Life goes on. Schools of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Ut Cognoscant Te. Schools of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem

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1 U Scho Patriarc Ut Cognoscant Te Schools of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem Christmas Is a sign of Peace Life goes on 1 P a g e Monthly Bulletin

2 2 P a g e Christmas Editorial "O, Come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord" November, the penultimate month of 2014 is over with all the happy occasions and sad memories it brought with it. Welcome December, herald of Christmas, The New Year and winter. The month that children, as well as adults all over the world look forward to, because of the two very happy occasions it brings with it: Christmas and the New Year. LPS students, as well as student of most private schools, start preparing for the first semester finals. Teachers become even busier going over the material they have covered over the semester, writing the questions for the exam, and grading the answer sheets.the finals are usually done before Christmas in order to give the students the chance to celebrate Christmas, and enjoy the winter break without having to worry about lessons, tests and homework. As Christmas draws near, both city centre streets and out-of-town shopping centres become full of shoppers, with the noticeable hustle and bustle often experienced so close to Christmas, although little trade is being done this year, if compared to previous years, because of the straitened financial circumstances resulting from the current political situation. A huge Christmas tree is set up in the Manger Square in Bethlehem, and in the city centres of the towns of Beit Jala and Beit Sahour, as well as in other Palestinian cities and villages such as Ramallah, Nablus, Bir Zeit, Jifna, Taybeh and Aboud. The lights on the Christmas tree in Bethlehem, being the city of Christmas, are usually switched on a couple of weeks before Christmas by the Prime Minister, or his deputy, accompanied by the mayor of Bethlehem, members of the municipality council and the town dignitaries. Hordes of citizens, both Christians and Muslims, crowd in the Manger Squares to celebrate this event which marks the commencement of the Christmas season, since Christmas is not only a Christian feast but a national holiday as well. Despite the atmosphere of joy and celebrations, yet the Bethlehem is depressed because of the sufferings of our people in Gaza and in Jerusalem as well. It misses the usual annual hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, whereas it would normally be full of local and international visitors on this occasion. We lift our prayers to the Babe in the manger, the Prince of Peace, to bring peace to this troubled land and to put an end to wars, conflicts and suffering, and ask you to join us in our prayers for peqce. We, at LPS, wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and a New Year full of joy, prosperity and peace. General Director Fr. Faysal Hijazen

3 3 P a g e Christmas Message of His Beatitude Fouad Twal 2014 JERUSALEM His Beatitude Fouad Twal gave his Christmas message through his Vicar in Jerusalem and Palestine, Bishop William Shomali, during the press conference which was held this Thursday, December 18 at Terra Santa College. That was also the occasion to inaugurate the new Christian Media Center (CMC). Dear friends, dear people of the Holy Land, I wish you and all your loved ones a blessed Christmas! Dear journalists, in greeting you this morning, I thank you for your work and it is my hope that you will always carry it out with wisdom and in truth. Once again, I express my admiration and respect for those of you who showed great concern and courage in covering, in particular, the Visit of His Holiness Pope Francis to the Holy Land, as well as the sad events of Jerusalem and the Holy Land in the last weeks. At the end of the year 2014, in reflecting on these events, I find myself identifying in some ways, with the words of Charles Dickens: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair. 1. A. The best of times (i) One of the best of times for me in the past year was the pilgrimage of the Holy Father to the Holy Land. It was successful on the pastoral and ecumenical level. His visit was followed by the beautiful prayer meeting in the Vatican gardens with President Abbas, former President Peres and Patriarch Bartolomew. Even though we did not obtain any concrete result from that meeting, however, every prayer is valid and the fruits may come much later, like the olive tree, planted on that occasion and which may produce fruits many years ahead. (ii) It is always a great joy and privilege for me to ordain men to the sacred priesthood. This year, nine were ordained. We sent two of them to serve our faithful in the Diaspora: in the Arab Emirates and California. (iii) The Synod on the Family, which convened in October in Rome, presented the opportunity to deal with the many challenges families face. It was one occasion that called for authentic wisdom and hope. The Synod reaffirmed the unity and indissolubility of the marriage institution. If there is progress to be

4 4 P a g e made, it will be on the level of pastoral care toward separated couples and couples who entered into a second marriage. In this Holy Land, our main problem is on another level. Many families suffer from lack of legal documents for a couple to be able to live together when the marriage is between one Palestinian and a non-palestinian. It is difficult, then, to obtain a visa or resident s status for the non- Palestinian. Here we ask the Israeli government to ease the present restrictions on family reunification. We heard last week that more than 593 cases family reunification were accepted. This is a positive step that we thank for but it is far away from being enough for the big needs. (iv) We felt a great joy these past days, when the Holy Father signed a decree for the canonization of two Palestinian saints. They will be officially canonized in Rome in the coming summer. A large number of faithful will go to Rome on that occasion. Canonization is the supreme honor granted to a faithful who lived according to his or her faith, who is a model for other faithful and has a highly favored intercession. The first is Blessed Myriam Bawardi, originally from Ibillin in the Upper Galilee and foundress of the Carmel Monastery in Bethlehem. The second is Blessed Marie Alphonsine Ghattas, born in the Old City of Jerusalem and co-foundress of the Sisters of the Rosary congregation. Both saints are a source of hope for the future. We rely on their intercession for peace in the Holy Land. 1. The worst of times (i) Some of the worst of times over the year were seen in an intensification of violence and subsequent hostile reactions. The devastating war and accompanying bloodshed in Gaza, being the most shattering of all. In the past six years, Gaza has suffered three consecutive wars, thousands of people have been killed, hundreds of thousands are wounded, and an aftermath of destruction and despair Great are the responsibilities of political leaders Israeli and Palestinian to find and facilitate a solution. Great too is the responsibility of the international community to help these two parties to help themselves We condemn the Gaza war and deplore its dramatic consequences: killing and destruction; but at the same time, we condemn any category of violence and retaliation against innocent people such as the killing of people praying in a synagogue and attacks against mosques. In one week, the Christian leaders of the Holy Land visited Har Nof synagogue to condemn the inhuman act that took place there, and at the same time visited Al Aksa Mosque to ask for the old Statu Quo to be respected. Unfortunately, our beloved Holy City of Jerusalem has been flowing with blood and tears. We do not want any religious antagonism in the Holy City whose vocation is to be the city of peace and interreligious coexistence. (ii) During pastoral visits to our parishes, we could feel, touch and experience the tragedy of the many refugees from Syria and Iraq: families who lost homes, work, loved ones and relatives. It is heartbreaking to see the children running in the dust of the camp, without any goal and direction in life.

