Lynne Hybels

Monday, November 28, 2011

A Common Friend to Arabs and Jews

Recent news articles have noted my ministry engagement in Israel and Palestine; some have questioned my support for the State of Israel because I don’t espouse the theological position called Christian Zionism. It is true: I am not a Christian Zionist. Nor am I a Christian Palestinianist (though that term has recently been used by journalists to describe me). I am, simply, a Christian, a follower of Jesus. I believe that in Jesus there is neither “male nor female, Greek nor Jew, slave nor free.” I believe that God has granted all human beings the same degree of dignity and that at the foot of the cross we are all equals. I believe we are called to worship God in spirit and in truth, and that when we do, wherever we are becomes sacred space.

I do not hold to a theology asserting that the modern State of Israel represents a divinely mandated return of ancient Israel to the Promised Land, but I do wholeheartedly support its existence as a place where Jews can live in freedom and security. I cannot listen to the deep and legitimate fears of Israeli Jews—as I did just last week in Israel—without joining them in celebrating the existence of the State of Israel. I cannot walk quietly through the halls of Yad Vashem (the Holocaust Memorial) in Jerusalem—as I also did last week—without being horrified by what the Jews experienced in Europe in the 1930s and 40s. I earnestly long for the day when Jews can live in Israel—and anywhere—in security. I believe followers of Jesus ought be outspoken in their support of peace and safety for all Jews, and the right of Israeli civilians to live without being subjected to rocket fire and suicide attacks.

At the same time, I wholeheartedly support justice for the Palestinians. In 2008, at a conference in Amman, Jordan, Arab Christians challenged me to broaden my understanding of the Arab-Israeli conflict, to listen to the stories of Palestinian Arabs forced from their homes and villages during the founding of the State of Israel, and to see for myself the current plight of Palestinian Christians and Muslims living under Israeli military occupation in the West Bank. Since then, I have made repeated trips to Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

I was shocked to see the reality of daily life under military occupation. A shattered economy, land seizures and house demolitions, settlement expansion, Israeli-only roads networking through Palestinian land, and hundreds of military checkpoints on Palestinian roads—all these make daily life difficult and frustrating for Palestinians. Because of delays at checkpoints, produce rots in the back of pickup trucks before farmers can get it to market. Other farmers are permanently separated from their land by the path of the Israeli-built security wall; while the wall was created to protect Israelis from terrorists, in many places it is built not on the internationally recognized border between Israel and Palestine, but deep inside Palestinian territory.

I’ve heard stories of Palestinian women giving birth in their cars because of lengthy checkpoint delays, and of critically sick children being denied health care because they can’t get Israeli-issued permits to travel to the hospital in Jerusalem. I’ve learned that the best and brightest of Palestinian Christians are leaving the Holy Land, not because of tension with Muslims, but because energetic, educated young people see no future for themselves under ongoing military occupation.

I know there are religious Jews and Christians who do not consider Israeli presence in the West Bank as “occupation.” They believe God gave the land to the Jews centuries ago, so the Palestinians are actually the “occupiers.” They feel completely justified in building Jewish “settlements”—or cities—on Palestinian land because, they believe, the land is not really Palestinian land anyway. Though the international community considers the settlements illegal—as do many Israelis I spoke with—the settlers and some Israeli leaders believe they are legal. Some extremist settlers even believe they are justified in using violence to move the Palestinians off the land. Sadly, there has been an upsurge of such violence in recent months.

I respect the perspective of these religious Jews and Christians, but I do not agree with the actions that flow from their theology. I denounce the violence of the extremist settlers, just as I denounce the violence used by Palestinian extremists. I believe the Holy Land can and should be a place where Jews and Arabs can live as neighbors. I’ve talked with Israelis and Palestinians who are committed to mutual understanding and reconciliation. These Christians, Muslims and Jews have begged me “not to take sides.” They have said, “Please, be a common friend to all of us. Either we will learn to live together or we will die together.” I have become convinced that the best way to be a friend to Israel is to also be a friend to the Palestinians, and the best way to be a friend to the Palestinians is to also be a friend to Israel.

