AUGUST 2023 NEWSLETTER

Suhalia Tarazi of Al-Ahli Hospital and Violette Mubarak of JPBC say hello from the site of collaboration in Gaza City

“Every day we receive anxious calls from families in Gaza pleading with us to help their child.” — Dr. Waddah Malhees, Medical Director

THE CHALLENGE - ACCESSIBILITY

Each year JPBC’s Child Rehabilitation Program supports more than 450 families from the West Bank and East Jerusalem through on-site, individualized, multi-disciplinary treatment of children with disabilities. Along with a parent, each child is admitted for a residential stay of 2-3 weeks. JPBC assists with travel permits and covers all costs not reimbursed by the Ministry of Health. But for similar Palestinian families from the Gaza Strip, with its chronic lack of support for children with disabilities, such opportunities and the permits required to travel to East Jerusalem are rare. In 2022, only ten Gazan families were able to enroll in the program. As Gazan children and families in need of services cannot go to JPBC, then JPBC will go to them.

THE SOLUTION - PARTNERSHIP

With the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City partnership underway, JPBC is creating a satellite unit to serve these vulnerable children by renovating a suite of unused rooms, engaging local specialists, training and supervising staff by its experienced experts at JPBC.

WITH GRATITUDE

Thanks to the generous support of the Campbell Family Foundation, JPBC developed a state-of-the-art Communications Hub that will allow for a high-speed, reliable connection between Gaza and Jerusalem. This Hub will promote collaboration and resource sharing, fostering cross-border unity for transformative advancements in healthcare.

YOUR GIFTS CHANGE LIVES

AFEDJ, our partners at JPBC, and Al-Ahli Hospital ask for your prayers and continued support as construction of JPBC's Gaza City satellite unit continues.

Support AFEDJ and help us empower lives in the Holy Land. Donate today for lasting impact.

Pictured below: Renovation progress pictures of the new Basma Clinic at Al-Ahli Hospital, a visual testament to the tireless effort that brought this vision to life, reflecting the promise of a better future for the children of Gaza.

Sarah Schofield-Mansur is an experienced and passionate fundraiser with a unique interdisciplinary background spanning from the world of modern theater to anthropological archaeology of the Ancient Near East. She comes to AFEDJ from the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University, where she most recently served as Associate Director of Board Relations.

As a graduate student at Brandeis University, Sarah was fortunate enough to spend the summer of 2015 working on an archaeological excavation of a Bronze Age tel in northern Israel. Since that summer, the people and places she encountered in the Holy Land have remained deeply embedded in her heart and mind.

When asked about the addition of Sarah to the AFEDJ team, Executive Director Eileen Spencer enthusiastically shared, "We are thrilled to welcome Sarah to AFEDJ. Sarah's genuine passion for philanthropy coupled with her ability to foster enduring relationships will be a catalyst for growth and innovation as we continue to meet the needs of the Diocese of Jerusalem. In addition, Sarah brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in leveraging the art and science of fundraising, which will be extremely valuable to AFEDJ as we shape future development plans."

Sarah is genuinely honored to deploy her skillset in service to AFEDJ's critical mission to support the diverse breadth of humanitarian institutions affiliated with the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem. She is thrilled to have found an opportunity that so perfectly aligns with her love of relationship-driven philanthropy, deep commitment to inclusivity, and an approach to work that centers compassion above all else.

Sarah lives in the Greater Boston, Massachusetts area with her husband and their dog, Gus. In her free time, Sarah enjoys scouting out the best vintage stores in New England, visiting historic cemeteries and archaeological sites, and trying (…sometimes failing…) to recreate her favorite Mediterranean dishes at home.

"Bearing Witness is one of the greatest gifts the American Friends will offer our leaders, our churches, and the people of the Episcopal Church and beyond. It speaks to the heart." -The Most Rev. Hosam Naoum, Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem

WHAT IS BEARING WITNESS?

Bearing Witness, a 5-session, facilitated, video-based small group education program, provides Christian communities the biblical basis, the inspiration, and the tools to walk together with Christians in the Holy Land. The program inspires us to seek ways to connect with and support the courageous ministry of the Diocese of Jerusalem and its witness to Jesus in the land where it all happened.

Between 1988 and 2018, The General Convention of the Episcopal Church passed 17 resolutions calling its members to learn more about:

•    The faithful witness of Christians in the Holy Land
•    The Palestine/Israel Conflict
•    Ways to support the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem

The American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem created the Bearing Witness educational program to answer that call.

At the heart of Bearing Witness are 14 professionally-produced videos shot on location in Palestine and Israel featuring more than two dozen interviews. Christians, Jews, and Muslims tell their own stories and share their challenges and hopes. What we learn together in Bearing Witness will remain with us, inspire our own journeys of faith and ministry, and call us to action in one of the hardest parts of the world.

Contact Program Director Diana Branton at dbranton@afedj.org to schedule a conversation about sharing Bearing Witness with your community.

Learn More about Bearing Witness here.

BECOME A MONTHLY DONOR

Join the Olive Tree Circle, our new community of monthly donors committed to sustaining the vital ministries of the Diocese of Jerusalem. Learn More

WHERE THE NEED IS GREATEST

Donations designated for "where the need is greatest"enables AFEDJ to meet urgent needs and respond to emerging opportunities. Learn More

DESIGNATED GIFTS

100% of designated donations go directly to the institution you specify. Learn More

DONOR-ADVISED FUNDS

Do you have a donor advised fund? Why not consider AFEDJ as a beneficiary of your generosity? Contact Executive Director Eileen Spencer to learn more.

BECOME A JERUSALEM SAINT

Your legacy gift ensures Diocese of Jerusalem ministries will serve the next generation and beyond. Learn More

GIVE THROUGH THE MAIL

Send your donation by check to:

AFEDJ

25 Old King’s Hwy No.

Suite 13

Darien, CT 06820

MATCHING GIFTS

Many companies match their employees’ charitable contributions. Consider matching funds to double your gift. Email Executive Director Eileen Spencer to learn more.

GIVE A GIFT IN HONOR OF or IN MEMORY OF

Whether you donate online or by mail, AFEDJ recognizes gifts offered in honor of or in memory of a friend or family member by sending the recipient a special card in the mail. If you would like a card sent, please make sure to include the recipient’s name and address when you make your donation. Give in honor of someone special.

LEARN MORE AT AFEDJ.ORG/GIVE

AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF JERUSALEM

www.afedj.org

AFEDJ offers a safe, secure channel to make gifts to support the work of the humanitarian institutions of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem.