3 Interfaith Encounters in M'ghar in October - December 2005:

Visit to the Hilwa (the Druze place of worship) – October 9th

The group convened with 22 members in the community center to prepare for the visit with explanations and some refreshments.

Sheikh Kamal Asakla and Ms. Pnina Ghanem coordinated the visit with Sheikh Hamza Asakla, the responsible for the Hilwa in the eastern neighborhood in the village of M'ghar.

In M'ghar there are two Mosques, two Hilwas and a Church. The group set out for the visit to the Hilwa, where they were waited for by three Druze Sheikhs: the responsible for the Hilwa and its maintenance, the Imam and the Sais.

They told the group about the prayers that take place every Thursday and Sunday evening and at 4:30am on Mondays. Every religious man or woman is obliged to attend the prayers unless they have a justifiable reason.

They explained to the group that in the Druze community the religious people are divided into two groups: a group of people who are allowed to attend only part of the prayers – these are people who sinned, before they became religious, in one of the two major sins of committing adultery or murder, and they can not attend all prayers but only prayers that belong to this group.

The other group is Al-Uqal and in it are the respected religious people who did not sin. They read the five secret religious books of the Druze.

The Hilwa is divided into two parts, one for men and one for women. The men read the prayers aloud and the women listen as from a religious perspective a Druze woman is not allowed to raise her voice and be heard by men.

The encounter was most fascinating. There were many questions and a sense that one encounter in the Hilwa is not enough to explain all things about the place and the community. Therefore the group decided to coordinate another encounter with the Sheikhs at the Hilwa.

Reported by Nada Abu Zaidan

Preparation for Christmas Activity – November 28th

On Monday, November 28th, the group met with 18 members to prepare for its activity for Christmas on December 25th 2005.

Mr. Razik Azam – Opened the conversation and asked the group to share ideas for the group's Christmas activity.

Mr. Hamud Katish – I think that it is very difficult to hold our activity in the Holiday itself as many people have family commitments. Therefore I think it is better to hold the group's activity on Tuesday December 27th.

The group agreed with Mr. Katish.

Mr. Mufid Azam – I think that if we manage to invite the honorable leaders of the three communities in M'ghar, Druze, Christians and Muslims, to convey greetings it will be a significant achievement for our group.

Ms. Nada Abu-Zaidan – I think we can link with the Director of the Community Center Mr. Adnan Trabsha and the Mayor Mr. Ziad Dajesh so they will invite the leaders of the three communities in M'ghar and help organize this event. We can also raise money for refreshments from business owners in the village.

Mr. Hana Shhadeh – I think it’s a wonderful idea that will enable us to have new openings and act more for bringing the hearts closer in M'ghar.

Ms. Pnina Ghanem – I think we can have the encounter of the three communities and to have a celebration that will include a lecture and some music.

Mr. Shafiq Jihan – We can start with blessings between the communities, then a lecture and also invite a band to make people happier.

Mr. Razik Azam – I thought about another project that the group can hold and is very important and it is to distribute presents to families in need in the village for the Holiday.

Ms. Itaf Ghanem – For such a project we can approach the welfare department in the village and get the names of the needy families.

Ms. Radia Asakla – This is a big project, can our group realize it?

Ms. Nada Abu-Zaidan – Yes we can raise the necessary funding from business owners in the village.

Mr. Razik Azam – I think that charity is extremely significant in the religions so it is very important that we, as an interfaith encounter group, will make people smile in the Holiday.

Towards the end of the meeting it was decided to distribute responsibilities among the members of the group so we can organize well and realize the Christmas activity.

Reported by Nada Abu Zaidan



Reconciliation Between All Communities in M'ghar – December 10th

On Friday, December 10th 2005, 22 of the group's members went from the M'ghar Community Center to the Hilwa for a visit and an interfaith encounter with a group of Druze women. In the Hilwa were 67 women and men.

Ms. Muntaha Sakran is the Chairperson of the Shiboliot Group – a group of women that organized after the riots in M'ghar and consists of 20 women of the three communities in M'ghar. The group aims at the enhancement of tolerance awareness, the understanding of the other and taking care of violence.

Ms. Muntaha spoke about the group and its goals. Then Ms. Hila Ghanem spoke about the working process and decision making in the group, what was done so far and the annual working plan.

Mr. Kamal Asakla spoke to the importance of such encounters and said that people can reach points of agreements and understanding of the other only through conducting dialogue between the different religious groups.

Then Ms. Nada Abu Zaidan, the coordinator of the M'ghar Interfaith Encounter group, facilitated a discussion and dialogue between the group and the people who came to the encounter. People touched on many things, including the February 2005 riots that we are still unable to mention them, put them on the table and analyze them.

The encounter lasted for three hours and I felt how much we in M'ghar need the conversation and dialogue between people of all communities.

Reported by Nada Abu Zaidan


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