Stories from Palestine

On a Friday evening in September I attended a beautiful concert of the Amwaj children's choir in Bethlehem. I had tears rolling down my eyes. Not only did the choir sound so beautiful, but also did I realize what Palestinian children in the Westbank are suffering through. And how their peers in Gaza are losing everything, their houses, their beloved ones, their schools, their chances, their future, their hope...

I decided to interview Michele Cantoni, an Italian musician (violinist) who established the Amwaj choir with his wife Mathilde Vittu, the Choir Director.

The Amwaj choir has two branches, one in Hebron and one in Bethlehem. Children who want to be part of the choir have to commit to all the rehearsals and the performances.  There is no fee, the choir is for free, available to all children who want to make the commitment.

The repertoire consists of songs in many different languages. They have performed in different parts of Palestine as well as in France, Belgium and Italy.

This year they adapt the choice of the songs to the current reality with themes like solidarity and freedom.

In this episode you can hear some soundbites that I recorded during the concert and of course the interview I did with Michele a few days later.

If you want to read more about the Amwaj choir or if you want to contact Michele and Mathilde please go to : https://amwajchoir.org 

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The Makhrour valley is situated between Beit Jala and Battir and the larger part of this valley has been designated as part of a world heritage site registered by UNESCO as 'Palestine, land of olives and vines' 

The slopes of hills on either side of the Makhrour valley have terraces that date back to at least the Roman era. These agricultural terraces are farmed by Palestinian farmers from Beit Jala and Battir.

On a hot September morning I walked with my friend Dee down the valley to visit Shadi who started farming two years ago on the renovated land of his family. He is selling his produce at our Singer Cafe every Wednesday morning. This year the summer heat came very early in June and most of his crops burnt. I wanted to check on him and see what remained of his hard work. 

After our visit we passed by the solidarity tent of the Kisiya family as they were just holding a press conference and preparing for a solidarity march with representatives of different faith communities. The family is struggling against a group of settlers and the Jewish National Fund trying to take over the land. The family was leasing this land from the original owner who left the country and passed away abroad. According to the local law the Kisiya family now has the right to remain on the land until a descendant of the owner would claim the land, but as far as they know, the owner did not have any offspring. 

The settlers have not been able to prove they have bought the land. But the military issued a new military order preventing the Kisiya family from entering the Makhrour valley.

An international solidarity vigil is planned for 29 September. You can organize your own activity or join an event in your country. 

Go to https://linktr.ee/savealmakhrour to connect and follow the efforts to save al Makhrour on Instagram. If you want to join the WhatsApp community you can contact them on the contact form. 

Connect to Stories from Palestine on social media, sign up for the newsletter, read more about traveling to Palestine and if you can, please support the podcast on Ko-fi. All the links can be found here: https://linktr.ee/storiesfrompalestine

This is interview with Yousef Khoury, a Christian Palestinian theologian originally from Gaza, currently living in Bethlehem, was conducted in April 2024. The content of this interview was used for the book: "Daybreak in Gaza, stories of Palestinian lives and culture". In this interview Yousef shares with us his memories of Gaza before the destruction that happened since 7 October 2023.

The book was edited by Mahmoud Muna and Matthew Teller, with Juliette Touma and Jayyab Abusafia. Published by Saqi Books (London). Profits from sales are being donated to the charity Medical Aid for Palestinians. The book includes writing and images from almost 100 contributors, bringing together stories, essays, war diaries, memoirs, poems and artworks by all sorts of people from Gaza or connected to Gaza - writers and artists, but also shopkeepers, farmers, teachers, medics, office workers, and more.

You can order “Daybreak in Gaza” at your local bookshop in any country, or from Amazon and other online bookstores - but there are two extra-special ways to order:

1- Direct from the publisher at https://saqibooks.com/ - they will ship worldwide, and buying from the publisher maximizes the amount going to charity. (Also, Saqi have been publishing books about Palestine and the wider Middle East for decades, and have a fantastic list of fiction and non-fiction titles that is well worth exploring).

