DREAM OR NIGHTMARE? – WATER IN THE MIDDLE EAST DESTROYED CHURCHES – EGYPT’S UNCERTAIN FUTURE

ISSN 0947-5435 E 12344

3/20

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MAGAZINE ON CHRISTIAN LIFE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Donations to the EVS: Evangelische Kreditgenossenschaft eG,

Bank code 520 604 10, Account no. 407 410

IBAN: DE59 5206 0410 0000 4074 10

BIC: GENODEF1EK11

Endowment contributions to the Schneller Foundation: Evangelische Kreditgenossenschaft eG,

Bank code 520 604 10, Account no. 407 437

IBAN: DE09 5206 0410 0000 4074 37

BIC: GENODEF1EK1

CONTENTS

THE DREAM AND THE NIGHTMARE – WATER IN THE MIDDLE EAST

So that everyone has enough to drink 2

Water justice – a hope for peace in the Middle East 4

Sewage without boundaries 7 Sewage problem in the Kidron Valley requires Israeli-Palestinian solution

Water from the desert 10Groundwater and the future of water supply in Jordan

River out of Eden 12The Jordan Valley is experiencing a man-made natural disaster

Cover picture: A girl at the Johann Ludwig Schneller School in Lebanon Photo: EMS/Uwe Gräbe

CHRISTIANS AND THE MIDDLE EAST

Hope is not lost 24An Egyptian pastor reports about violence against Christians

Christian presence in the Middle East 26Thoughts about a conference in Beirut

Media 27

Letters to the editor 31

Imprint 33

NEWS ABOUT THE WORK AT THE SCHNELLER SCHOOLS

“Children experience a culture of trust” 14The new EMS Secretary-General visits the Schneller schools

News about the Schneller Schools 16

News about the EVS 18

Living and acting out the Christian faith in plurality 21International consultation takes a look at Germany and Lebanon

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EDITORIAL

Dear Reader,

Water in the Middle East is not only in short sup-ply. Very often it is also unfairly distributed – between rich and poor, the powerful and the weak. It is a well known fact that water has the potential to cause wars. It therefore seems all the more important to us in the editor’s office to take a look at who people who manage to make do with the scarce commodity use clever and careful methods, people who are not stopped by political tensions and who persistently advocate fairer distribution and sustainable use of water. Their commitment is essential for a beneficial future in the entire region..

In addition this issue again presents lots of news from the two Schneller schools and from the work of the Evangelical Association for the Schneller Schools (EVS). The new Secretary-General of the Evangelical Mission in Solidarity - Church and Missions in International Partnership (EMS), Pastor Jürgen Reichel, relates in an interview about his impressions during his first visit to Lebanon and Jordan and shows how unique and important Schneller work is for the entire work of the EMS. We would like to specially mention the Schneller Celebration on 27 Octo-ber in Fellbach to which you are all cordially invited (see page 20).

We received an unusually high number of readers’ letters about our last issue – both positive and critical. Firstly it appears that the feature “Israel – Palestine: To whom do we devote our solidarity?” clearly touched a sensitive nerve. Secondly the article “The cross to bear with Christian persecution” prompted many readers to pick up their pens or their phones. Although it needs strength to withstand criticism and deal with it, we are nonetheless grateful for your feedback. Direct contact with readers is one of the privileges of editorial work and it motivates us to reflect further on the topics.

In the hope that you find the articles in this issue appealing, I send you many greetings on behalf of the entire editorial team.

Yours

Katja Dorothea Buck (Editor in charge)

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SO THAT EVERYONE HAS ENOUGH TO DRINK

Together with colleagues from the EAPPI, I am travelling in the Jordan valley. The region is dry and very

hot. Only few plants grow here. We leave the dusty township of Al Auja. Before us lies the steep slopes of the Jordan Valley. On the side of the road is a kiosk. The out-side is adorned with hanging inflated swimming rings, swimming trunks and diving goggles – in the middle of the desert we are standing in front of a stall selling equipment for a seaside holiday! We have a good laugh at the sight. But very soon after, we realise the kiosk owner had a good nose for business. In the hin-terland of Al Auja is the most abundant spring in West Jordan. Water gushes out of the mountain and flows into a dry val-ley. It is cold and clear. It’s miraculous.

You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills, giving drink to every wild animal; the wild asses quench their thirst. By the streams the birds of the air have their habi-tation; they sing among the branches. From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. You cause the grass to grow for the cattle, and plants for people to use, to bring forth food from the earth. (Psalm 104:10-14)

Children are splashing about in the water, women are enjoying the coolness and men are turning sizzling meat skewers on the BBQs. My colleagues and I walk along the edge of the spring, paddling our hands and feet in the cool water. Just like the families there we enjoy the quietness and distance from the bustle of everyday life.

A mere kilometre to the south everything is again bare and dry. Isolated dusty trees cast their shadows. Abu Kar-bish is the head of a large Bedouin family. Several children are jumping around the tents. I want to know how many children he has. “Many, so many I can’t count them any more,” he jokes. One of his two wives brings tea.

The family only has water from water tanks which they fill in Jericho and then haul there by tractor. Drinking water is expensive. On the other hand Abu Karbish can have spring water free of charge but he has to pay for the transport himself and the spring water is only suitable to water the sheep and goats. Abu Karbish is not allowed to use the water from the nearby spring of Al Auja. The distribution of water between the farmers of Al Auja is precise-ly regulated. However the Bedouin fami-lies have no right to the water. They are refugees who were expelled from the Ein Gedi region in 1948.

In rainy years, the Al Auja produces so much water that there would be enough for everyone for the entire summer. But usually the spring already runs dry in June or July because Israeli settlers in the direct neighbourhood pump the water from greater depths. Other smaller springs run dry much earlier. Many of the farmers have given up cultivating their fields because they don’t have the money to pay for irrigation water any more.

Abu Karbish’s wife joins us and sits down. This is unusual. Other wives appear to us to be only shadows and workers behind closed doors. She tells us the chil-

BESINNUNG

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dren are often ill because germs grow in the water tanks. She casts a bitter look at the nearby Israeli settlement. “They had hardly finished developing the land for the settlers and they already had water pipes and electricity. What about us?” she asks. “We’ve been here since 1948 and we still have no water or electricity to this day. And the electricity line runs directly next to our tent.”

The wife continues telling us how dif-ficult life is, especially for the children: no TV, no telephone, no computer. She hopes we can help her. When she notices we can’t offer her anything, she withdraws. I don’t blame her. She has to make sure the large family gets by. There’s no room for polite modesty.

She and her family however seem to have adapted themselves to life in the desert as best they can. They are some-

thing like the trees - deeply rooted in the land and capable of adapting to the cir-cumstances. In times of plenty they cele-brate lavishly. In times of drought, they must survive in all modesty. They even bend over, overcome their aversions and work in the Israeli settlements. But they never snap - they remain true to their life-style. Proud and straightforward they live as Bedouins with their traditions. They are unmatched when it comes to hospitality. They are like trees, where everyone can find shade under their crowns.

Evi Handke was in the Holy Land with the Ecumenical Accompaniment

Programme for Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) for five months.

SO THAT EVERYONE HAS ENOUGH TO DRINK

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In the biblical understanding water is never the property of mankind - it is always a gift from God.

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In many languages there is a proverb that says a drop of water can make the glass overflow [Translator’s note: English equivalent “it’s the last straw that breaks the camel’s back”.]. But an empty glass can do much more: it can escalate conflicts. This is what people in the Middle East experience. Since the little water there is also very unfairly distributed means that every step in the direction of more water justice is a step towards peace. Exam-ples from four countries show how different the challenges are – as well as the solutions.

Palestine – Making effective use of scarce water suppliesThe occupation forces systematically ham-per access to clean water to the Palestinian population on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Many of the afflicted feel this is an attempt to take their homeland away from them. The deep wells of the Israeli settlements also cause a drop in ground-water levels. Many Palestinian wells run dry. Palestinians may only dig new wells with Israeli approval and they are refused almost without exception. Ultimately the fragmented Autonomous Palestinian Ter-ritories make it impossible to provide a countrywide drinking water supply.

The occupation forces systematically hamper access to clean water to the Pales-tinian population on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Many of the afflicted feel this is an attempt to take their homeland away from them. The deep wells of the Israeli settlements also cause a drop in

groundwater levels. Many Palestinian wells run dry. Palestinians may only dig new wells with Israeli approval and they are refused almost without exception. Ultimately the fragmented Autonomous Palestinian Territories make it impossible to provide a countrywide drinking water supply.

For this reason local modern drinking water and waste water systems are under construction in larger towns such as

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WATER JUSTICE – A HOPE FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

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Ramallah with support from the European Union, the World Bank and other donors. In parallel to this an attempt is underway in rural areas to defend wells against attacks by Israeli settlers and to fight against land expropriations which lead to the loss of wells and springs.

Palestinian families living in the Jordan Valley must endure numerous restrictions. All the more stubbornly do they defend their land and their water, in the courts

and in everyday life. For example, the Ger-man organisation “medico international” supported the inhabitants of the village of Jiftlik to lay plastic hoses to create simple irrigation systems for their fields, save val-uable water and achieve higher yields.

In the Gaza Strip groundwater supplies have been so overused by the people forced to live in such a confined space that salt water from the Mediterranean is seep-ing through to the groundwater acquifers. Here too the local authorities and devel-opment aid organisations are struggling to build a drinking water supply and waste water network, with seawater desalination plants, for example.

Israel – the tough fight of the BedouinsEvery Israeli consumes four times as much water as a Palestinian in West Jordan or the Gaza Strip. Even inside Israel there is injustice when it comes to water access. An extreme example of this are the Bedouin families in the Negev desert. The Israeli government has been trying for decades to group them in several urban settlements but there they live uprooted from their culture, often without work or prospects. The collective claims of the Bedouins to their land are not recognised and they are forbidden to erect solid build-ings there. Nonetheless about 70,000 Bed-ouins live in “unrecognised” villages. There they are refused any state infrastruc-ture such as water supply and waste water systems. On 12 May 2013, the Jerusalem Post reported that the village of al-Arakib was destroyed by police for the 50th time. Under such conditions it borders on a mir-acle that the village inhabitants manage time and again to build simple water pipe-lines. In the village of al-Sara they have even succeeded in irrigating olive trees with a water pipeline.

Groundwater well in the Basalt desert to the north of the Jordanian town of Azraq

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Jordan – farmers rely on “used” waterMany Jordanian farmers are affected by acute water shortage because their home-land is one of the most arid countries in the world. Towns and industry also demand an increasing proportion of the scare commodity. Farmers regard them-selves as unfairly treated, but for several years

Groundwater well in the Basalt desert to the north of the Jordanian town of Azraq they have successfully found a solution to the problem: using treated waste water. It’s been a long time since anybody turned up their noses at “used” water. Thanks to the waste water treatment plants, there is no health risk to worry about. As it is rich in organic nutrients, the farmers use less fer-tiliser. In the meantime, Jordan uses 115 million cubic metres of treated water a year, mainly to irrigate fields in the Jordan Valley. More than one million tons of fruit and vegetables are now exported as a result. It is due in particular to the addi-tional water demands by the many refu-gees from Syria that water recycling for agriculture plays an important role in reducing conflicts.

Lebanon – tap water for everyone

Lebanon has enough groundwater and river water for the entire population. How-ever in many places there is no access to drinking water and throughout the coun-try there is an unfair distribution of the valuable commodity. During the civil war from 1975 to 1990 and the war with Israel in 2006, large parts of the water infrastruc-ture were destroyed in particular in the south of the country. In Beirut over 90% of inhabitants have a water tap whereas this figure is hardly more than 50 per cent in many rural areas. But even from the available taps, water often only flows for a few hours. Rich families in Beirut have their own wells and water tanks. The poor in the country do not.

Water justice in Lebanon is not only achieved by individual charitable projects but mainly by expanding the public water supply system so that the entire popula-tion can have continuous access to clean water. Besides water works and pipelines, the scarce water supplies must be used cau-tiously, as propagated by environmental-ists such as “Friends of the Earth”. Important measures here are fitting water meters and introducing consumption-re-lated water tariffs – almost unknown so far in Lebanon. UN organisations and bilater-al partners such as the Deutsche Gesellschaft für internationale Zusamme-narbeit (German Society for International Co-operation) are supporting the govern-ment to provide water for everybody – including the inhabitants of Palestinian and now also Syrian refugee camps.

Frank Kürschner-Pelkmann

Two Palestinian boys want to fetch water.

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You will find a detailed analysis by Frank Kürschner-Pelkmann on water conflicts and water co-operation in the Middle East on his website www.wasser-und-mehr.de/doc/wasser

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When Moses was approaching the end of his life, he blessed the Children of Israel in the knowledge that he would not be permitted to set foot in the Promised Land. “I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse: therefore choose life, that you may live, you and your seed…..” (Deuteron-omy 30:19). This verse of his blessing is of special relevance to the context of sewage in the Kidron/Wadi Al-Naar Basin, which flows down to the Dead Sea at the rate of 15,000,000 cubic metres a year, and is the theme of this contribution.

On the south-eastern slopes of the Old City of Jerusalem, the Kidron Valley opens up into a river basin

carved by floods, rainwater and water from the Siloah Spring. The Kidron basin flows directly into the Dead Sea, its route marked by monasteries and Biblical sites, against the backdrop of one of the most important heritage landscapes in the world.

For several decades, however, the Kidron River Basin has become the city’s “backyard” as a result of geopolitical inde-cision concerning Jerusalem. Urban devel-opment has proceeded without investment in infrastructure, public insti-tutions and green space, and for the most part illegal-ly. In addition, raw sewage in Jerusalem’s eastern watershed con-tinues to constitute a major hazard for health and for the envi-ronment, while hampering any hope for economic and cul-tural sustainability for close to 200,000 residents living in the neighbourhoods in and adjoining the Kidron Valley.

During the current municipal adminis-tration we have attempted to confront the issues in the area, in a multi-stakeholder process which has addressed the challenge of sustainable development, including treatment of raw sewage, legalisation of most of the existing structures, addition of much-needed housing units and, last but not least, restoration of the scenic and cultural heritage of the most important pilgrim route in Jerusalem, from the Dead Sea up to the Old City. This route is signif-icant for Jews, Christians and Moslems, and it is our hope and prayer that through

Sewage problem in the Kidron Valley requires Israeli-Palestinian solution

SEWAGE WITHOUT BOUNDARIES

15 million cubic metres of raw sewage flow through the Kidron Valley every year (here near Jerusalem).

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creation of common ground in this pro-cess, we may be able to lay the founda-tions for future prosperity for an area that has suffered so much neglect.

Eighteen months ago, Jerusalem togeth-er with other world cities became a found-ing member of a network of cities that are pilgrim destinations. This initiative creates a meeting ground for cities and faiths. All the cities in the newly established Green Pilgrimage Network are of special signifi-cance to one world religion, but the case of Jerusalem is unique. Christians, Jews and Moslems all over the world see Jeru-salem as a spiritual destination, and it is this triple identity that provides a special challenge on the one hand and a remark-able opportunity on the other.

