Chronology D - 2009-2014
2009
On February 3, Father Michel de Goedt OCD passed away in France. He served as responsible for the Jerusalem kehilla from 1971.
On March 8 and 9, study days organized jointly by Yad VaShem and the Holy See were held at Yad VaShem on the record of Pope Pius XII during the Shoah.
On March 17, Father David Neuhaus SJ was officially named Latin Patriarchal Vicar for the Hebrew speaking Catholics in Israel.
On April 12, the kehillot gathered at Our Lady Ark of the Covenant in Kiryat Yearim to celebrate Easter together.
On April 25, Roman Kaminsky was ordained by Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal in the Church of the Resurrection in Abu Ghosh for the Vicariate.
From May 8 to 15, Pope Benedict visited the Holy Land, Jordan, Israel and Palestine.
On June 1, Father Jan Hlavka was named responsible of all Russian speakers in Israel, replacing Father Slawomir Abramowsky, who left he service of the Vicariate. Father David Neuhaus SJ replaced Father Jan as responsible for the kehilla in Jaffa. Father Roman Kaminsky replaced Father David as responsible for the kehilla in Haifa.
From June 30 to July 3, Father David Neuhaus SJ preached the annual Arabic language retreat to the bishops and priests from the various Catholic rites in the Holy Land at Korazim.
From July 20 to 23, children’s summer camp in Saint John the Baptist Monastery in Even Sapir.
On September 11, new commission established for the pastoral among Russian speakers.
On September 20, a Rosh HaShana celebration of the kehillot in Ein Karem with the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Antonio Franco.
From September 20 to 25, Father David Neuhaus invited to direct the annual Arabic language retreat of the Beit Jala diocesan seminarians.
From September 25 to 28, a Yom Kippur retreat was held at Kiryat Yearim.
October 13 to 16, annual Vicariate priests’ retreat on Mount Tabor.
On November 16, Edda Quattrini, longtime member of the Beer Sheba kehilla passed away in Beer Sheba.
On November 22, the foundress of the Sisters of the Rosary, Mary Alphonsine Ghattas was beatified in Nazareth.
On December 15, first volume of the catechism for children “Get to Know the Messiah” was published. This was a revised version of the book of Father Gregor Pawlowski.
2010
On January 17, Pope Benedict XVI visited the synagogue in Rome. Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Fouad Twal accompanied him.
On February 15, the first weekly mass in Hebrew was celebrated in Nazareth.
On March 6, Father David Neuhaus and a team of Hebrew speaking catechists began teaching the children in the Filipino community in Tel Aviv.
On April 4, the kehillot gathered in Kiryat Yearim for the joint celebration of Easter.
On April 11, Father David Neuhaus attended the Holocaust Memorial Day opening ceremony at Yad VaShem.
On April 20, Father David Neuhaus represented the kehillot at the Independence Day reception at the State President’s residence.
From July 19 to 23, the children’s summer camp held at Deir Rafat.
From September 6 to 9, Father David Neuhaus preached the annual Arabic language retreat to the diocesan priests in Jordan.
From September 16 to 18, a Yom Kippur retreat has held in Kiryat Yearim for members of the kehillot.
On September 25, the first annual joint celebration of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) for all the kehillot took place in Kiryat Yearim.
From September 28 to October 1, the priests of the Vicariate gathered for their annual retreat on Mount Tabor.
On October 2, Father Apolinary Szwed OFM began as new responsible for the Jaffa kehilla. He replaced Father David Neuhaus SJ, who in turn replaced him as responsible for the kehilla in Jerusalem.
From October 10 to 25, Father David Neuhaus SJ represented the kehillot at the Extraordinary Synod on the Church in the Middle East in the Vatican.
In October, on the occasion of the synod, Vatican Radio inaugurates a web page in Hebrew.
On October 12, Father David Neuhaus SJ addresses the Synod in the Vatican on the kehillot in Israel.
On October 20, Father Michel Remaud was awarded the annual prize of the Jewish-Christian Friendship in France for his promotion of Jewish-Christian relations.
On November 1, the Saint James Vicariate has a permanent residence at the Saints Simeon and Anne House in Jerusalem, rented from the Custody of the Holy Land.
On December 13, the second volume of the children’s catechism “Get to Know the Church” was published.
2011
On January 17, Father Gregor Pawlowski of the Jaffa kehilla receives the miter of a prelate from Archbishop Joseph Zycinski in Lublin.
On February 9, announcement of a weekly mass in Hebrew on Saturday evenings in Tiberias and the responsible for the new kehilla there Father Giuseppe Di Nardi from the John the Baptist Community.
