Festival of Lights in Jerusalem

The month of December, when the nights are extremely long and the days are very short, is a month of the festivals of light. This month we celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas. Every year, members of the Jerusalem community were invited by the members from the Zion community to the candle lighting ceremony. Some Muslim friends were also joined at the celebration. The event took place at the Monastery Terra Sancta. We started with the tour of the Franciscan monastery. Then Rabbi Deborah, Rabbi Oded, and Father Roman led the class of the Interreligious Seminary. The topic of the discussion was "retention." Together we read the blessing of the priests from the Torah, Psalm 11 and two Christian prayers based on the New Testament: Our Father and Hail Marry. The conversations between members of different communities were very interesting. Among other things, one member of the Zion community noticed that Christian prayers see the figures of father and mother guarding the children. After the lesson came a moment to light the Hanukkah candles, and then a prayer time led by the musicians from both communities began. 

Father Beny, Father Alberto, and Father Tiago introduced our Hebrew - speaking Catholic community. Some of the leaders of the prayer recounted one particular experience in their lives and offered a special song that echoes this experience. The whole event took place with joy, peace and thanksgiving for the gift of friendship and the collaboration between the communities.

In the same time, in the South, fr. Piotr participated in an evening celebration of Hanukkah in Kibbutz Aza. After lightening of the candles the discussion was about the meaning of miracles in the monotheistic religions. a priest, a rabbi and a sheikh presented the topic and answered the questions. Everything took place in a peaceful atmosphere with songs and typical Hanukkah snacks.