Within the context of the Kidron Basin / Wadi Al Nar, the choice that has to be made jointly by the Palestinians and the Israelis is of Mosaic proportions. It is a choice between the blessing and the curse, life and death. Leaving fifteen million cubic meters of raw sewage flowing annu-ally down from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea is clearly the wrong choice, depriving res-idents of their right to clean water (a prod-uct of sewage treatment) and inflicting a serious health hazard on the 200,000 res-idents of the Kidron Basin. Moreover, if the stinking sewage continues to flow, how can the dream of a prosperous pil-grim route from the Dead Sea up to the Old City of Jerusalem come true? If, on the other hand, the City of Jerusalem

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When water becomes a danger to health and the environment …

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treats its sewage within its municipal boundary, we will have an incomplete solution since a lot of the sewage is gen-erated from Palestinian towns and villages in and around the basin.

A joint Israeli-Palestinian team that has been working together for two years, has reached conclusions and recommenda-tions that have resulted in the formulation of a plan for a sewage treatment plant well beyond the current municipal boundaries of Jerusalem. It could treat all the effluent in the basin, providing water for local agri-culture and removing the danger of raw sewage in populated areas. If this plan could have the approval of the Israeli and Palestinian Authorities, the way would be

paved to develop a healthier economy and a more sustainable environment.

At this time, the Palestinian-Israeli planning team is working hard to gain the high-level approval needed to move for-ward. After accompanying the work of the Kidron Basin team for the last three years, the choice of the blessing, of life, seems to be obvious and straightforward. Clearly, the choice that Moses offered the Children of Israel is one we face at every crossroads in life.

Indeed, as a new round of peace talks between the Palestinians and the Israelis opens, many of us believe that the case of the Kidron sewage would be a good one to start with, a joint venture that could promote prosperity and well-being for all the residents in the area..

Naomi Tsur is Deputy Mayor for Planning and Environment in the City of Jerusalem.

Naomi Tsur is responsible for environmen-tal issues in Jerusalem.

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Groundwater and the future of water supply in Jordan

Groundwater today is the most impor-tant water resource in Jordan. More than half the water used in the coun-try originates from underground reserves. However more water is taken from the groundwater than is availa-ble in the long term. The country’s water supply in the coming years is in jeopardy.

The use of groundwater has a long tradition in the Middle East. For thousands of years, people have dug

wells to draw the life-giving water. But for a long time, the amount of water taken from the wells was small. Only little water could be drawn using hand-pulled rope buckets and other simple equipment. This changed at the beginning of the 20th cen-tury. The first wells which were pumped using steam engines and windmills belonged to the wells at the stations of the Hejaz railway. The Ottoman government built the railway line to shorten the pil-grimage route to Mecca and Medina. Part of the line ran through the region which is now Jordan where the wells of the Hejaz railway heralded the modern era for groundwater. During the decades that fol-lowed, pumping stations became more and more sophisticated and the amount of water drawn by the new pumps and motors grew..

In Jordan, which is one of the driest countries on Earth, the use of groundwater has many advantages. A large part of the country consists of desert. In many regions there are no rivers, streams or lakes. On the other hand, groundwater is available whether rain is scanty or irregular. In addi-

tion it is often of good quality. At first it was mainly farmers who drilled wells. Today, demand from towns and industry is rising at an alarming pace. The water sit-uation is closely linked to economic and social growth in Jordan. The country’s population is rising. The influx of refugees from neighbouring countries over the past decades is aggravating the situation. At the moment, the influx stems from Syrian ref-ugees who are fleeing from the civil war in their home country.

Water demand became so high in the second half of the 20th century that the use of groundwater is no longer sustaina-ble. The supply situation has become increasingly worse in the past few decades. Water levels in the acquifers is dropping. If water continues to be removed at the present rate, the deposits will dry up in some regions within the foreseeable future.

One of the last available groundwater deposits in Jordan is currently being tapped. In July 2013, King Abdullah per-sonally inaugurated the Disi Water Con-veyor, a water pipeline of previously unknown dimensions. The water comes from underground wells which were drilled in the desert near the border to Sau-di Arabia. The water is pumped through the pipeline to Amman, over 300 kilo-metres away. The project is raising very high hopes. The Jordanian government expects the opening of the pipeline to attenuate the water crisis in Amman. In the past, the inhabitants of the capital only had water on a couple of days a week. From now on, water will be on tap for up to four days a week.

WATER FROM THE DESERT

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WATER FROM THE DESERT

However, it is more than clear now that the Disi acquifers can only supply water for a few decades. The groundwater in the region is thousands of years old. It formed at times of abundant rainfall. Today, there is hardly any rain in the region. Very little rain seeps through the ground to feed the

deposits. Any water taken from the wells and pumped through the pipeline to Amman will not be replaced. Every litre taken reduces the water stocks. In a few years’ time, the question of water supply will again arise and then the situation will be more serious than ever.

In an arid country such as Jordan, the availability of water is a basic condition for economic development and is ulti-mately the key to survival. The population of Jordan will continue to grow in the coming years. The water demand will also rise. The fair distribution of dwindling resources and access by all people to clean drinking water are therefore major chal-lenges for everyone in the country.

Silvan Eppinger graduated in law, theology and Islamic studies. Now he is

working on his doctorate at the University of Heidelberg on the subject of groundwater law of Jordan and Arizona.

From 2001 to 2002, he was an EMS volunteer at the Johann Ludwig Schneller

School in Lebanon.

In the 1960s and 1970s, two groundwater wells were drilled on the school grounds of the Theodor Schneller School in Amman. One of them is still in use today. It supplies the school, the residential home, the work-shop and the garden with fresh water.

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The Jordan Valley is experiencing a man-made natural disaster

The Jordan is on the threshold of an ecological collapse. If the countries bordering the river fail to come to an agreement soon, the once rich ecosys-tem will be destroyed for ever. Jorda-nians, Palestinians and Israelis are fighting side by side in the environ-mental organisation Eco Peace / Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME) to preserve the Jordan Valley.

For thousands of years, the Jordan has brought life to a landscape of extraor-dinary ecological, spiritual and cul-

tural value. Stories of the foundation of Judaism, the Christian faith and Islam were enacted along its banks. In our col-lective memory the Jordan is a river of life. It is holy to all three Abrahamitic reli-gions.

The river basin on the Jordan is shared today by Syria, Jordan, Israel and Pales-tine. Their borders have nothing to do with ecological borders. The growing water demand of these countries and the consequences of climate change are destroying the lower reaches of the Jor-dan. Instead of accepting the valley as a unique cross-border water catchment area, these nations are competing to obtain the greatest possible share of the water. At present, the river is a military zone; it serves as border between Jordan and Isra-el/Palestine. Jordanians and Israelis have extremely limited access to the Jordan; Palestinians have virtually none.

The Jordan is dying. The countries bor-dering on the river have diverted more than 96 per cent of the natural river. For

the past 50 years, untreated sewage has flowed directly into the Jordan. Further sewage comes from seepage. The little riv-er water than remains is polluted by waste and rubbish.

While the river is drying out, the lower Jordan Valley is already suffering from ecological collapse. Soon this will no longer be reversible. Biodiversity has shrunk by half. The water level of the Dead Sea is dropping so fast that by the middle of the century, only a lake will remain. This is not only a tragedy for nature; wells which have irrigated farm-land for thousands of years have dried up, not because there has been no rain but because the groundwater layers have be pumped dry by wells. The demise of the Jordan is a man-made catastrophe.

RIVER OUT OF EDEN

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RIVER OUT OF EDEN

Eco Peace /Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME) has a vision for the Jordan Valley: a clean, living river in whose valley birds and animals find the water they need to flourish, where wells bubble again, and where water is distributed fairly among those who live along its banks. This vision reflects our moral and spiritual responsi-bility as Muslims, Christians and Jews and pays respect to Palestine.

fWe appeal to the governments of the bordering countries to place this topic at the top of their agendas before it is too late.

fWe recommend replenishing the river with 400 to 600 million cubic metres of fresh water.

fPalestinians should be granted access to the river and to their share of the water.

fFinally, national strategies should be implemented to improve water manage-ment in Jordan, Israel and Palestine.

