Arabic speaking Ecumenical Accompanier’s

 

Ecumenical Accompanier Paul Raymond from Britain translates for Palestinian Hassan Monasra in Barta’a village during the EA’s recent visit with Givat Haviva’s International Department

 

As in the past the 25 member new Ecumenical Accompanier team is made up of committed folks from many different countries but with one main objective in common, to help the Palestinian people.

Since the World Council of Churches program began a few years ago hundreds of EA men and women, from student age through to retirees, have spent 3 months serving Palestinian communities.  Some of the present group are now undertaking a second term in Bethlehem, Jayyous, Nablus, Tulkarem and other towns throughout the West Bank.

The present team hail from no less than 10 different countries and include seven priests and pastors as well as students, teachers, journalists, social workers, a businessman, massage therapist, caterer, playwright and a nurse.

The group visited GIVAT HAVIVA during October and after receiving some background information about the various centers the EA’s paid a call at Barta’a village with Lydia Aisenberg and then visited her kibbutz – Mishmar HaEmek – in the Jezreel Valley to hear about the past, present and what will be the future of the unique lifestyle of the kibbutzim.

The EA’s always prove to be a fascinating group of people and very diverse in age and occupation but dedicated to making a difference for the Palestinian communities where they have been placed.

Seventy-year-old ULF TEBELIUS is a retired Swedish businessman.  Thirty-six years ago Ulf attended a training program in Israel dealing with irrigation in semi arid zones and later worked for UNESCO/UNDP in a coastal protection project in the Nile delta.

For 25 years the Gothenburg native worked for a Swiss company where he was responsible for mostly Arabic speaking countries and was involved in the creation of the Swedish Institute in Alexandria.

Presently Ulf can be found spending his 3-month tour of duty in Jayyous.

 

AN EA WITH A BA!

Amongst the younger EA’s is Paul Adrian Raymond, a 24 year-old British graduate of Leeds University.  Paul has a BA in Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies and has spent study time in Jordan, Morocco and other Arab countries.

The fluent Arabic speaker translated for his fellow EA’s during the visit to Barta’a village where they met with Hassan Monasra, a carpet dealer from Hebron who runs a business in West Barta’a, the Israeli side of the divided village.  A most interesting conversation was struck up – hopefully readers of our website will be curious enough to know what one can learn from such a meeting and allow us, the International Department at Givat Haviva, to do the honors with an introduction!

Paul is serving his EA tour in Yanoun and is an avid blog writer.

Following the Givat Haviva seminar Paul commented that he found Barta’a a particularly interesting place and appreciated the opportunity during his EAPPI tour of duty to be able to visit people living in odd situations.

 

Ecumenical Accompaniers in Barta’a

 

 “It really shows the craziness of the whole situation in Israel/Palestine and the urgency of the need to find a workable solutions,” writes Paul.

He found touring the kibbutz to be a surprising experience.

“Not the basic huts and water-melon picking that I expected,” quipped Paul, who given more time would have been interested to learn more about the economics and how kibbutzim operated in the wider Israeli society.

Although Paul and the rest of the EA’s found the day to be somewhat overloaded he wrote that they were had learned a lot and were grateful for that opportunity.

An avid writer Paul’s articles can be found – together with those of other Ecumenical Accompaniers and their personal details – at www.eappi.com

 

Palestinian shopkeeper Hassan Monasra – who is from Hebron - outside his carpet shop in West Barta’a

 

Photos & Text: Lydia Aisenberg, October 2008