The Abrahamic Reunion Cooperation Circle joined members of the Jerusalem Peacemakers CC, the Elijah Interfaith Institute and the Shift Network for two events -- “Harmony in the Holy Land” and “Unify Jerusalem” -- on Dec. 21 and 22.
The first event began in the pouring rain on Dec. 21, as members gathered in a room at the top of the Tower of David, next to the Jaffa Gate, to share music and blessings by a host of religious leaders, each of whom presented a “Message of Hope.” They included Haj Ibrahim Abuelhawa, Rabbi David Rosen, Sister Trudy of the Sisters of Zion, Sheikh Ghassan Manasra and the Rev. Abuna Hatoum from Nazareth, and Rabbi Yakov Nagen of the Otniel yeshiva. More than 100 people took part in the event, including 30 Palestinians from Bethlehem and Hebron.
Each participant then offered prayers for unity at a particular holy place: Jews at the Western Wall, Christians at the Last Supper Room on Mount Zion and Muslims at the Dome of the Rock. The ceremony of prayer, which took place at 1 p.m. on Dec. 21, was synchronized with hundreds of other prayer events throughout the world. Following the ceremony, the entire group reassembled for a closing circle and prayer at the Tower of David.
The following evening, more than 300 people attended a concert for peace at a theater in West Jerusalem. The event included music by Diwan Saz, a peace chant and meditation by Tomas Hubl, Jewish chants by a Sephardic rabbi and Muslim chants by a young Muslim man from Sakhnin/Galilee.
Peacemaker and philanthropist Ibrahim Abu el-Hawa called on participants to "unite the seeds of Ibrahim (Abraham),” and young men from both the Al-Arroub refugee camp and the West Bank city of Bethlehem came to hear and dance to the music.
For more information, including a video presentation of the interfaith concert, visit http://www.harmonyintheholyland.org.