In the past few years, a few govern-ments have focused their attention of returning fresh water to the lower Jordan Valley and improving their sewage treat-ment plants. In spring this year, the Israe-li water administration started for the first time to pump water from the Sea of Genazareth (Galilee) into the lower Jordan Valley at regular intervals.

The work of Eco Peace aims at integrat-ing groups from all three Abrahamitic reli-gions to restore the river. In the meantime, numerous religious leaders are appealing to their communities to support environ-mental projects.

The restoration of the River Jordan is the litmus test of our faith. If we fail here, we will have failed in our fundamental responsibility for the ecological system, which enabled life on earth in the first place. If we are unable to protect a place such as the Jordan Valley, what part of the Earth will we leave intact for our children?

Anwar Abu-Hammour works for Eco Peace/Friends of the Earth Middle East.

The present text is a highly abridged version of an article which the author

wrote entitled “River out of Eden – Jordan River in the Eye of the Beholder”.

The place on the Jordan where Jesus was baptised seen from the Israeli-Palestinian side. The little river water left is heavily polluted by untreated sewage.

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NEWS ABOUT THE WORK AT THE SCHNELLER SCHOOLS

At the end of May, Pastor Jürgen Reichel visited the two Schneller schools in Lebanon and in Jordan for the first time. The schools had an important function within the EMS Fellowship, said the new EMS Secre-tary-General. They allowed EMS mem-ber churches in Asia and Africa to “feel close to the Middle East region which has a religious meaning for all”.

What impressed you most about the Schneller schools?At the Schneller schools children and young people experience a culture in which Christians and Muslims treat each other openly and trustingly. In both Leb-anon and Jordan they notice what binds

them in their daily contacts with each other that is much stronger than what could separate them.

What do you regard as the specific duty of the two schools in the current situation in the Middle East?The two schools allow children and young people from disadvantaged families to receive a good education. This makes the schools stand out from many other insti-tutions, some of which demand high school fees, and makes them into some-thing special.

What significance do the Schneller schools have for the EMS Fellowship?The EMS members in Asia and Africa pay very special attention to what is happen-ing in the Middle East. The Schneller

“CHILDREN EXPERIENCE A CULTURE OF TRUST”The new EMS Secretary-General visits the Schneller schools

Jürgen Reichel visiting children at the Johann Ludwig Schneller School.

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schools are important identification ele-ments so that people can feel closer to the region which has a religious meaning for all. For example, the EMS Mission Council placed the situation in the Middle East on its agenda in June this year – specifically the Syrian issue – and requested us at the Secretariat to search for ways in which the EMS Fellowship could help in Syria.

What can we in Germany learn from the Schneller schools?The Schneller schools are very much based on learning by doing. Learning not only takes place in the mind but also with the hands. People from different origins living together is not a concept, it happens in real life. At the Schneller schools, it is the job of the teachers to show daily that learning objectives can be applied to everyday life.

Would you have liked to be a child at one of the Schneller schools?I think this question should be answered from the perspective of a child who grows up under difficult conditions in Jordan or Lebanon. If we were such a child, we would consider ourselves very lucky to be accepted by either of the two schools.

What do the children and co-workers at the Schneller schools wish for the future?For the communities at the schools the future has already begun through living and working together in peace. We must hope and pray for Lebanon, that no vio-lent conflicts occur in the Bekaa valley where the school is located. In Jordan, there will soon be a change of school director. Such a change means both an opportunity as well as a crisis. Many con-siderations and ongoing projects must be continued with commitment.

Interviewed by Katja Dorothea Buck.

INFOWICHTELS TRAVELTO LEBANON On their journey to the Middle East, Pastor Jürgen Reichel, EMS Secretary-General, Klaus Schmidt, EVS Chairman, and Pastor Dr Uwe Gräbe, EVS Managing Director, took several Wichtels (surprise presents) with them in their suitcases. Children at a primary school in Stuttgart-Degerloch had decorated white cotton hand puppets with their own crea-tions to give as presents to children at the Johann Ludwig Schneller School (JLSS). Uwe Gräbe handed over the Wichtels to their new owners during religious lessons and told the children at the JLSS all about the schoolchildren in Stuttgart.

Handing over Wichtels is part of WORLD-WIDE SURPRISE, a join-in campaign for chil-dren’s groups in kindergartens, schools and in children’s services. With the campaign that lasts the whole year round, children from different countries and cultures can come into contact all over the world and get to know each other.

For more information, visit www.weltweitwichteln.de or contact Anna Kallenberger and Annette Schumm directly

Tel.: +49 711 636 78 -44,E-mail: info@weltweit-wichteln.org

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HANS LEHNER LEAVES JLSS Stuttgart. Almost unnoticed by the pub-lic, a mini-revolution took place in the administration of the Johann Ludwig Sch-neller School (JLSS) in Lebanon over the past three years. At the beginning of 2010, salaries were still booked by hand and painstakingly entered in spreadsheets. No-one really had any idea of the overall assets, and agreements with international donors required a kit if effort. Now this has been replaced by an efficient, modern accounting software. Co-workers love working with this new tool and of course it makes their jobs much easier. An exten-sive inventory is generated and continu-ously updated. For example, the price of products from the bakery is adjusted auto-matically depending on the rise or fall of the price of flour.

All this is thanks to Hans Lehner, who was sent to the JLSS as administration spe-cialist by the Evangelical Mission in Soli-darity - Church and Missions in International Partnership (EMS) in co-op-eration with the Evangelical Association

for the Schneller Schools (EVS) and the Church Development Service (EED). He stayed there from July 2010 to June 2013 and did a tremendous job – with visible success. During his spare time, Mr Lehner made many friends in Lebanon and showed how well international ecumeni-cal togetherness can work.

Mr Lehner has now found a job in industry in Leipzig and we wish him God’s blessing for the future. We also wish Rita Rashed, who was trained by Mr Lehner, every success in her job as his successor at the JLSS.

Pastor Dr Uwe Gräbe, EVS Managing Director

ALWAYS A WARM LUNCH Khirbet Kanafar (JLSS). The German Embassy in Lebanon has provided the Johann Ludwig Schneller School (JLSS) with more than US$ 8,000 to modernise the kitchen equipment. The kitchen team, who cater for 150 people every day, is par-ticularly pleased with the second large-size cooking pot.

In the past, the old boiling pot broke down time and again. The children had to make do with sandwiches instead of a warm lunch on many occasions. “We appreciate the generous support we receive from Germany and which is the backbone of the work of the JLSS,” says Director George Haddad.

In the EMS Secretariat, Hans Lehner (centre, standing, with white shirt) talking about his work. He received the official thanks from EMS and EVS.

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FORMER PUPILS MEET Khirbet Kanafar (JLSS). For the second time, the Friends’ Association of the Johann Ludwig Schneller School invited former pupils to a meeting in Khirbet Kanafar at the beginning of July. In the end, only 35 former pupils, friends and former workers at the JLSS were able to attend due to the political situation. Together they unveiled a plaque engraved with the school hymn and a wooden pan-el containing the life story of Johann Lud-wig Schneller and the aims of the school in three languages. The association mem-bers elected a new managing council to replace the previous founding committee. The association has set itself the goal of promoting contact among former Sch-neller pupils and supporting needy chil-dren at the school.

TWO AWARDS FOR THE TSS Amman (TSS). Seven pupils at the Theo-dor Schneller School were commended for their achievements in the subject of Ger-man in an international language compe-tition organised by the Goethe Institute. They won a scholarship which permits them to spend several weeks in Germany to improve their language skills even more and learn about German culture.

Since 2011, the TSS has been a partner of the Goethe Institute which has a world-wide network to promote the German lan-guage.