Some people have recently accused me of moving from an accurate “Zionist theology” which supports the State of Israel, to a dangerous “Palestinian theology” that delegitimizes Israel. That is not true. I hold the same theology regarding Israel, the land, the church and Jesus that I have held for thirty years. What has changed is my personal engagement with the living people of the Holy Land—both Israelis and Palestinians—who have suffered from the ongoing conflict.

Many people ask why I continue to travel to the Holy Land. I always explain that I go to listen and to learn. I’m a beginner on a journey of understanding what it means to be “a common friend” to Jews and Arabs. What better way to learn than to listen to a wide range of experiences? As I listen to these diverse voices, I pray for discernment. I pray to be able to hear the fear or the longing behind the words. I pray that my heart will break like I believe the heart of God breaks over the pain of all his children.

Most peacemakers on both sides are discouraged as they watch the inability of Israeli, Palestinian and American politicians to move toward peace. I share their sadness about the present and their fears for the future. But I find a call to action in Psalm 34:14 that challenges us to “seek peace and pursue it.” I’ve discovered people on both sides of this conflict who are committed to that calling, and I am committed to partnering with them and lifting up their voices.

I invite all people of faith to join me in praying that the acts of violent people will be thwarted, that people committed to nonviolence will be protected, that reconcilers will be sustained as they seek mutual understanding and friendship, and that politicians will have the maturity and grace to become true moral leaders.

I think of the children I saw last week in Tel Aviv, in Haifa, in Jerusalem, in Ramallah, in Hebron, in Bethlehem—and I am reminded of Jesus’ tenderness toward them. May the good tidings of his love surround them today.
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Friday, November 25, 2011

Resources for Peacemakers - Because We Belong To Each Other: Israelis and Palestinians Seeking Peace

Justice Conference Workshop
Next Steps/Resource List

Our goal as followers of Jesus is to affirm the dignity of all the people of Israel and Palestine, both Jews and Arabs, and to work toward a peaceful resolution of the current conflict that will assure security and equal rights for all—Christians, Muslims and Jews. Our desire is to create a conversation that is truly Pro-Israel, Pro-Palestine, Pro-Peace, Pro-Justice, and ultimately Pro-Jesus. We are convinced that what the Middle East needs most is to see Jesus incarnated in his followers as we engage compassionately and wisely with the people of Israel and Palestine.

Here’s how you can become part of this movement of peacemakers. 



1. Learn More
We Americans tend to be quite ignorant about what’s going on in the world. The combination of our power and our ignorance is really dangerous. We must educate ourselves if we want to part of the solution rather than perpetuate the problem.

Books: American and Middle Eastern Christian Voices
  • Blood Brothers, Elias Chacour
  • I Am A Palestinian Christian, Mitri Raheb
  • Apocalypse Later: Why the Gospel of Peace Must Trump the Politics of Prophecy in the Middle East, Abdu H. Murray
  • A Palestinian Christian Cry for Reconciliation, Naim Atifan Ateek
  • Palestinian Memories: The Story of a Palestinian Mother and Her People, Alex Awad
  • Whose Land? Whose Promise? What Christians Are Not Being Told About Israel and the Palestinians, Gary Burge
Books: Historical and Political
  • The Lemon Tree, Sandy Tolan
  • Lords of the Land: The War Over Israel’s Settlements in the Occupied Territories, 1967-2007, Idith Zertal and Akiva Eldar
  • A New Voice for Israel: Fighting for the Survival of the Jewish Nation, Jeremy Ben-Ami
  • The Much Too Promised Land: America’s Elusive Search for Arab-Israeli Peace, Aaron David Miller
  • In the Land of Israel, Amos Os, (Israeli)
  • Once Upon A Country, Sari Nusseibeh (Palestinian)
  • One Palestine Complete, Tom Segev (Israeli)
  • The Yellow Wind, David Grossman (Israeli)
  • The Arab Israeli Conflict, Kristen Schulze

Articles


These articles offer a small sampling of resources produced by Americans, Israelis and Palestinians who are committed to justice, reconciliation and peace. Authors are theologians, lawyers, politicians, pastors, human rights activists.


