News from the Local Kehillot

The small chapel of Sts. Simeon and Anne have been adorned with an important liturgical object: a Wooden Ambo.

On Sunday (02.02), on the occasion of the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, the main feast of the Jerusalem Community, we were honored to receive the visit of the Patriarch, who celebrated the Lord’s Supper with us.

On Saturday, January 25, 2025, an event was held in Haifa that symbolized the unity and partnership between the various Christian denominations in the city. The ceremony and prayer in honor of the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” took place at the Beit HaChesed Church in Haifa, an event celebrated worldwide to promote dialogue and cooperation between the various churches.

This Christmas in Jerusalem Community was marked by the presence of many guests. We present the homilies of Fr. Benedetto that he preached during the celebrations of December 24th,25th and 26th in Hebrew.

The olive harvesting season is upon us. Some religious communities require assistance to gather all the fruits, and often, locals volunteer to participate in the harvest. This is the story of Nadav.

The Feast of Sukkot, also known as the Feast of Tabernacles, is a joyous and significant festival in the Jewish calendar. For our Hebrew Speaking Catholic Communities, Sukkot holds a profound meaning, intertwining the rich traditions of our Jewish heritage with our Catholic faith. This festival, which commemorates the Israelites’ journey through the desert and God’s provision, invites us to reflect on themes of gratitude, trust in divine providence, and the importance of community. As we gather in our sukkahs, we celebrate not only our historical roots but also the enduring presence of God in our lives today.

This year, again, the Jerusalem community celebrated its traditional the Summer Party. Coinciding with the Feast of the Assumption of Mary, the Community gathered together on Sunday (18.08), after the Mass. Fr. Benny reports about the event.

Four years ago, Pope Francis has decided to institute a Church-wide celebration of a World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. Starting 2021, it is held on the fourth Sunday of July, close to the liturgical memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus. Fr. Benny reports from Jerusalem Community.

On Saturday July 13 (2024) Fr. Mark held his first Lord's Supper in Hebrew at St. Peter's Church in Jaffa. Fr. Mark served in the Jaffa community during the period of preparation for the priesthood for one year (2019-2020) and received the Ordination for the Priesthood on the feast of St. Peter (29.06) in Jerusalem from the hands of Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa.

The Christian Media Center is a communication tool from the Custody of the Holy Land, in partnership with the Canção Nova Community, serving the Church in the Holy Land. It showcases the beauty of the Holy Land through news about events, liturgical celebrations, and holy places. The content, which includes Christian, Ecumenical, and Interreligious aspects, is available in several languages.

On Wednesday (12.06) in the church of St. Joseph at Paris Square in Haifa took place a meeting with Cardinal Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.

On Thursday (09.05) Kehila of Jerusalem celebrated the Solemnity of Ascension in the traditional place from which Jesus ascended into heaven. An Islamic Mosque is located on a site traditionally believed to be the earthly spot where Jesus ascended into Heaven after his Resurrection. Several dozen of the faithful from Jerusalem Kehila gathered there during the Holy Mass.

The solemnity of the Resurrection of the Lord, known as Easter, was different this year due to the war situation. Here is how the priests of various communities describe this year’s feasts.

As time swiftly progresses, we find ourselves amid a significant moment – a group of adolescents emerging into adulthood.

Despite the ongoing war with Hamas in 2023, the Catholic communities of St. James Vicariate did not lose their Christmas spirit. They prayed for peace and rejoiced in the birth of Christ. Here are some highlights of their festive events.

On Saturday (24.12), the Vigil of the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord the pilgrimage to Nazareth where "the Word became flesh" was an important element of the Christmas celebrations by the Russian -speaking Community in Haifa, together with fr. Michal.

This year, the Jerusalem Kehila gathered for a retreat before Christmas in a challenging time - a very difficult war that brought a lot of suffering and pain.

“What a wonderful experience, it has been a long time since we have spent time together!” was the expression of one of the parishioners of Tiberias, describing the parish pilgrimage of Saturday 25th of November.

On Wednesday (15.11), after a prolonged break, the interfaith study session delving into the Book of Psalms reconvened.

On Sunday (22.10) fr. Piotr, the Vicar of St. James visited the Community in Jerusalem. During the Mass he addressed to the faithful present in the chapel of Sts. Simeon and Hannah the following homily.