Six countries (Egypt, Tunisia, the Arab Emirates, Iraq, Oman and Jordan) took part in this year’s regional competition. In the final qualifications, Jordan came sec-ond after Egypt.

In addition, the TSS took third place among 14 schools in a Jordan national competition which aims at promoting freedom of expression.

NEW WEBSITE Amman (TSS). The Theodor Schneller School (TSS) in Amman has a new web address. You will now find the latest news (mainly in English) and photos of the school at www.schnellerschule.org. The pro-vider passed on the original domain www.tschneller.org to another company by mis-take. The TSS looks forward to greeting all visitors to their new website.

German class at the TSS: The motto above the classroom door reads – “Ich liebe Deutsch” – and this seems to be the order of the day there.

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EVS EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETS IN THURINGIA Rüdersdorf (EVS). For the first time in its history, the Executive Board of the Evan-gelical Association for the Schneller Schools (EVS) met in Thuringia in the middle of May this year. The invitations were sent out by board member Christian Kurzke, who is pastor in Rüdersdorf near the town of Gera.

The meeting in the east of Germany was not only a chance to exchange news and views about association work. Seven board members took on preaching engage-ments in various parishes in the surround-ing area and used the opportunity to promote the Schneller schools. The board meeting took place at exactly the same time as many parishes in Thuringia were battling against floods and inundations.

It was all the more surprising to all board members that people still showed great interest in the work of the schools and the fate of children in the Middle East.

GERMANS IN THE HOLY LAND Stuttgart/Quedlinburg (EVS. The very successful exhibition “Germans in the Holy Land – The German contribution to cultural change in Palestine” will remain on view in the Aegidi and Nikolai Church-es in Quedlinburg until 4 October 2013. A major chapter is dedicated to the Syrian Orphanage and its impact on Palestine in those times. Historian Jakob Eisler, hon-orary member of the Evangelical Associa-tion for the Schneller Schools (EVS), conceived the exhibition on behalf of the Archives of the Regional Church in Stutt-gart (Landeskirchliche Archiv Stuttgart) and the Association for Wuerttemberg

Members of the EVS Executive Board in Rüdersdorf (from let to right): Klaus Schmid (Chair-man), Johanna Hagen, Christian Kurzke, Regina Schoch, Bernd Apel, Johannes Lähnemann, Basil Rishmawi, Uwe Gräbe (Managing Director)

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Church History. It went on show for the first time in Jerusalem in 2005, followed by Berlin, Bremen, Constance, Dessau, Köthen, Kiel and Lübeck.

The present exhibition venue in Quedlinburg is directly connected to Sch-neller work: the glass windows of the insti-tution’s church at the Syrian Orphanage, which can be seen today in the Church of Christ in Amman, stem from the glass workshops of Ferdinand Müller in Quedlinburg.

The exhibition shows photos by Stutt-gart photographer Paul Hommel (1880-1957) and pictures of glass panels from the 19th century. Hommel travelled several times to Palestine from 1927. During those trips he was not only interested in the holy places but also in the native popula-tion, the Zionist movement and particu-larly the German colonies and missionary institutions, on whose commission he produced several series of post cards. Hommel took thousands of pictures and it was only by chance that the majority of these valuable photos survived. From the estate of Hermann Schneller, grandson of

the founder of the Syrian Orphanage and last headmaster of the institution in Jeru-salem, they came into the possession of the Archives of the Regional Church in Stuttgart (Landeskirchliche Archiv Stutt-gart).

About 3,000 German Christians lived in Palestine at that time. Most of them had emigrated from Protestant Württemberg. As missionaries and settlers, they made a significant contribution to the cultural development of the country, but today this has largely disappeared in the mists of time. The first German Protestant mis-sionaries were sent to Palestine by the Pil-grims Mission of St Chrischona near Basel. Germans settlers also came to the country as from 1868. The majority of them belonged to the Temple Society which sprang up from Wuerttemberg Pietism. After 1918, during the time of the British Mandate, the significance of the German Protestant missionary institutions and set-tlements died down. Their work finally came to an end at the beginning of World War II.

The Syrian Orphanage in Jerusalem

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SCHNELLER CELEBRATIONS AND EVS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2013We heartily welcome you to the EVS Annual General Meeting on 27 October 2013.This year, it is taking place in Fellbach (north of Stuttgart).

AGENDA

10:00Celebratory service in the Luther Church (Kirchplatz 1, 70734 Fellbach). The ser-mon will be held by Pastor Jürgen Reichel, Secretary-General of the Evangelical Mis-sion in Solidarity - Church and Missions in International Partnership (EMS).

11:15Welcoming address by Günter Geyer,First Mayor of the Town of Fellbach

11:30Reception at the church and opportunity to visit the Fellbach Town Museum – Johanna Allmendinger, born in Fellback and wife of Theodor Schneller, will be introduced here.

12:30Lunch for members and guests at Paul-Gerhardt-Haus (August-Brändle-Str. 19, 70734 Fellbach).

14:00Ceremonial address and talk: “The upheavals in the Arab World” – Dr Roland Löffler, Head of the Herbert-Quandt Foun-dation in Berlin

15:00Coffee break

15:30EVS Annual General Meeting

Agenda:

1. Minutes of the annual general meeting 2012

2. Chairman’s report – discussion3. Treasurer’s report – discussion4. Election of Board of Trustees

of the Schneller Foundation5. Changes to the Articles of

Association6. Change to the agreement

between EMS and EVS7. Reports from the Schneller schools8. Date of next meeting9. Any other business

16:30Closing remarks and blessing for the return journey

How to get there: The Luther Church and the Paul-Ger-hardt-Haus are easy to reach by the U1 city train. The easiest route is to take the U1 city train to terminal station “Luther-kirche Fellbach”. The Luther Church is located near the Schwabenlandhalle. There is parking space in the basement garage under the Rathaus (guildhall).

The EVS Secretariat requests registrations by Monday, 21 October 2013 at the latest, preferably by email to evs@ems-online.org quoting “Annual general meeting” in the subject line, or by phone on +49711 636 78 -39, and of course by post or fax.

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We heartily welcome you to the EVS Annual General Meeting on 27 October 2013.This year, it is taking place in Fellbach (north of Stuttgart).

“Where do we stand in society as Christians in Germany and Lebanon?” This question was the focal point of the international consultation “Impli-cations of a minority situation” to which invitations were sent out by the Protestant Theological Faculty in Bochum, the study programme “Study in the Middle East” (SiMO) and the Near East School of Theology (NEST) in Beirut at the end of June.

The papers discussed the many facets of the subject. First, the religious landscapes in Germany and Leba-

non were described, above all the general problem of the declining numbers of church members. Then the opportunities of church work were presented in view of the present challenges in East and West Germany, in the Orient and in the West. Of course the issue of the future of Chris-tians amidst the upheavals in the Middle East was a constant subject of discussion. Arab Christians expressed their hopeful-ness: “At least something is happening in the Arab world,” said Dr George Sabra, President of NEST, who had come to Bochum from Beirut together with four other lecturers.

The unanimous opinion of all partici-pants was that the Christian faith was alive and must be fostered in the midst of the plurality of larger and smaller majori-ties and minorities, both in the Orient and in the West, and that this is only possible in an atmosphere of tolerant coexistence. The important thing is that people should

always make the attempt to understand others and come into contact with them. The SiMO study programme is an oppor-tunity to put this into practice. For sever-al years, German theology students have been able to spend a year at NEST and become acquainted with the Christian diversity in the Middle East and the Chris-tian-Muslim dialogue. “The days here in Bochum were like a festival for us. We were able to see the fruits which the SiMO programme bears,” said Sabra at the end and announced that everyone should con-tinue along the path together. NEST will organise the next consultation in Beirut in September 2015.