Informational Websites

English Versions of Israel/Palestine Media (representing a broad range of perspectives)

Documentary DVDs

Videos

2. Speak Up
  • When you hear false comments, counter them with truth
  • But do it carefully
  • Honor two narratives, don’t demonize either side
  • Learn more so you can do this!

3. Encounter—See For Yourself—Alternative Holy Land Tours

4. Go and Serve

5. Support the Palestinian Christian Community

6. Support Palestinian Economy

7. Support Reconciliation Between Palestinian and Israeli Christians

8. Pray for peace and justice
  • Grassroots peacemakers in Israel and Palestine
  • Political leaders in America, Israel and Palestine
  • Non-violence movement in Palestine
  • For yourself, for the wisdom and grace to become a peacemaker
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Thursday, November 24, 2011

A Different Spin on Black Friday

I just traveled for 10 days in Israel-Palestine with six women who wanted to learn from Israeli and Palestinian human rights activists and peacemakers. I can’t even begin to express what a profound experience that was. In December I’ll be blogging at length about it, but I want to mention just one aspect of the trip today. In two places—a Bedouin village in the Negev desert in Israel, and in Bethlehem in the West Bank—I purchased beautiful traditional weavings and needlework from women who desperately need the income. The women are highly skilled artists and their work is lovely, but since I’m not much of a shopper and I hate dragging excess “stuff” around when I travel, I probably wouldn’t have bought anything—except it truly didn’t feel like “shopping.” It felt more like “investing” in women’s lives, and indeed it was.

In that spirit, I offer the following list of “investment opportunities” for anyone who would like to use Christmas giving to empower hardworking women and men throughout the world. Even if you’re not in a buying mood, simply perusing these websites will educate your mind and open your heart more widely to the world.

One of my favorite organizations is the fair trade company, Trade As One, started by my good friend, Nathan George. I haven’t personally used the apron and napkins below, but all the other items are personal favorites that I use (and give away) regularly.

Small pouch for wallet, phone. People always comment on this little purse, which gives me an opportunity to explain the story behind it.
http://tradeasone.com/shop/purses-bags/wallets-coin-purses/rice-bag-weave-clutch.html

Large Bag. I have this bag in two sizes and use them for everything from shopping to overnight packing. http://tradeasone.com/shop/purses-bags/handbags-purses/large-tote-dark-blue.html

Greeting Cards. These cost no more than ones you’d buy at the grocery store and they’re really cute. I always keep a few on hand.
http://tradeasone.com/shop/stationery/cards/pram-card-blue.html

Bracelet. This simple cuff goes with everything
http://tradeasone.com/shop/jewelry/bracelets/floral-metal-cuff.html

Necklace. This adds color to my mostly-black wardrobe; I wear it often and have given many as gifts.
http://tradeasone.com/shop/jewelry/necklaces/tribal-art-necklace.html

Apron. Super cute for Christmas; would be great with some homemade cookies and a personal recipe.
http://tradeasone.com/shop/house-home/kitchen-dining/apron-vibrant-red.html

Napkins. I always use cloth napkins (no, I don’t iron them). These are on my personal wish list. http://tradeasone.com/shop/house-home/kitchen-dining/napkins-red-turquoise-4-pack.html

Stuffed Animal
http://tradeasone.com/shop/sports-toys/kids/funky-knitted-rabbit.html

To Tie on a Gift.
http://tradeasone.com/shop/sports-toys/kids/ollie-string-doll.html




Clothing

Tom’s Shoes. Tom’s Eyewear
http://www.toms.com/

Forgotten Shirts
Desiring to help create a new global economy bent toward justice and equality, this company creates opportunities for others by producing relevant and notable t-shirts.
http://www.forgottenshirts.com

Jedidiah Clothing
Jedidiah is a humanitarian-based apparel brand aspiring to cultivate change, one garment at a time. Each season, Jedidiah partners with a distinctive and effective non-profit organization to raise money and awareness for life-changing causes. http://www.jedidiahusa.com



Ideas for Business Giving

Flowers. When you order these flowers, 10% goes towards Women for Women International, which serves women in war-torn parts of the world.
http://www.organicbouquet.com/Info.aspx?pid=177

Hungry for Change Gift Subscription, $33 a month. Great for special customers, employees, etc.
http://tradeasone.com/get_involved/hungry_for_change/

