE: The form only allows you to select 10 copies, but if you wish to receive more than that, please let us know how many in the comment field.

We are grateful for a donation from Middle East Books in Washington DC of over 1,000 copies of Father Elias Chacour’s influential book, We Belong to the Land.

Your donations support the ongoing work of

Pilgrims' Peace Partners in fostering a just peace

through education in Israel and Palestine.



Thank you.