Dr Claudia Rammelt is member in the Managing Committee of the SiMO and

Chairwoman of the Association of Friends of NEST (www.freunde-der-nest.de).

International consultation takes a look at Germany and Lebanon

LIVING AND ACTING OUT THE CHRISTIAN FAITH IN PLURALITY

Participants and speakers at the international consultation on the situation of minorities

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The Schneller schools support Christian Peace Education in the Middle East. For more than 150 years, the name of Sch-neller has stood for untiring commitment to the education of children and young people in tolerance and peace. The two Christian schools are open to all children, no matter what religion they belong to. They offer a place of security and depend-ability. The Schneller Foundation – Edu-cation for Peace was instituted in 2007 to ensure that this work can continue in the long term irrespective of economic down-turns. An endowment contribution works in the long-term, as opposed to donations which are used immediately. Endowments become part of the foundation’s assets. Only the interest is used directly for the work of the Schneller schools.

Do you want to support the Sch-neller Founda-t ion? Then please contact us. By the way, the money you give the founda-tion is tax deductible. If you wish to make a large endowment payment we advise you to consult a notary or a tax consultant first. An endowment can be made in the form of a legacy or an inheritance. An endow-ment is ideal for preserving your own life’s work beyond your lifetime or to honour the work of a relative.

Schneller pupils fondly remember their time at the schools. With your help

children from broken homes will still be able to gain a sustained

perspective for their future lives in many years to come as a result of the Schneller schools. Make your contri-

bution to securing peace in the Middle East.

Give children the gift of the future!

SECURING THE FUTURE SUPPORT THE SCHNELLER SCHOOLS IN THE LONG TERM WITH AN ENDOWMENT CONTRIBUTION.

Your contact for questions relating to the Foundation:

Pastor Klaus Schmid, EVS President, evs@ems-online.org

Pastor Dr Uwe Gräbe, EVS Managing Director, graebe@ems-online.org

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Albert Schell last visited the Theodor Schneller School (TSS) during a trip to Jordan with his wife. “We have

fond memories of this visit and the friend-ly guided tour around the school. We are very convinced about their aim of giving young people from difficult social condi-tions a better perspective for the future, irrespective of their origin or religion.” On his birthday, he talked about the trip and he shared his enthusiasm for the Schneller concept with his friends. His enthusiasm was catching – his friends at the party decided to make a collection for the school. This resulted is quite a large sum which was finally sent to the TSS via the Evangelical Mission in Solidarity - Church and Missions in International Partnership (EMS).

The step from the spontaneous idea to its implementation was a small one for the friends – but it can make a big difference. We are always surprised what can be achieved with small and medium-sized contributions.

If you too would like to make a collec-tion for a good cause on your birthday, then contact EMS. The procedure is very simple: just name the occasion for your appeal (“birthday XY”) and the purpose (for example “TSS”) and we pass this infor-mation on to the fund-raising accounting department. We supply you with flyers on the work carried out by the schools and the account numbers for the donations are also included.

Please request your guests to quote the following information in the purpose line when they transfer money: “Birthday XY”, the purpose for the donation and the address to which we can send the dona-tion receipt. The donations we receive will be allocated to the school of your choice. If you then want to thank the donors per-sonally, we will be glad to send you a list of their names.

Have we been able to inspire you?

Then we look forward to your phone call or your email at

+49 711 63678-39 or feist@ems-online.org

We thank you in advance on behalf of those for whom the funds will be put to good use!

PASSING ON A BIRTHDAY SURPRISE

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CHRISTIANS AND THE MIDDLE EAST

In the middle of August, there were serious outbreaks of violence against Christians in Egypt. Everywhere in the country, churches, Christian institu-tions and private homes were set on fire. The Egyptian pastor Dr Tharwat Kades was also affected. His house and the church in his home town of Malla-wi were destroyed. Despite all this he sees hope for Christians in Egypt more than even before.

How could these excesses happen?Violence against Christians in Egypt is not a new phenomenon. In the past few years, many Christian institutions have been destroyed. The outbreaks in the middle of August must be seen against the back-ground of President Mohammed Mursi’s deposition. Islamist extremists blame the Christians for this.

You were also affected by the outbreaks.Yes, my church in Mallawi is one of the 63 churches which have been destroyed. It is the church where I was baptised and con-firmed. I’ve also been pastor in Mallawi since 2006. My house there was also destroyed. They threw all my possessions into the street, from the bedroom furni-ture through to the air conditioner, and then they set fire to everything. The church must be completely rebuilt. They raged twelve hours in Mallawi.

Do you know who did it?They were extremist groups, not only Egyptians. Many must have come from abroad, from Pakistan or Afghanistan. People saw them waving the black Al Qai-da flag. These people were trained for this

type of action. All the churches and mon-asteries were destroyed in Mallawi.

How will your parish continue?My parish, to which about 300 families belong, now celebrates mass in an annex which was not completely destroyed. Despite everything that happened, we must kept on saying to ourselves: the true church is in our hearts. Nobody can destroy that.

Are Christians in Egypt being system-atically persecuted?It depends on the definition. If you only look at how the extremists treat us, then you can call it persecution. For them we Christians are scapegoats. But there are so many moderate Muslims in Egypt who support the protection of Christians. Christians and Muslims have been living side by side in Egypt for over 1,400 years. On the whole, neighbourly coexistence works very well.

Is the situation for Christians in Egypt worse or better than under Mubarek or under the deposed President Mohammad Mursi?The events that took place in the middle of August have made us frightened. It’s not so easy to cope with. On the whole, the situation for us Christians is better because we have hope again. We are rely-ing on the interim government; we hope they will manage to improve conditions fundamentally.

HOPE IS NOT LOSTAn Egyptian pastor reports about violence against Christians

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In Germany many do not understand why so many Egyptians continue to rely on the military backed interim government. There is a great misunderstanding in the West. The fact is we are not backing the military, it is the military who is backing us. The Egyptian people asked the military for help. And we assume that the military will not govern in the long term but will soon transfer power to a legitimate dem-ocratic government.

What can Christians in Europe do for their brothers and sisters on the Nile?I would like people in Germany to inform themselves about the situation in Egypt; I wish they can try to understand us and not judge us according to categories. How would Germans have acted if a democrat-ically elected President had behaved com-pletely undemocratically right from the start? In Egypt people from all walks of life went onto the streets to demonstrate non-violently and demanded Mursi’s resignation. In addition to receiving understanding from Europeans we also need financial support to rebuild church-es which have been destroyed. We can’t do this alone.

Interviewed by Katja Dorothea Buck.

ABOUT THARWAT KADES: Theologian Tharwat Kades was born in Egypt and came to Germany in 1967 where he obtained his doctorate in Islamic studies. Until his retirement in 2001, he was pastor in the Protestant Church in Hesse and Nassau. Since then he has been working voluntarily for his home church, the Presbyterian Church of Egypt, and is responsible for dialogue and ecumenical affairs. The 71 year old is also parish priest in Mallawi in Central Egypt.

The Presbyterian Church of Egypt is a part-ner church of the Berlin Mission which continuously supports its work.

Understanding for the position of Christians in Egypt: this is what Pastor Dr Tharwat Kades wishes from the brothers and sisters in Europe.

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It was a fascinating and sometimes a confusing plethora of impressions which met participants at a confer-ence in Beirut. The World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) had invited church delegates from 35 countries at the end of May to debate the future of Middle-East Christianity and give a clear sign of Christian presence in the region.

Without a doubt, the ecumenical voice of the local churches urgently needs support in view

of the many crises and upheavals in the countries where Christianity was born. But what role can the WCC play – and what role can a newly established MECC play? Can Christians in the region – as planned in the first draft of a declaration – be called upon “to repent and shake off the dust of earlier compromises and col-laboration”, or are they not rather forced to form alliances with political forces which guarantee them a minimum of pro-tection? Do Christians have a definite place is the various Arab upheavals?

