Today was the beginning of 'Eid al-Adha, the Muslim feast which celebrates the sparing of Ishmael (in the Qur'an, it is understood that Abraham took his firstborn - i.e. Ishmael not Isaac - to sacrifice) from the knife of Abraham, and marks the end of the season for pilgrimage to Mecca.
Read MoreOur neighbor was headed down to the Gaza Strip to see his family and invited us to come along.
Read MoreOur mechanic is desperately trying to find a 1987 Citroen automatic transmission that can make it through the dozens and dozens of roadblocks.
Read MoreHospitable, resourceful, and generous. So many stereotypes subverted in one moment. Here we were, the Americans whose tax dollars are contributing to their oppression. Here we were, with Israeli license plates. And here we were, Christians in a Muslim town. None of that mattered - we were people in need, and they came to our aid.
Read MoreSince all of our building's telephones are in the name of our landlord, and since one person recently moved out without paying his phone bill, all of the lines were cut.
Read MoreToday is Ash Wednesday as Lent begins.
Read MoreThe recent unrest has accelerated some departures, as lack of work and closures (as well as a failed peace process) are strangling everyone here.
Read MoreHis church is trying to bring a group to Wilmette this summer. We'll see - it'd have to include a ballgame or two...
Read MoreOur visit to Bethlehem began much like our visit to Ramallah three days ago - 90 minutes at the checkpoint.
Read MoreThe situation faced by Palestinians today far surpasses the conditions faced by Blacks in apartheid South Africa, in terms of the violence, randomness, ferocity, and sheer venom of the Israeli occupation.
Read MoreThe stops included the Palestinian wait at Israel's Ministry of Interior (responsible for all legal documents for Palestinians and who have been on strike for most of the Intifada).
Read MoreWe then headed down to central Ramallah for a solidarity rally, led by a Muslim sheikh, a Coptic bishop, and an Anglican priest.
Read MoreWe are thrilled to get a break from work this week as we head down to Jerusalem for the annual Sabeel Conference.
Read MoreMarthame went to our seven year-old friend's birthday party, while Elizabeth cooked up the first mushroom from her Christmas present mushroom kit.
Read MoreBeing Sunday, it afforded us another wonderful opportunity to walk through the beautiful scenery of Zababdeh.
Read MoreToday was Marthame's last day with his previous schedule at school (nonetheless, it was a day to clarify exactly what "I'm not teaching that class anymore" means).
Read MoreDid we mention we got a car?
Read MoreElizabeth's adult English classes continued today, with fourteen students!
Read MoreMarthame got to do more walking in the hills after school, while Elizabeth continued her basketball coaching of the junior high girls.
Read MoreWe visited the rooms in the Red Crescent/Red Cross hospital which burned after being hit by Israeli shelling; we also saw other damaged targets, including homes, a minibus owned by a school for deaf children, and a nearby newspaper office.
Read More