Last weekend, Father Gabriel Nadaf, 39, a Greek Orthodox priest from Nazareth, challenged a boycott against him and attempted to enter the church there to recite a prayer and light a candle. He was accompanied by Israeli Border Police officers and supporters, who came to ensure his safe passage into the church.
Nadaf was excommunicated by the Orthodox Church Council after he expressed his belief that Christian youth in Israel should fully integrate into Israeli society, serving in the IDF or in the National Service. Since then, he and others, like Father André Alamiya, have been the target of virulent attacks from opponents to this idea. For example, Father Alamiya’s tires were slashed last weekend, and a rag saturated with blood was placed at his doorstep in Nazareth.
Addis Ababa light rail planned, proposed interurban
A 100km rapid transit link between Addis Ababa and Nazareth is being developed as a joint effort of the Ethiopian government and various private sector interests.
The 15 station line, more of an interurban than light rail, would use either new rail track parallel to the existing Ethio-Djibouti Railway, or updated track to the existing railway. Services would run every 10 minutes, serving stations in Meskel Flower, Gottera, Ring Road, Kaliti, Akake, Dukem, Debre Ziet and Mojo. Also included would be an electric trolleybus feeder system. Power would be supplied by the Ethiopian Electric & Power Authority (EEPA).
Project Director Dr Getachew Betru of GBA Consultancy, who rumour has it also sits on the board of the EEPA, says the line would be built by a public-private partnership and take two years to complete. Dr. Betru claimed the project. already endorsed by the government, is due to begin construction in March of 2005.
As of mid-2011, no project had begun. It appeared the Ethiopian government had chosen, and very foolishly might I add, to focus on frivolities like food and shelter rather than the desperately needed metro. In 2010, the government realized the importance of mass transit over food and housing by declaring that a 2nd line, 30 km light rail system would be built, thanks to a massive loan from China. Part of the loan will be paid back in raw materiels. When criticized by the West for enaging in a Chinese colonialist mentality, the Ethiopian president wisely stated “It’s in their (China’s) interest to spend tens of billions of dollars in Africa and it’s in our interest to have access to those tens of billions of dollars.” Which is very similar to what I told that collector from Capital One a few nights ago.
For all those doubting Solomons and Biruks, work on the 37.38 km Addis Express was already underway in December 2011, when the contract was awarded to China Railway Eryuan Engineering, which begs one to wonder if the award was somewhat of a formality. The first section of the two line system is expected to open in 2013.
Unfortunately, many residents enjoy substandard housing without running water, so the prospect of a new rail line seems unusual.
Ethiopia also claims to have three subways, but they are in reality three different mountain tunnels.
and, being Jews, they may be murdered once they step into any Palestinian controlled areas (viz., the lynch in Ramallah of 2000).
Tenth grade students of Nazareth’s St. Joseph’s Seminary, Jerusalem’s Hebrew University Secondary School launch joint English magazine
While tensions were running high at the United Nations, a successful dialogue project between Arabs and Israeli teenagers cleared the air recently.
On Thursday, September 22, the concluding ceremony for a special joint magazine produced by St. Joseph’s Seminary and High School in Nazareth and Hebrew University Secondary School (Leyada) in Jerusalem was held at the American Center in the capital.
Supported by the American Center, the dialogue project involved 30 10th grade students from both Leyada and St. Joseph, spanning over a 10-month period from 2010-2011.
‘Opportunity to look at issues from two sides’ (Photo: Buthaina Bishara)
The Muslim, Christian and Jewish students met several times throughout the year. Led by English teachers from both schools, the students toured Nazareth and Jerusalem, learning more about each city and the diverse cultures and traditions that define the country.
The program also included ice-breakers, art activities, a sleepover in the homes of the students in both Nazareth and Jerusalem, a visit to the Ramat Gan Safari, tours of the Old Cities of Jerusalem and Nazareth, and places of worship.
Most importantly, the students worked on creative and personal writings that documented their interactions and feelings of meeting “the other” throughout the project.
“The project gave me the opportunity to look at issues from two sides,” said Karny, now an 11th grade student at Leyada.
Open-mindedness and courage
Radan, an 11th grade student from St. Joseph Seminary, added that “there is a conflict between two nations, but this project brought us together as people, as friends. We discovered that we had a lot more in common as teenagers than what we thought.”
Awad, also of St. Joseph Seminary, echoed a similar thought: “We are humans with the same fears and worries for the future. We can build together if we work together.”
The event at the American Center opened with the Center’s director, Sri Kulkarni, who addressed the students and their parents. Students and teachers read excerpts from the magazine, “Voices: A Journey Through Our World,” which was released to the public for the first time.
The event also featured a round-table discussion, a musical performance by the students, and special appearance by musician and songwriter Ami Yares.
Buthaina Bishara, an English teacher from St. Joseph, described the dialogue experience as difficult in the beginning. “Some of the students were held back by suspicions and doubts. Yet with some open-mindedness and a bit of courage, we overcame those doubts together.”
Mona, a parent of a St. Joseph Seminary student, who was part of the project, said that she believed the project was very important for her son. “We want to be friends and live beside each other. But the politicians from both sides make this reality impossible.”
Anav Silverman is an educator at Leyada in Jerusalem and one of the coordinators of this project, which also included Leyada teacher, Debora Seigel