A broad consensus at the event was that the Christian community is an integral part of each region, that they do not want to be regarded as a “minority” in need of protection, but that they are citizens with equal rights in shouldering responsibility for their societies. The final document therefore calls “for a new vision of Chris-tian co-operation in the region, for a recommitment to Christian-Muslim coex-

istence, for co-operation with Jewish part-ners who are also committed to peace and justice. In this way we express our Chris-tian calling towards co-operation and mutual support and solidarity.”

Nevertheless the conference was an attempt at conceiving a hopeful future for Christianity in the region in view of the thousands of deaths and the refugee dra-ma in neighbouring Syria. As opposed to what many critics maintain in Germany, it was not a (failed) attempted at establish-ing a Christian-Jewish relationship. Who-ever wants to understand their Christian brothers and sisters in the Middle East should listen very carefully. The voices which were heard here deserve our atten-tion!

Dr Uwe Gräbe

CHRISTIAN PRESENCE IN THE MIDDLE EASTThoughts about a conference in Beirut

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Delegates from various churches in the Middle East discussed the future of Christians in the region.

CHRISTIANS AND THE MIDDLE EAST

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MEDIA

In a circular from the Denkendorf Group in June 2013, Birgit Schintlhol-zer-Barrows published a very strong criticism of Ulrich Kadelbach’s book “Bethlehem. Between incense and tear gas“. The document was reprinted in various publications and raised issues for discussion, which is the reason for this article.

Interestingly enough, both the reviewer and the author completed a period of voluntary service. The retired Pastor

Ulrich Kadelbach was in Bethlehem in 2010 as part of the “Ecumenical Accom-paniment Programme in Palestine and Israel “ and accompanied mainly Palestin-ian men and women. This is the topic of his book, which has now come under severe criticism. But Birgit Schintlhol-zer-Barrows also worked for several weeks as a volunteer in Israel through the organ-isation “Sar El”. She prepared medical equipment for the Israeli army and repaired jeep antennas and helmet ear-phones.

It is easy to imagine why the two per-sons assess the Middle East conflict differ-ently. A hard and fair review by Schintlholzer-Barrows of Kadelbach’s book would therefore have been a thrilling read – since it is decidedly a one-sided book; a book which shows one side of the conflict in exact detail. And that is precisely its strength. It would be just as exciting to read a one-sided book by the reviewer where she described the life of young Israeli soldiers from her experience. Taken together, the two perspectives would per-haps give readers the opportunity to feel

genuine empathy with people on totally different sides but who often have one thing in common: they are tired of the Middle East conflict.

Unfortunately this chance was missed. Schintlholzer-Barrows review lacks any form of fairness: Kadelbach is “obsessed” at “seeing the Jews as perpetrators”. He makes no mention of “information about systematic propaganda in Palestinian schools and media (…) which educate children to hate the Jews”. Finally he “demonises” and “deligitimises” the Jew-ish State.

It is true: anti-Semitism, which often comes wrapped in the form of sophisticat-ed criticism against Israel, still represents a massive problem world-wide. And the anti-Jewish stereotype which is cultivated in many parts of Arab societies simply hurts. But the fact is that Ulrich Kadelbach is not exactly an advocate of such unap-petising images. Listening to the voices which he gives the chance to speak in his book and taking them seriously is rather an important part of a democratic discus-sion which also has its place in Israel. Nei-ther Israelis nor Palestinians can afford themselves the luxury of conducting the debate simply for the sake of being right.

Schintlholzer-Barrows prefers to write about the subtitle of the book and express her horror “when Christians, who like no other religion are responsible for Jewish suffering, are relegated to pious incense whereas at the same time Jews are declared responsible for the gas.” The mind shift from tear gas to Cyclone B remains her secret. But when sentiments are stirred up

NOT A RESPECTFUL DEBATECriticism of Ulrich Kadelbach’s book “Bethlehem”

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MEDIA

An adventure in the Sahara during the Reformation Decade

The extent to which the spirit of awak-ening and discovery marked the centu-ry after the Reformation only becomes clear after casting an eye on particular biographies and adventure travelogues. Things then become really exciting when the living conditions in a German princi-pality with its denominational disputes are described as well as the educational campaign of a young university involved in Reformation politics.

Ulrich Kadelbach follows the trail of Tübingen theology student Valentin Cless. On the initiative and on behalf of profes-sors Andreä and Crusius, Cless is request-ed to undertake a journey to Ethiopia via Spain and North Africa with a detour to

see the Pope in Rome. His mission is to make contact with the Christians in Ethi-opia and start a reformatory alliance with them.

From his discoveries in the dairy of Valentin Cless, his knowledge of living conditions in the Duchy of Württemberg in those days and his numerous experi-ences in the Orient, Ulrich Kadelbach forges an imaginative historical novel which is an entertaining read and imper-ceptibly instructive in many way. The publisher’s announcement that “The read-er can be sure of a surprise” can be passed on with assurance. Each of the 40 chapters which follows in quick succession con-tains a surprise. There is plenty of oppor-tunity for the reader to marvel and grin.

Professor Dr Johannes Lähnemann

Independent and versatile

Meticulously researched down to the six wiping cloths in the first inventory of the house, Eisler describes the story of the institution which was founded as the Prussian Hospice in Jerusalem in 1851 and has been known as the Hospice of the Order of St John since 1858. It is a story

Ulrich KadelbachLost in the Sahara with Valentin Cless - Tübin-gen against RomeGerhard Hess Verlag 2013 174 pages, Euro 15,90

Jakob EislerThe Hospice of the Order of St John in Jerusalem Böhlau Verlag 2013231 pagesEuro 29,90

by such allusions to things which are not comparable, any respectful discussion must end.

Dr Uwe Gräbe

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MEDIA

full of surprising facets and charac-ters, continuously enriched by excur-sions to other German-speaking Protestant institutions in Jerusalem. The author makes no attempt to con-ceal his deep sympathy for these insti-tutions. It is an advertising book – it also advertises for its independence in a Jeru-salem where the coexistence and co-op-eration between churches of totally different languages and cultures have been perfectly natural since time imme-morial.

Admittedly, the author is extremely reserved in his criticism of European pow-ers in the “Holy Land” whose actions have not always been beneficial. Questions arise at the latest when the (non-partisan) house father from 1935 to 1939 is quoted. During the riots in Palestine at that time, he refused to express his political confes-sion by wearing the tar brush or the keffi-yyah (Arab scarf) and instead pinned a swastika on his clothes. What resonance did these developments have in faraway Germany among the people who went in and out of St John’s hospice? Here it becomes very clear once again that there is still an urgent need to fully review the history of Protestant institutions in Pales-tine during the national-socialist era (by the way, this also applies to the Syrian Orphanage).

Nonetheless Eisler presents an easily readable book which is illustrated by over eighty graphics and pictures, some of which are published for the first time. It shows a very deep affinity to a building whose future actions are worthy of God’s blessing.

Dr Uwe Gräbe

A declaration of love for Jordan

The German-Jordanian Society (GJS) has been in existence for 50 years and enter-tains friendly relations with the Evangel-ical Association for the Schneller Schools (EVS). The highlight of the jubilee year will be festive celebration in Hannover on 6 October. We send our sincerest wishes for its success. The magnificent richly illustrated jubilee volume has been avail-able since April. In a unique way it plumbs the breadth and depth of German-Jorda-nian relations as well as issues which the Hashemite Kingdom will have to face in future.

Those who have little experience with Jordan are well advised to start reading from the back of the book. This is because the Chairman of the GJS, Helmut Enseler, devotes the third and last part of the gen-eral studies on the country of Jordan to a wonderful eulogy to this unique country and its people. On the other hand the oth-er essays are genuine eye-openers. The author treats issues concerning water sup-ply, power generation, environmental protection, Christian-Muslim relations, the historical sites and sustainable tourism with enormous expertise and presented in a very readable form.