International Justice Mission. Provide rescue and justice for victims of human trafficking.
https://secure3.convio.net/ijm/site/SPageNavigator/HGC_Home.html

World Relief: Food Crisis. This would be great partnered with a food product from Trade As One.
https://worldrelief.org/SSLPage.aspx?pid=3066

World Vision Micro-Finance
http://donate.worldvision.org/OA_HTML/xxwv2MicroLoan.jsp?lpos=top_drp_WaysToGive_Micro&go=micro&



Organizations Suggested by Friends

Bright Endeavors. Handmade, eco-friendly candles and bath salts and Moda Esperanza products
http://www.brightendeavors.org/Site/Home.html

Evergreen Cards. Beautiful hand-cut cards and bookmarks skillfully made by women and individuals with disabilities in Shanxi Province, China.
http://www.evergreencard.com/cardsite/

Global Bag Project. Reusable shopping bags for sustainable incomes produced by Kenyan widows. (My friend Valerie Bell and her sister Karen Mains started this organization.)
http://www.globalbagproject.com/

Heifer International. Choose a meaningful gift to give a loved one and help children and families around the world receive training and animal gifts that help them become self-reliant. After your donation, you'll have the opportunity to create a printable gift card or e-card to tell your friends and family that you've honored them with a Heifer gift.
https://secure1.heifer.org/gift-catalog

Re:New Project/Re:Store. A viable way for refugee women to supplement their income by sewing and/or knitting creative and beautiful products.
http://renewproject.org/shop/

Sari Bari. Provides a safe place of employment where women who have been exploited in the sex trade or who are vulnerable to trafficking can experience a new life in the making in Kolkata, India
http://www.saribari.com/

Imani Workshops. Imani Workshops provides income generating opportunities for artisans in Kenya who have suffered hunger, poverty, and other stigma associated with HIV/AIDS
http://imaniworkshops.org/

International Princess Project. Advocating for women enslaved in prostitution.
http://www.intlprincess.org/

Noonday Collections. An organization raising money to provided orphan care and prevention
http://www.noondaycollection.com

Good Shop. Shop online at your favorite store’s website and a percentage of your proceeds will be donated to charity.
http://www.goodsearch.com/goodshop.aspx



PS: Recently I’ve been reading about the benefits of green tea, so I did a little research on organic, fair trade green tea. This is great for gift-giving—or for taking a relaxing break on a busy day.

Choice Organics, Green Tea with Peach, 20 bags, $5.99
http://tradeasone.com/shop/food-drink/coffee-tea/green-tea-with-peach.html

Choice, Moroccan Mint Green Tea as part of sampler pack:
http://tradeasone.com/shop/food-drink/coffee-tea/gourmet-tea-sampler.html

Tea with sweetener, a nice card, and a mug would make a great gift.

Mug:
http://tradeasone.com/shop/house-home/kitchen-dining/crackle-glaze-mug.html

Honey:
http://tradeasone.com/shop/food-drink/pantry/honey-bear.html

Sugar:
http://tradeasone.com/shop/food-drink/pantry/organic-sugar.html

Choice Organics, Classic Green Tea, 16 bags, $4.99
http://shop.choiceorganicteas.com/Classic-Green/p/CHO-919139&c=ChoiceOrganicTeas@GreenTeas?gclid=CMuPvZK97asCFdAEQAodeAIFKQ

Traditional Medicinals Golden Green, 6 boxes of 16 bags, $21.90
http://www.amazon.com/Traditional-Medicinals-Organic-Certified-16-Count/dp/B0009F3PI0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1318777599&sr=8-1

Choice Organics, Whole Lead Jasmine Green Pyramids, 3 boxes of 15 bags, $15.05
http://www.amazon.com/Choice-Organic-Organics-Pyramids-1-05-Ounce/dp/B0028SWA7S/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1318777599&sr=8-10

Numi, Ginger Sun, Lemon-Decaf Green Tea, 3 boxes of 16 bags, $17.83
http://www.amazon.com/Numi-Organic-Ginger-Lemon-16-Count/dp/B003ULJKAW/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1318777599&sr=8-16


ENJOY!!!
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