2- Or you can choose to support the Palestinian economy directly by ordering from EducationalBookshop.com - This is a Palestinian-owned and Palestinian-run bookshop in the eastern part of Jerusalem run by the co-author of DAYBREAK IN GAZA, Mahmoud Muna and his family for many years. They will ship worldwide.

This October and November, the book’s editors Mahmoud Muna and Matthew Teller will be speaking about Gaza, and Palestine, in London and cities around the UK, with events planned in Amsterdam, Brussels, Frankfurt and elsewhere. Keep an eye on SaqiBooks.com and Matthew’s website matthewteller.com, where tour updates will be posted. 

The launch event is scheduled for Thursday 3rd October, at the famous Stanfords bookshop in London.

Connect to Stories from Palestine on social media, sign up for the newsletter, read more about traveling to Palestine and if you can, please support the podcast on Ko-fi. All the links can be found here: https://linktr.ee/storiesfrompalestine

After almost a year of radio silence, I am back to producing new episodes! Last year was very intense for everyone and I was unable to continue the podcast. In this first introduction to the new season, I am trying to explain what happened. I can not go into the details but hopefully you will accept my apologies for disappearing just like that. 

I am also back on social media and you can find me and the Ko-fi page for donations towards producing the podcast through this link: https://linktr.ee/storiesfrompalestine

Connect to Stories from Palestine on social media, sign up for the newsletter, read more about traveling to Palestine and if you can, please support the podcast on Ko-fi. All the links can be found here: https://linktr.ee/storiesfrompalestine

This is the third and last part of a trilogy that I made for Pax Palestine Podcast about the 'Civil Society for Dignity' project, a project by MEND, PCR, PCPD and PAX for Peace, supported by the European Union. This project aims to bridge the gap between the Palestinian civil society and the local governments.

In this last episode Anwaar, who works for MEND and is the media and outreach coordinator for this project and journalist Hayat Hamdan tell us more about an important part of the Civil Society for Dignity project: the media training. This training helps young Palestinians to brainstorm about and to vocalize what they would like to change in their societies and it teaches them the skills and tools to create media content that can be used to communicate their wishes for change. This is an important skill that can be used in civil society participation on the political level.

Partners in this joined project are:

MEND stands for Middle East Non Violence and Democracy. MEND promotes active nonviolence and encourages alternatives to violence among youth and adults throughout Palestine. MEND employs innovative methods, especially with the media, and is widely respected for working with authenticity, professionalism
 and courage.

PCR is the Palestinian Center for Rapprochement between people.  PCR works to bridge the gap between Palestinians and peoples from all around the world, informing the public about the reality in Palestine, and empowering the community through nonviolent direct action.

PCPD is the Palestinian Center for Peace and Democracy. They were established to promote a just peace based on the Palestinian Declaration of Independence of 1988 and relevant United Nations Resolutions towards a two state solution, in which democracy and social justice are guaranteed.

PAX for Peace is based in the Netherlands and works together with committed citizens and partners to protect civilians against acts of war, to end armed violence, and to build a just peace.  In Palestine PAX supports local partners in building resilient communities, promoting human security and equality in the political, cultural and social domain, and in fighting the injustices resulting from the protracted occupation.

 If you want to know more about the work of Pax for Peace you can visit their website https://paxforpeace.nl

MEND: https://www.mend-online.org/
PCR: https://www.pcr.ps
PCPD: https://pcpd.ps

Connect to Stories from Palestine on social media, sign up for the newsletter, read more about traveling to Palestine and if you can, please support the podcast on Ko-fi. All the links can be found here: https://linktr.ee/storiesfrompalestine

This is the second part of a trilogy I made for Pax Palestine Podcast about the 'Civil Society for Dignity' project, a project by MEND, PCR, PCPD and PAX for Peace, supported by the European Union. This project aims to bridge the gap between the Palestinian civil society and the local governments.