The first and second parts of the book on the history of the GJS and on Ger-man-Jordanian relations are intended for

Horst Kopp (Hg.)Jordan and Germany - The diversity of cultural bridgesReichert Verlag 2013254 pagesEuro 29,90

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readers who have already dealt with the subject. The list of authors reveals many who are very familiar to the EVS, such as former ambassador Dr Martin Schneller who writes about political relations between Germany and Jordan, or Musa Almunaizel who presents the education-al work of the Theodor Schneller School in Amman.

What is striking is that only four of the 38 articles in this volume are authored or co-authored by women. A glance at diverse volunteer programmes, such as “Weltwärts” (literally ‘worldwards’) or “Kulturweit” (literally ‘pan-culture’) [Translator’s note: These two programmes were initiated by the German Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Develop-ment.], which sends young people to Jor-dan, would have been worthwhile on the topic of German-Jordan relations. For example, the EMS Ecumenical Volunteer Programme sends volunteers every year to Amman, Irbid and Salt – and most of them are young women (with excellent lan-guage skills)!

Nonetheless this is a fascinating book which is difficult to put down. At a price of only EUR 29,90 the large-format book is surely highly subsidised – and it is there-fore a very worthwhile investment for anyone who is interested in the Middle East.

Dr Uwe Gräbe

Far-sighted analyses

There is a certain amount of risk publish-ing books about the fast pace of develop-ments in the Arab world. The analyses they contain are often out of date even before they are printed. The essays in this volume refer to a conference of the Her-bert Quandt Foundation in November 2011. Many trends were regarded with more optimism at that time than they are today. On the whole, however, the book shows the very astonishing perspicacity of most of the authors.

Other than announced in the title, the book not only covers the “Arab world”, it deals with North Africa – and predomi-nantly Egypt. The authors attempt to address the topic in four parts: after the first attempts at analysing the Arab revo-lutions of 2011, the first part looks at the field of tension between civil rights and religious supremacy, followed by the meaning of social networks for the “Ara-bellion”, and finally developments on the associated refugee issue.

In the second and third parts, there are a few noteworthy insights – for example the passionate appeal by Egyptian cultur-

MEDIA

Roland Löffler, Bernadette Schwarz-Boenneke, Herbert Quan-

dt-Stiftung (Hrsg.)New authorities in the Arab world? Politics and media after the revolutionary upheavalsVerlag Herder 2012208 pagesEuro 16,99

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MEDIA / LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

LETTERS TO THE EDITORWe received many readers’ letters in response to the June issue of the Sch-neller Magazine featuring the topic of “Israel-Palestine: To whom do we devote our solidarity?”. Contact with our read-ers is very valuable for our work. We welcome any feedback, even when it is critical or reflects an opinion which dif-fers from that of the editors. We are pleased to publish these letters. Due to the lack of space, however, we reserve the right to edit them.

This is an issue full of interesting contents! We also know how difficult it is to find “balanced information” – and then how to present it in a “balanced” way.

Friedrich and Lore Bubeck, Pforzheim

I’d like to compliment the magnificent current issue of the Schneller Magazine, especially the polarised Middle East pic-tures: the excellent devotion by Diet Koster on Matt 5:45b (a word which is very important for me because it supplies the real reasoning behind Jesus’ com-mandment to love your enemies – based on creation theology), the two perspec-tives penned by Uwe Gräbe, the article by F. H. Schürholz and especially the inter-view with Dr Georg Dürr on the Israeli-Pal-estinian schoolbook. As I am currently working on the project “The Image of the Other in Europe and the Mediterranean Region” at the King Abdullah Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID) in Vienna, this experience and analysis based on tough reality are very important.Professor Dr Johannes Lähnemann, Goslar

Many thanks for the Schneller Magazine. I read it with great interest and passed it on to other former Schneller pupils in the USA. The article on minorities in the Mid-dle East is very interesting and informa-tive. Your approach to support suppressed people in the Holy Land corresponds to what Bishop Desmond Tutu once said: “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppres-sor.”

By the way I also use the Schneller mag-azine as a credible source for articles in our weekly parish magazine.

Nimer Haddad, Michigan, USA

al scholar Atef Botros to the Coptic church to seek its allies not among the Islamopho-bic forces of the Christian Right in Europe but among the moderate representatives of Islam in Egypt itself. The aim would be to set up a civil society together with this group.

The Herbert Quandt Foundation, whose work mainly targets young upcom-ing journalists, has presented a fine book which is a welcome reference, not only because it contains a large number of impressive press photos covering the “Arab Spring”.

Dr Uwe Gräbe

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

On the article “The cross to bear with Christian persecution” in Schneller Magazine 2/2013:

I think it is important for the German Chancellor and Kauder, member of the German Bundestag, to always refer to the subject of Christian persecution in the world. I feel it is unfair when you insinu-ate that the two politicians are using these references to draw effective media atten-tion to themselves. It is perfectly feasible that continuous reference to the difficult situation to which Christians are exposed in many Islam-predominant countries will one day lead to these countries changing into humane, tolerant, open-minded soci-eties. “Constant dripping wears away the stone.” (German saying equivalent to ‘Slow and steady wins the race’)

Peter Beck, Reutlingen

Congratulations on the latest issue of the Schneller Magazine. I particularly liked the article on the topic of persecuted Christians. After the praise, now a little drop of criticism: it would of course have been a delight if Talitha Kumi had not only been mentioned as a German school but also as a Protestant school.

Jens Nieper, Managing Director of the Jerusalem Society, Berlin

I read your article “The cross to bear with Christian persecution” with astonishment and amazement. My sad impression is that you failed to treat this subject as seriously as it is in reality. If you count up all the countries mentioned in Mr Kauder’s book, the total number is extremely high! People displaced because of their Christian faith, especially in Islamic countries, are suffer-ing or have suffered from persecution –

however you define the term. Our oh so Christian tolerance towards

Muslims is sometimes unbearable for very many of us! You talk about equal rights: where are they to be found in countries such as Turkey!? What about the terrible situation of the Mor Gabriel monastery [in Tur Abdin, editor’s note]? Now Turkey is even saying that the outer wall is even their property.

Dr Brigitte Strohmaier, Reutlingen

On the article “Healing self-limitation – EKD guidance on Israel” in Schneller Magazine 1/2013:

Thank you very much for the book review! Uwe Gräbe describes our discussions and considerations very accurately without having attended our meetings. This is just one more proof of how deeply he under-stands this subject. As co-authoress of the guidance book, I am of course delighted that the reviewer was able to read and describe the text as a real aid. This was the intention. Many thanks too for the critical remarks. They will definitely be taken into consideration in a second edition. Person-ally I am in complete agreement that today it is almost contraproductive to mention the right of existence of the State of Israel. A matter of fact is only empha-sised when it is not a matter of fact. But of course many detailed discussions lie behind this.

Hanna Lehming, Assistant for Middle East and Christian-Jewish Dialogue at the

Centre for Mission and Ecumenism, Hamburg

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The “Evangelischer Verein für die Schneller-Schulen e.V.” (Evangelical Asso-ciation for the Schneller Schools, EVS) supports and accompanies the work of the Johann Ludwig Schneller School in Lebanon and the Theodor Schneller School in Jordan. Its special task is to offer poor children school education and professional training at the Schneller schools.

In its publications and events, the EVS provides information about churches and Christians in the Middle East. The Schneller Magazine is published four times a year and can be subscribed free of charge with the EMS. Speakers for lectures on topics featur-ing the work of the schools can be booked from the EVS Secretariat.

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128th Year 3rd Edition, September 2013

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