Lebanon and Egypt

My dear Friends
Something beautiful happened about a week ago, and again last night. I went to the Grad Pad, a University Centre, and one of my favourite places because of the superb view of the river from the 3rd floor. It was there that I spotted a young woman, with a concerned friend beside her, bending her head and saying she felt unwell. I asked if I could help and that is how I met my new Lebanese and Egyptian friends.

Of course we have so much in common: they were born in the Middle East, and my roots are there too. I know Hebrew well, and it is the sister language of Arabic, which I studied at Cambridge University during my Hebrew degree of 1988-1992, and on 2 summer programmes at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

It is difficult to say how bonds between people are formed: the fact that they are Muslims and I am a Jewish Christian made no barrier between us, so it is really a case of the heart: our hearts resonated, all three of us, as soon as we met. Last night I sang a little in Hebrew for them and then danced a little too, and they said this is exactly how women dance in their countries.

This closeness is something I feel with young Muslim men I have met too, either here or in the Middle East. Doesn't it give us hope for the future, when the situation in Israel/Palestine seems to be reaching its worst? It is such a test of faith and hope and especially love, for God is a God of love and of the impossible; as an elderly Jewish bookseller told me once in his bookshop : God can bring peace very quickly, just like he brought the melted snow two hours after I struggled over it into my shop.

With some people you meet you just know that you will meet them again. WE can't predict where, or when or even how. But that we will , is for sure.

Shalom from
Sister Gila