In this episode you will learn more about the project 'Civil Society for Dignity' itself. Muna Rishmawi, the project manager, talks about the aims of the project, the cooperation between the different organizations that are involved and how the project is being implemented. One of the young female participants, Aseel, tells us about her personal experiences and what her participation meant to her personal development. We conclude with Yara, who carried out a research and shares her findings with us.

Partners in this joined project are:

MEND stands for Middle East Non Violence and Democracy. MEND promotes active nonviolence and encourages alternatives to violence among youth and adults throughout Palestine. MEND employs innovative methods, especially with the media, and is widely respected for working with authenticity, professionalism
 and courage.

PCR is the Palestinian Center for Rapprochement between people.  PCR works to bridge the gap between Palestinians and peoples from all around the world, informing the public about the reality in Palestine, and empowering the community through nonviolent direct action.

PCPD is the Palestinian Center for Peace and Democracy. They were established to promote a just peace based on the Palestinian Declaration of Independence of 1988 and relevant United Nations Resolutions towards a two state solution, in which democracy and social justice are guaranteed.

PAX for Peace is based in the Netherlands and works together with committed citizens and partners to protect civilians against acts of war, to end armed violence, and to build a just peace.  In Palestine PAX supports local partners in building resilient communities, promoting human security and equality in the political, cultural and social domain, and in fighting the injustices resulting from the protracted occupation.

 If you want to know more about the work of Pax for Peace you can visit their website https://paxforpeace.nl

MEND: https://www.mend-online.org/
PCR: https://www.pcr.ps
PCPD: https://pcpd.ps

Connect to Stories from Palestine on social media, sign up for the newsletter, read more about traveling to Palestine and if you can, please support the podcast on Ko-fi. All the links can be found here: https://linktr.ee/storiesfrompalestine

 This is the first part of a trilogy that I made for Pax Palestine Podcast about the 'Civil Society for Dignity' project, a project by MEND, PCR, PCPD and PAX for Peace, supported by the European Union. This project aims to bridge the gap between the Palestinian civil society and the local governments.

In this first episode you will learn more about the political reality for Palestinians under military rule and the civil society landscape of Palestine, in an interview with George Rishmawi, Director of the Palestinian Center for Rapprochement of people.

Partners in this joined project are:

MEND stands for Middle East Non Violence and Democracy. MEND promotes active nonviolence and encourages alternatives to violence among youth and adults throughout Palestine. MEND employs innovative methods, especially with the media, and is widely respected for working with authenticity, professionalism
 and courage.

PCR is the Palestinian Center for Rapprochement between people.  PCR works to bridge the gap between Palestinians and peoples from all around the world, informing the public about the reality in Palestine, and empowering the community through nonviolent direct action.

PCPD is the Palestinian Center for Peace and Democracy. They were established to promote a just peace based on the Palestinian Declaration of Independence of 1988 and relevant United Nations Resolutions towards a two state solution, in which democracy and social justice are guaranteed.

PAX for Peace is based in the Netherlands and works together with committed citizens and partners to protect civilians against acts of war, to end armed violence, and to build a just peace.  In Palestine PAX supports local partners in building resilient communities, promoting human security and equality in the political, cultural and social domain, and in fighting the injustices resulting from the protracted occupation.

 If you want to know more about the work of Pax for Peace you can visit their website https://paxforpeace.nl

MEND: https://www.mend-online.org/
PCR: https://www.pcr.ps
PCPD: https://pcpd.ps

Connect to Stories from Palestine on social media, sign up for the newsletter, read more about traveling to Palestine and if you can, please support the podcast on Ko-fi. All the links can be found here: https://linktr.ee/storiesfrompalestine

Beit Shean or Beisan as it is called by Palestinians because before 1948 it was called Beisan and it had a population of 6000 people, is mainly known for the excavation of the ancient city and it is sometimes compared to Pompeii that was preserved so well because of the volcanic eruption, in this case the remains of Roman and Byzantine Beit Shean were preserved after a major earthquake. The ruins remained undisturbed and are now part of an archaeological park. 

