this is a mail I got the other day from Eliyahu McLean, please read it

With Love

Lilie



Hello friends,

On Wednesday Nov 5th we held a special Ramadan celebration in the Galilee
village of Rama, next to Karmiel. Held in a large hall on the grounds of the
Greek Catholic church of Santa Maria in Rama, Father Jiries Mansour welcomed
a delegation of Christian, Druze, Muslim and Jewish religious leaders to
honor the Muslims in their sacred month of Ramadan by sharing together
'iftar', the Ramadan break-fast meal.

We organized a group from Jerusalem to join several hundred Druze,
Christian, Muslim and Jewish Galileans to share in the feast. Our delegation
from Jerusalem included Regine Canetti, a Catholic nun with the sisters of
Zion, two Lutheran Swedes from the World Council of Churches, and Orthodox
Jewish students from Bat Ayin yeshiva and Midrshet Nishmat. Also joining us
was Sir Kainoa Li, a Roman Catholic from Hawaii who had just received a
knighthood in the Order of the Holy Sepulchre from the Vatican.

This festive meal was also a symbolic closure of a painful incident in the
town of Rama, where the Christian and Druze youth had been in conflict and a
life was tragically lost. The evening opened with a 'sulha', an agreement of
forgiveness and cooperation between the Christian and Druze in Rama, with
Muslim support.

Many tables of food were provided to accomodate all the guests who
converged to celebrate in the spirit of interfaith respect and
understanding. Our hosts went out of their way to offer the Jewish guests
kosher meals ordered from the Rabbinate of nearby Karmiel.

After the meal the religious leaders ascended the stage to offer blessings
for peace in the spirit of Ramadan. The head of the Druze community, Sheikh
Muafac Tariq offered: "this meeting in Rama, where there were problems,
brings peace and love. We come in respect for the Muslims in their sacred
time." Then Boutros Mualem, the previous bishop of the Greek Catholic
community in the Holy Land shared: "peace will come through the different
religions. The politicians have failed...now it's time for the religious
people to bring peace".

Other religious leaders offering blessings were Sheikh Abdul Rahman Taba,
from the Islamic land trust of the Ministry of Religions in Israel, Bishop
Riyah Abu Asal, Anglican bishop of Jerusalem and the Middle East, Greek
Catholic Father Fouzi Houri and Bishop Boulos Markotsu, representing the
Latin Patriarch.

Then Sufi sheikh Muhammad Kiwan, from nearby Majd al-Krum said: "to share
iftar together in a church is special- we come together as brothers to pray
to the one G-d. The spirit of healing from the blood that was spilled here
will spread. In the end of days the Messiah will pass through Rama and say
'Salaamu Aleykum', 'peace be upon you' and peace will spread forth across
all of the Holy Land."

This was followed by a teaching from Orthodox Rabbi Simcha Mervis from
Moshav Sde Ilan. Rabbi Mervis said: "all of our traditions share the
spiritual practice of fasting. The purpose of the fast is not just to be
spiritual during the hours of the fast. The feast at the end of the fast
reminds us to bring spiritual awareness into the world of physicality- into
how we eat, how we live life. We come together in the spirit of unity and
respect, following the example of Avraham Avinu, our shared father Abraham,
who opened his tent to everyone." The rabbi got a huge applause.

Then Kainoa Li shared: "I am a member of an order of knighthood founded
over 900 years ago that came here in the first Crusade. But I come now with
a message of peace. Last week in the Vatican, holy father pope John Paul II
said to us "Jerusalem is the city of G-d, it should be the city of peace.
Any war done in the name of G-d is not of G-d." So it is my hope that we
here tonight can work together to build peace in the Holy Land and
throughout the world."

Kainoa continued: "In Hawaii we have a word 'Aloha' which means to share
the breath of life. I invite you to share the breath of life for the sake of
peace by saying with me 'Aloha'". It was quite a site to see 200 Arab
elders and others chanting three times 'Aloha'.

It was inspiring to see people strong in their individual faiths share a
common vision. Their expressions of hope and faith affirm a higher ideal-
to seek closeness to God leads one to work for peace. When we come together
to honor each others traditions, we reclaim religion as a source of healing
and transformation.

Shalom, Salaam,

Eliyahu McLean,
Rodef Shalom, 'Peace Pursuer'

Please support our work for peace in the Holy Land with a U.S. tax
deductible contribution.
Write a check to "Sufi Order of Sarasota" and make a note on it: 'for Holy
Land peace work'.

Then send it to:
Andrea Blanch, 520 Ralph St, Sarasota, FL 34242.

Thank you for sharing the information.
Praying that there will be peace between all nations.

Gisele

Thank you Lilie for sharing this letter. These people are on the right track!
"Aloha"!
This is the way, when religions will not fight each other but respect and tolerate each other then a great step towards concrete peace will be done.
Love, Light and Peace.
Margherita


I’m open to love
my heart invites you to dance
come share my delight


senryu by Margherita

Dear Lilie,

Thank you for sharing.
May the message of peace be carried everywhere.

Love, Inda

Thank you for sharing this message.

Hoping that we will have peace
between all nations all over the world.

Sue

Peace will prevail. Keep that thought.

Where ever you go, there you are, you can't hide from yourself. Gypsy

Dear Gypsy

Welcome to this forum,
the opportunities for
expression and responses
is great.

Love,
Lilie

May all attempts to restore peace be successful.

Let us BE peace and radiate its light in all directions to touch all the hearts of the world.

Love, Margherita

Thank you for the information.

I am also praying that we will have peace.
Vicky