Notes from the Kaytana: Conversation with Neta

During the Passover Kaytana, I worked in the kitchen in the Deir Rafat monastery with some of the youth and adults. One of the adults was Neta who came to us from the nearby kibbutz, Tsor’a. I asked her to tell me how she came to know the monastery and she explained that about two years ago a group of extremist Jews sprayed terrible hate slogans on the walls of the monastery. In the light of the event, some members of the kibbutz went to the monastery to ask pardon from the sisters and Neta went with them.

This was the first time that she met the nuns here and the encounter changed her thoughts completely, transforming how she saw Christians. She also understood that vthings had changed in the Church and that today the Jews are most definitely not seen as those who crucified Jesus.

Now she volunteers in the monastery: she is always ready to help. At the end, she said to me: “Really I cannot describe it because it was a very intimate experience that touched my heart deeply and I can just thank God who gives us all things, the environment, people, His love, etc. This touches everyone, all people without distinction of religion or creed.”

In the picture: Neta with Rab’a, the Muslim cook, Sister Rita and the nuns of Deir Rafat, who have received t-shirts, designed by the children, as a sign of appreciation for their help.