Tony Manasseh, Brummana Monthly Meeting

To Friends Everywhere
August 2006

Dear Friends

In these extremely turbulent times in the Middle East, the sad news that Middle East Yearly Meeting has been cancelled is hardly surprising. It was to have been an important gathering for Friends from the two monthly meetings, Ramallah and Brummana, and other international visitors, on the theme: Leading the Middle East to a Lasting Peace. The meeting was to have taken place in Brummana, Lebanon, from 7 to 10 September 2006.

We share with you (on page 2) a letter from Tony Manasseh of Brummana Monthly Meeting. We also wish to suggest to Friends world-wide that on 10 September we all join in holding the Middle East Friends in the light, thanking God for their continuing fortitude and witness and praying that ways will open for the Middle East to be led to a lasting Peace.

Below are some contact details for those who wish to find out more or donate money.

Peace, Shalom, Salaam

Marit Kromberg, Clerk
Bronwyn Harwood, Executive Secretary

NOTE:

You can send messages for Friends in the Middle East to meym@fwcc.quaker.org for forwarding

Funds are not being collected for specific Quaker relief work by Middle East Friends. Brummana Friends suggest that donations should be made to any of the reputable major charities working in the field.

Donations to Friends Schools in both Brummana and Ramallah are always welcome and help them to continue their important contribution to education in the region.

Brummana High School Principal: Dr Walid Khouri http//:www.bhs.edu.lb

Donations can be made to: The Quaker International Educational Trust (QuIET) which is a charitable company registered in England and Wales. Contact for further information: brianmorphy@hvmail.co.uk

Friends Schools, Ramallah Director: Joyce Ajlouni http://www.palfriends.org

Donations can be made to Global Ministries, Friends United Meeting: http://www.fum.org

The Friends International Centre Ramallah in partnership with Ramallah Monthly Meeting is seeking to serve the cause of peace and justice in the region.

It is in need of financial support now. http//:www.Ramallah.quaker.org

American Friends Service Committee is responding to the developing humanitarian and political crisis in Gaza, Lebanon, Israel, and the West Bank with a crisis fund.

For articles, campaigns and details of how to contribute http://www.afsc.org/

A message from Tony Manasseh, Brummana Monthly Meeting

August 2006

From the midst of great suffering and unfairness, from the land of destruction and death, voices of hope and love still emerge. These are the voices of reason and humanity that the world will always need and cherish. Be sure love and peace will always win and finally reign. We need to work harder to make this happen.

We are sorry that our long awaited Middle East Gathering or Yearly Meeting has been postponed. The untimely war that took Lebanon, the Lebanese and many others by surprise has been enough reason not only to postpone our YM but also to change the face of the Middle East. The coming uncertainty will surely have a big impact on future events.

Ramallah and Brummana have been two sister meetings since the late 1800s. They have both contributed enormously to the fine education of Middle Eastern youth and contributed to the bringing together of global east and west through their schools and f(F)riends meetings. All that has happened with little means and sometimes under antagonistic forces. Yet we made it with pride and success. Thanks to our wide and diverse body of old scholars from both schools, our words of loving Peace, Friendship and that of God in everyone, continue to spread in our area. But that is not enough. We need to continue with more collaboration and inclusiveness.

In the fifty years that I remember, Ramallah and Brummana Friends met 4 times. Rarely to discuss common business, but rather as a world gathering to foster our international belongingness to the wider family of Friends. Why? Because our area had always been a conflict zone and our Quaker beliefs were daily tested by, and jeopardized by, the current events of the area. Since the 1950s our Meetings had begun to dwindle in numbers for that reason. Yet we go on. For how long? It all depends.

It depends on whether we can still spread the words of love and peace. Whether our schools can survive the destruction of war, the new / old emerging culture of martyrdom and death; the double standards that we are subjected to. It also depends on the support we get from our wider Quaker family. It depends on whether our wider family can be more active in the international arena and the United Nations.

The East West cultural gap needs to be bridged. Scholars and academicians have to work harder than politicians to find the way forward. There is an emerging Arab populace that is dissatisfied with the double standards of the west and with their leaders who have embraced the "unfair" west. Only logical and peaceful solutions can be accepted. There should be no more suppression and no more bullying. Lebanon and Gaza continue to pay the price for that. The destruction and death that has befallen these two peoples is colossal. Their reaction, if coupled with extremist Islamic groups, is world threatening. We need to remedy that through help, real help, practical and comprehensive. Israel has to understand that brutality cannot and will not curb Arab enthusiasm. She needs to be more compassionate and attractive to her Arab neighbors. Israel’s actions since the 50s have not gained her Arabs friends but only enemies and some ferocious suicidal ones at that.

Immediate relief to Lebanon can be in any form. All international aid agencies are doing good work given the embargo and blockade. Contributions should be made to agencies that have a high ratio of real aid and low overhead expenses - usually indicated in their websites.

Tony Manasseh

Brummana, August 2006