4 Activities of M'ghar Interfaith Encounter in January 2006:

* Planning the preparations for Al-Adha Holiday

The group gathered on Wednesday 4.1.06 at 16:00 to a special encounter that included on the one hand preparing for the events the group planned to lead during the Al-Adha Holiday and on the other hand a surprise for members of the group that celebrate their birthday during this month.

When I planned this encounter with Mr. Razik Azam we planned ot start the encounter at 4pm and have the birthday party at 6pm for five of the group's members. We invited their families, prepared the refreshments, decorated the hall and ask the families not to tell that we contacted them and that they are coming to the community center.

The work-meeting started at 4pm. We distributed responsibilities and talked about the activities we will implement to celebrate the coming Al-Adha Holiday.

During the encounter, every family that arrived was led into the hall and when we finished the work-meeting we invited the group's member to the hall where waited for them a special surprise, with their families that came with flowers, cookies and presents. We ate and drank and danced. This activity contributed a lot to the group's consolidation and the strengthening of the connection with the families.
 

* Preparation for Al-Adha Holiday

On Sunday, January 8th 2006, the group gathered in the community center at 5pm. We began to pack the gift-parcels for the needy families of the Druze and Muslim communities – some 93 parcels with the value of some 150 NIS each. Then the members of the groups went out in rainy, stormy nights and delivered the gifts.


* Panel on "Holidays, Religions and Society"

On Monday, January 9th 2006, we went out during the morning and distributed invitations for the panel planned for Thursday, January 12th 2006.

The panel took place with some 100 participants, with the presence of Mr. Ziad Daghash the Mayor and Mr. Adnan Trabsha the Director of the Community Center.

Panel speakers were:

1. Prof Fadel Mansour, Usfiya;

2. Ms. Reimonda Mansour, Jdeida-Makr;

3. Dr. Yehuda Stolov, Director of the Interfaith Encounter Association, Jerusalem;

4. Mr. Masoud Ghnayem, Sachnin;

5. Mr. Aboud Asad, Rame

The panel was moderated by Dr. Mansour Abas, M'ghar.

* Celebrating Al-Adha Holiday

On Friday, January 13th 2006, after a month of publicity by the group, some 500 families came to the Community Center and celebrated the last day of the Al-Adha Holiday in a show of the "Babay Smile" band.

The M'ghar Interfaith Encounter serves as leverage for social, cultural and communal change in M'ghar. It brings the hearts closer together and its banner is to accept the difference, to be different but equal. It strengthens the acceptance of 'the other' as human – in his image, religion, views etc.

Reported by Nada Abu Zaidan, Group's Coordinator


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