On February 15, Little Sister Aliza passed away in Jerusalem. She was one of the first members of the kehilla in Jerusalem.
On March 31, the diocesan Arabic language seminarians from the Latin Patriarchate Seminary in Beit Jala visited the Vicariate.
On April 5, Father David Neuhaus SJ appointed Coordinator of the Pastoral for Migrants by Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal.
On April 8 and 9, a first meeting of families to discuss the religious formation of Hebrew speaking Catholic children met in Tiberias.
On April 24, the kehillot gathered at Kiryat Yearim for the Easter celebration.
On April 24, Elena Dobos, longtime member of the kehillot, passed away.
On April 27, the Coordination for the Pastoral for Migrants held its first meeting in the Latin Patriarchate.
On May 3, Father Charles Gallichet, abbot of the Benedictines in Abu Ghosh, preaches at the Vicariate’s feast of Saint James in the Jerusalem kehilla.
On May 20, twenty Hebrew speaking Filipino children receive first communion in Jaffa after one year of catechetical preparation by the team from the Vicariate.
On June 25, eight children received first communion in the Hebrew speaking community in Tiberias.
From July 18 to 22, the children’s summer camp was held in Deir Rafat.
On July 29, Lucia made her promises as a consecrated virgin in the Holy Sepulcher.
On August 9, delegation of Vicariate youth, named “Desert Flower”, left for the World Youth Day in Madrid. They spent two weeks in Santiago di Compostella and Madrid.
On September 14, Father David Neuhaus SJ invited to preach at the celebration of the Exaltation of the Glorious Cross in Venice, Italy.
From September 20 to 23, the Vicariate priests went on their annual retreat at the Sea of Galilee.
From October 6 to 8, members of the kehilla made an annual Yom Kippur retreat at Kiryat Yearim.
On October 15, the kehillot gathered to celebrate Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) at Kiryat Yearim.
From October to February 2012, Father Gioele Salvaterra studied in the Secular Yeshiva in Jerusalem.
On November 4 and 5, a general council from the kehillot met at Kiryat Yearim discuss the situation of the kehillot.
On November 24, Brother Emile from Taize was present at a prayer service in Taize style at the Vicariate.
On December 9 and 10, meeting in Tiberias of families from the Vicariate to discuss formation of children.
On December 20, third catechism book in Hebrew for children published “Get to Know the Feast and Seasons in the Church”.
2012
On January 1, Father Paul Collin, parish priest of Beer Sheba for twenty years, retired. He was replaced by Father Gioele Salvaterra.
On January 31, Sister Miriam Nothmann SJA, longtime member of the Jaffa kehilla and pastoral assistant of Father Alfred Delmée, was killed in a car accident.
On February 1, Benedetto di Bitonto from the Jerusalem kehilla presented the kehillot at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem during a day for “Inter religious Understanding”.
On February 5, Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal celebrated the Feast of Saints Simeon and Anne in the Jerusalem kehilla and inaugurated the new altar.
On February 8, Father David Neuhaus SJ was invited to deliver the annual Henri de Lubac Lecture at Saint Louis University in Missouri, USA.
On February 24, the first meeting of the Commission for Relations with the Jews of the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries in the Holy Land, presided by Father David Neuhaus SJ.
On March 9 and 10, the Hebrew speaking Catholic families met in Tiberias to continue studying the religious formation of their children.
On April 8, the kehillot gathered in Kiryat Yearim to celebrate Easter together.
From April 11 to 13, the children gathered for an Easter camp in Deir Rafat.
On April 18, Father David Neuhaus represented the kehillot at the opening of Holocaust Memorial Day at Yad VaShem.
On April 20 and 21, a central committee of representatives from the kehillot met in Jerusalem.
On May 12, Father Piotr Zelasko celebrated the first mass for Filipino children in Hebrew at the Jerusalem kehilla.
On June 2, thirty one Hebrew speaking migrant children received first communion in Tel Aviv.
On June 3, a family from the Jaffa kehilla represented the Vicariate at the 7th World Meeting of Families in Milan.
On June 19, Sister Azezet Kidane of the Coordination for the Pastoral among Migrants received the US State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Hero’s Award from Secretary of state Hilary Clinton.
From July 16 to 20, the Hebrew speaking Catholic children’s summer camp was held at Deir Rafat.
On July 22, members of the Desert Flower youth group went for a week to Taizé in France.
On August 1, Magali Baron, dedicated volunteer in the Vicariate left for France.
On August 10 and 11, the musical group from the kehillot met in the Monastery of Saint John in the Desert in Even Sapir.
