Friday, June 6, 2008

Holy Land Caravan 2008




Come, Come whoever you are, this is a caravan of hope….

Going out on caravans has been an All Nations Cafe tradition since its inception. Setting out into the desert on camel back to visit our Bedouin friends, embarking on a musical exploration caravan of Jordan and heading off to Europe on a concert and workshop tour -

are just a few of our magical mystery tours. Since then, we have found our little oasis on the historical route of pilgrims, shepherds and farmers leading to Bethlehem and Jerusalem, and are little group settled down and began to grow in number and strength.


Now, we invite you, European, American, Australian, African, Asian and friend of this planet, to become a member on board this caravan into the future, where the past friendship between Muslims, Jews and Christians in the Holy Land, and the sense of community and shared fate of all beings - is reawakened in our hearts and reenacted in our deeds.


The journey will go through landscapes, sites and the homes, from the Mount of Olives, Gethsemane, Temple Mount and the quarters of the Old City of Jerusalem, Nabi Musa in the Judean Desert, Bethlehem, Dheishe Refugee Camp, Nahalin and Walaja villages and Ein Haniya.

We will meet with children who live on both sides of the wall, visit homes, meet remarkable people of all nations who are active in their pursuit of a brighter future. We will learn songs in Arabic and Hebrew, practice Dances of Universal Peace. We will enjoy the best of Middle Eastern hospitality. We will taste fresh goat cheese, extra fine olive oil, fresh figs from the tree, za’atar (thyme), maramiya (sage) for our tea and Arabic coffee with cardamom on the fire. We will share feelings, emotions and impressions, meditate, pray and have quiet moments together.

After the caravan, there will be an opportunity for those who wish to stay in one of the places we have visited, deepen the connection with the people, and get involved in work that is going on there.

Seven Days , From Destruction to Love - Program*


Sunday, August 10th

Tisha B’Av Day of Destruction of the Jerusalem Temple

Afternoon: Arrival to Jerusalem and check in at our hotel

Visiting DominusFlevit Church

Opening Circle on the Mount of Olives overlooking the Old City

Dinner at Hajj Ibrahim’s home, A-Tour

Night: Return to sleep at our hotel

Monday, August 11th

Old City of Jerusalem

Morning: Breakfast at our hotel

Walk to the first All Nations Cafe site, by the Church of All Nations

Walk to the Temple Mount, Wailing Wall and Al-Aqsa Mosque

Lunch at Hummus restaurant in the Old City

Afternoon: Holy Sepulchre and last stations of the cross

Optional - Return to the hotel for siesta, or sitting at a tea house

Evening: Dinner in a restaurant in East Jerusalem

Night: Return to sleep at our hotel


Tuesday, August 12th

 

Bedouins in the Desert

Morning: Breakfast at our hotel

Drive to the Judean Desert

Lunch: Picnic in the desert or at our Bedouin friends’ dwelling

NabiMusa Mosque in the desert

Dinner in Abdallah’s Bedouin tent

Night: Hafla Celebration with our friends from Israel and Palestine

Sleeping in our tent in the desert


Wednesday, August 13th

Bethnay and Bethlehem

Morning: Coffee and tea on the fire

The Labyrinth Walk at its desert site

Drive to Al-Azariya (Bethany)

Lunch at a restaurant in Abu-Dis

Afternoon: Drive to Bethlehem, check in in our hotel

Visiting the Nativity Church and sight seeing

Evening: Dinner in a restaurant in Bethlehem

Night: Return to our hotel

Thursday, August 14th

Life in the West Bank

Morning: Breakfast in our hotel

Drive to Dheishe Refugee camp, visit at friends’ homes

Drive to the Tent of Nations project

Visit our friend’s demolished home in Nahalin village

Lunch on the way

Afternoon: Visit our friends lining in a Jewish settlement in Gush Etzion

Evening: Dinner in a restaurant in Bethlehem

Night: Return to our hotel


Friday, August 15th

Tu B’AvNight Celebration at Ein Haniya

Morning: Breakfast at our hotel

Drive to Ein Haniya

Walk to Sheik Ahmad’s 4000 years old olive tree in Al-Walaja

Picnic lunch in the field

Walk ofAbed’s ancestral land to pick fresh herbs and hear his story

Afternoon: Drive Jerusalem and check-in in our guest house

Drive to Ein Haniya, where we cook dinner together and organize our Celebration

Evening: Shabbat Prayers, Dinner, Music and Dancing by the light of the Full Moon

Night: Return to our guest house

Saturday, August 16th

Tu B’Av, a Day of Love

Morning: Breakfast at our guest house

A walk in West Jerusalem

Shabbat lunch

Sharing circle and closure of the caravan

*The program is subject to changes.

 

Registration and Inquiries

 

To keep the group intimate, we will keep room for about 20 participants on a first registered basis.

In order to register, please send us an email, with the words Holy Land Caravan in the subject, to: allnationscafe@gmail.com

You can read more about the All Nations Cafe at: www.allnationscafe.org

Hoping to see you, All Nations Cafe team

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Saturday, November 25, 2006

Gatherings of Great Love at Ein Haniya

Creating a Unique Meeting Place
on the Border of Israel and Palestine
Gathering of Great Love © photo by Dhyan, 16 Nov 2006
Since December 2003, the All Nations Cafe has been fertile ground for innovative projects which allow people from warring nations to meet each other even at the worst of times. Opening a coffee shop in East Jerusalem opposite al-Aqsa mosque at the height of the al-Aqsa Intifada, Touring Jordan and being the first group including Israeli-Jews to perform at one of the biggest Arab Music & Arts Festivals in Jerash, Organizing a one-week Palestinian-Israeli Families Camp during the recent war in Lebanon and in Gaza - are only few examples.
Our latest Gatherings of Great Love at the old Palestinian village by Ein Haniya have been gradually growing into regular get-togethers, where intimate listening, spiritual openness and family-like celebration draw people of all nations to come together Tuesday and bring their feelings, ideas and longings. Palestinians come from towns, villages and refugee camps in the West Bank, Israelis come from Jerusalem area, the Galilee and other regions, and internationals come from Europe and the Americas.
In order to maintain these gatherings, at a time when many in Israel and Palestine find it is getting harder and harder to meet each other, we need your support.
The budget required to run the Gatherings of Great Love during this winter season (December 2006 - March 2007), amounts to 5,200 USD or 4000 EUR.
Donations can be made online at: www.allnationscafe.org/donate.html
We also accept bank transfers and checks. Email us at allnationscafe@yahoo.com with “Donation” at the subject line.
Following is a list of the things we need for this winter. You can donate a stove, for example, or lend your car for a day, or, alternatively, contribute the funds that allow us to purchase food and pay for the gas.
for the “house”:
  • heavy waterproof canvas (50 sq.m.)
  • straw/plastic mats (5X4 m)
  • small lockable storehouse
  • heating: gas/kerosene heater
  • lighting: oil lamps, flash lights, gas light, electric battery
  • cooking: gas oven
  • cups and pots for coffee and tea
  • eco washing liquid
for transportation:
  • 2 spacious vehicles to collect people from Jerusalem area and from Hebron and Bethlehem areas at Tuesday afternoons and return them in the night.
The House at Ein Haniya © photo by Dhyan, 16 Nov 2006
You are welcome to take part in our gatherings and bring yourself, your family and friends, food to share and musical instruments to play.
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