The history of Beit Shean goes back to the Canaanite period, about 4000 years ago!

It became an important Egyptian administrative center and it is mentioned in the Bible. 

It grew into a really big Roman city with a lot of typical Roman features and it was the capital of the Decapolis. It flourished in Byzantine time. But then it was hit very hard by the major earthquake of 749 and since then the ruins have been left untouched. 

Today it is a national park that requires an entrance fee. It is located on the north side of the modern city of Beit Shean, it is South of the Lake of Galilee and it is east (north east) of Jenin. 

Connect to Stories from Palestine on social media, find out more about trips to Palestine, sign up for the e-mail list and support the podcast, all through this one link:
https://linktr.ee/Storiesfrompalestine

Connect to Stories from Palestine on social media, sign up for the newsletter, read more about traveling to Palestine and if you can, please support the podcast on Ko-fi. All the links can be found here: https://linktr.ee/storiesfrompalestine

In a previous episode with Apo Sahagian,  we talked about the Armenian community in Jerusalem. This episode is a deeper dive into the history of the Armenians and their presence in the holy land in general and in Jerusalem in particular.

The newly renovated Edward and Helen Mardigian Armenian Museum of Jerusalem offers a wealth of stories about the Armenians of Jerusalem.

A key attraction is the sixth century mosaic floor that was found in the Musrara neighborhood while a Palestinian family was putting the pillar of a house in 1894. The mosaic had been part of an ancient Armenian convent, Saint Polyeuctus, one of the 72 Armenian convents that the holy land used to have.

The Armenian inscription on the mosaic says: in memory and salvation of all Armenian martyrs whose names only God knows.

The museum is divided into two floors, the ground floor tells the history of the Armenians from the first century BC to present day. The second floor tells the history of the Armenian genocide, the first genocide of the 20th century.

The building in which the museum is housed, sheltered hundreds of children who became orphans due to the genocide.

You can find the museum on Facebook: Helen and Edward Mardigian Armenian Museum of Jerusalem

Phone: 00 972 2 6328807
E-mail: [email protected]
Opening hours: from 9.00 til 16.00
Closed on Sundays and Mondays
Address: Armenian Patriarchate Road, across the Armenian parking lot

Connect to Stories from Palestine on social media, sign up for the newsletter, read more about traveling to Palestine and if you can, please support the podcast on Ko-fi. All the links can be found here: https://linktr.ee/storiesfrompalestine

The Palestinians call it Akka, in English they say Acre, which goes back to how the Crusaders called the city, today we hear people referring to it as Akko and the root letters AK go back to the Egyptian execration texts in hieroglyphic script that mention AK already in the 19th century BC. 

Today we can talk about three parts of Akka: the old city inside the Ottoman walls on a peninsula in the Mediterranean Sea, the ancient city that dates back to early and middle bronze age on the Tel east of the old city and modern Akko that has developed in the last decades and now incorporates the ancient Tel, known in Arabic as Tel el Fukhar. 

When you visit Akka today, you will mainly see the remains of the Crusader period and the Ottoman period. The biggest tourist attractions are: the Crusader Knights' halls, the Crusader tunnel, the old city with its 'khans', the Al Jazzar mosque, the sea port with its fish restaurants, the suq and the Ottoman city walls. 

In this episode you can learn more about the ancient history of Akko. 

If you want to connect on social media, subscribe for the newsletter, learn more about the ten days travel program or make a donation to the podcast, use this linktree:
https://linktr.ee/Storiesfrompalestine

Connect to Stories from Palestine on social media, sign up for the newsletter, read more about traveling to Palestine and if you can, please support the podcast on Ko-fi. All the links can be found here: https://linktr.ee/storiesfrompalestine