From August 13 to 17, the catechetical team from the Vicariate ran a summer day camp for Hebrew speaking migrant children in south Tel Aviv.
On August 31, friend of the kehillot Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, emeritus Archbishop of Milan, passed away.
On September 2, Father Piotr Zelasko replaced Father David Neuhaus as responsible for the Jerusalem kehilla.
On September 28, Paul-Samuel (Szmuel) Auszenkier, an early member of the kehilla and patron of the Vicariate website, passed away in Paris.
In October, Benedetto Di Bitonto begins his studies as a seminarian for the Saint James Vicariate.
On October 6, the kehillot gathered at Deir Rafat to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles together.
From October 9 to 12, the priests of the Vicariate went on retreat on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.
On October 28, opening of the Year of faith in the Holy Land at Deir Rafat on the Feast of Our Lady of Palestine.
On November 3, fourth Hebrew language children catechism book published, “Get to Know the Mass”.
In November, Father David Neuhaus SJ named Chaplain of the Filipino community in Israel.
On November 30 and December 1, gathering of Hebrew speaking Catholic families in Tiberias to discuss children’s religious formation.
On December 31, Rabbi Levi Weiman Kelman preaches at the Vicariate during the prayer for peace to bring in 2013.
2013
On January 1, the Statutes for the Saint James Vicariate for Hebrew Speaking Catholics in Israel enter into vigor.
On January 8, Cardinal Bagnasco, Archbishop of Genoa, celebrated mass in the Vicariate with thirty of his priests.
On January 14, Cardinal Theodor McCarrick, emeritus Archbishop of Washington DC, celebrated mass in the Vicariate.
On February 5, Dr. Etienne Lepicard, member of the Jerusalem kehilla was appointed to the Israeli National Council for Bioethics.
On February 11, Pope Benedict XVI resigns.
On February 15 and 16, gathering of Hebrew speaking Catholic families in Tiberias to discuss religious formation of their children.
On March 13, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires, elected Pope Francis.
On March 27, the publication of a Maronite rite appendix to the Hebrew language children’s catechism book “Get to Know the Mass” for Hebrew speaking Lebanese Maronite children in northern Israel.
On March 31, the kehillot gather to celebrate Easter together in Beit Jemal.
From March 31 to April 2, Hebrew speaking children’s Easter camp in Beit Jemal.
On April 6, Bishop William Shomali celebrates the Feast of the Divine Mercy in the Divine Mercy Chapel in south Tel Aviv.
On April 7, Father David Neuhaus represents the kehillot at the opening of Holocaust Memorial Day at Yad VaShem.
On April 15, Pope Francis receives the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Fouad Twal and his Vicars, including Father David Neuhaus.
On April 16, Father David Neuhaus represented the kehillot at the reception for Independence Day at the State President’s residence.
On April 19 and 20, a central committee of representatives from the kehillot met in Jerusalem.
On April 29, an international convention honoring pope John XXIII was held in Jerusalem.
On May 5, Custos of the Holy Land Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa celebrates the Feast of Saint James in the Vicariate and blesses the icon of the Council of Jerusalem.
On May 18, forty confirmations were celebrated in the Divine Mercy Chapel in Tel Aviv (twenty five Hebrew speaking migrant children and fifteen migrant adults).
On May 25, fifteen Hebrew speaking migrant children received first communion in the Divine Mercy Chapel in south Tel Aviv.
On June 1, eight children from the kehilla in Jaffa received first communion.
On June 10, the Arabic language seminarians from the Beit Jala Seminary attended mass in Hebrew at the Vicariate.
On July 15 and 16, members of Desert Flower youth group gathered at Deir Rafat to help prepare for the summer camps for Hebrew speaking children.
From July 17 to 21, summer camp for Hebrew speaking children of the kehillot at Deir Rafat.
From July 22 to 26, summer camp for all Hebrew speaking children including migrants at Deir Rafat.
On August 7, members of Desert Flower youth group left for Italy on a ten day pilgrimage to Pozzuoli, Assisi and Rome.
From August 12 to 16, Vicariate catechism team runs summer camp for migrant children at the Divine Mercy Chapel in south Tel Aviv.
From September 12 to 14, a group of Hebrew speaking faithful gathered for a Yom Kippur retreat at Deir Rafat.
On September 28, the kehillot gathered at Saint Peter’s in Jaffa for the joint celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles.
From October 1 to 4, the priests of the Vicariate were on retreat on Mount Tabor.
In October, Sister Claudia Graziano initiated an after school program in the Jerusalem Viariate for the children of the kehilla and the migrant community.
On October 25 and 26, a weekend for the kehillot musicians was held in Tiberias.
On October 26, Father Medhin Yohannes celebrated the first regular Geez rite mass in Jaffa.
On November 17, the Year of Faith was brought to a close in the Holy Land with a mass in Nazareth.
On November 26, symposium at the Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies on the migrants in Israel was held.
On December 2, the fifth Hebrew language catechism book was published, “Get to Know the History of Salvation”.
From December 2 to 4, the first Hannuka Hebrew speaking Catholic children’s camp was held at Deir Rafat to prepare the children for Christmas.
On December 5, a first Hannuka day camp was held in south Tel Aviv to prepare the Hebrew speaking migrant children for Christmas.
On December 6 and 7, the Hebrew speaking Catholic families met in Tiberias to discuss the religious formation of their children.
On December 31, Rabbi Tamar Elad Appelbaum preached at the prayer service in the Vicariate to welcome in 2014.
2014
January 14, Rose Fostantes, a Filipina migrant work, wins the X Factor competition.
January 18, all migrant communities gather in Saint Anthony’s in Jaffa to celebrate World Migrants’ Day.
February 11, publication of biography of Sister Regine Cannetti NDS, veteran kehilla member.
February 25, Media Committee for the Pope’s Pilgrimage, presided by Father David Neuhaus, inaugurates official website.
February 26, first mass celebrated in Our Lady Woman of Valor Pastoral Center in south Tel Aviv.
On April 7, Beit Marom moved to its new premises in downtown Jerusalem.
On April 14 and 15, the seventh family gathering of Hebrew speaking families at Saint Peter’s Church in Tiberias.
On April 20, all kehillot gather for Easter at Our Lady Ark of the Covenant in Kiryat Yearim.
From April 20 to 22, Hebrew speaking children gather for Easter camp at the Salesians in Beit Jemal.
On April 26, first visit of Patriarch Fouad Twal to Our Lady Woman of Valor Center in Tel Aviv. Solemn mass for Feast of the Divine Mercy, concelebrated with Archbishop Lazzarotto, Papal Nuncio, and Patriarchal Vicars Bishop Shomali, Bishop Marcuzzo and Father Neuhaus.
On April 27, Father David Neuhaus attends the commemoration ceremony on Holocaust Memorial Day at Yad VaShem.
From May 2 to 3, Hebrew speaking musicians encounter in Saint Peter’s Church in Tiberias.
On May 6, Father David Neuhaus attends the Independence Day reception at the State President’s residence.
On May 15, publication of sixth volume of children’s catechism in Hebrew “The Story of Jesus”.
On May 15, team of thirteen lead by Father David Neuhaus from the Coordination of the Pastoral for Migrants visits the Holot Detention Center for African migrants in the Negev.
From May 24 to 26, Pope Francis visits Holy Land, Jordan, Palestine and Israel.
On May 26, four Hebrew speaking children (two citizens and two migrants) assist the Pope in laying wreaths at Mount Herzl and at Yad VaShem.
On May 31, one thousand Indian migrants march in a May procession in Nazareth, first Filipino Flower Festival and Holy Cross Procession at Our Lady Woman of Valor in Tel Aviv and first Sri Lankan celebration of Mary with procession at Our Lady Woman of Valor Center in Tel Aviv.
On June 7, thirty one Filipinos receive confirmation at Our Lady Woman of Valor in south Tel Aviv (three adults and twenty eight Hebrew speaking adolescents).
On June 14, sixty seven Hebrew speaking Filipino children receive first communion at Our Lady Woman of Valor in Tel Aviv.
On June 21, first four Filipino children prepared in Hebrew receive first communion in Haifa.
On June 28, rededication of renovated chapel and community center for the Hebrew speaking Catholics in Haifa. The center named for Saint John the Baptist.
From June 30 to July 2, two seminarians, Benedetto di Bitonto from the Saint James Vicariate and Tony Hain from the Patriarchate participate in the congress of the emerging leadership in Jewish-Catholic relations that took place in Berlin, Germany.
On July 16, Sister Marie-Esther, Carmelite contemplative in Nazareth, and longtime friend on the kehillot passed away.
From July 23 to 27, the planned summer camp was cancelled in Deir rafat and alternative improvised activities were organized in the kehillot of Jerusalem, Jaffa and Haifa.
From July 28 to August 1, the summer camp for all Hebrew speaking Catholic children, from the kehillot and from the migrant communities, was held at Deir Rafat.
Chronology E - 2015-2019