5 5 P a g e Alongside the inhuman tragedy that is covering the Middle East with blood, and tearing it apart, we are all surprised that young people from Europe embrace radical ideologies and join the fight in Syria and Iraq. From another side, we are witnesses of a clearer condemnation, by Arab and Muslim leaders, of that radical religious ideology. (iii) Last week, the Catholic Assembly of the Bishops of the Holy Land issued a statement concerning the Cremisan Valley case. We hope that the Israeli High court will keep the 300 hectares of Cremisan Valley, as well as the two Salesian monasteries on the Palestinian side. Today we are anxious because the last developments of the recent hearing are giving a different signal. We are afraid that the Court might decide that the land belonging to 58 Palestinian Christian families, might be separated from Beit Jala. Such a decision will harm our community and we hope that the judges be inspired by ethical principles and not to submit to political pressure. suffering and tribulation; to people who see their lives shattered and their efforts broken in the tumultuous strife and hatred of our stormy days. For our faithful of the Holy Land, our friends around the world and our beloved pilgrims, I wish you all a blessed Christmas and a new year full of peace and good health. His Beatitude Fouad Twal Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem December 18, 2014 The General Secretariat of the Christian Schools in Palestine holds its last meeting for the current year. With Christmas drawing near, the general secretariat of the Christian schools in Palestine held its second meeting for the current year. Present at the meeting were, Fr. Faysal Hijazin, the secretary general, and members of the high board which includes Fr. Issa Musleh, Fr. Marwan Di des, Charlie Haddad. Also present were all the principals of the Christian schools in Palestine, with the exception of those who could not make it for security reasons.. Conclusion: In all our troubles and suffering, we remember with gratitude the solidarity of many people, organizations, institutions and States, who have come to our aid through many ways and means. The celebration of the Birth of Jesus promises mercy, love, and peace to countless people in their H.E. Bishop William Shomali and Mr.Muhannad Abed, director of the private schools department at

6 6 P a g e the Ministry of Education were the guests of honour at this meeting. Fr. Faysal Hijazen opened the meeting, which was held at Ararat hotel in Bethlehem, with a short prayer in which he prayed that the joys of Christmas do not be confined only to the external activities and appearances, which are very important and necessary, but also that the message of Christmas dwells in our hearts. He then welcomed the attendees and stated that the high board of the secretariat kept on holding regular meetings, and that important decisions were made such as adopting the unified Christian education trial exam for grade twelve. Copies of the exam questions were sent to all the schools in order to hold the exam simultaneously. Sister Virginie presented a comprehensive explanation about the mechanism of the exam and its importance. Sister Virginie is the director of ecumenical committee for the religious education which consists of the Christian Religion Education teachers: Mrs. Alice Andoni, Mr. Tony Nassar, Mr. Adel Mugrabi, Mrs Su ad Kattan and Mr. Nabil Massou.Sr. Virginie extended her gratitude and appreciation for the hard work of the committee.. 1. the Christian identity and message, 2. the rehabilitation and training, 3. the contemporary challenges and solutions. The attendees were divided into three groups, and each group turned in their answers to these questions in a written report. Fr. Imad Twal made reference to the contents of the Vatican document which provided answers to these questions. Fr. Faysal Hijazen then presented the book which the general assembly has prepared. It is about the history of the Holy Land in the first centuries A.D. It includes the history of the beginning of Christianity in Palestine, the cradle of Christianity from where Christianity spread throughout the world. The attendees discussed the mechanism of introducing this book to the schools to inform the students about the originality of the Arab Christians in this land, and that they are an essential and important component of the past, the present, and the future in this land, which is now troubled by many problems. These problems ensue from ignorance in history and historical facts, and the exploitation of this ignorance by some extremists in order to pass personal and catastrophic agendas on the components of the Arab East. A call was made to organize cultural competitions among the various schools in the contents of this book, and finding the best ways for introducing this book to the schools. Father Issa Musleh surprised the attendees by announcing that the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem will print the Greek Orthodox version of the Holy Bible for the first time. The meeting also included a lecture and brainstorming delivered by Fr.Imad Twal, the general admisitrator of the Latin Patriarchate, and the experienced educationist. The lecture entitled Education Today and tomorrow, concentrated on addressing the Christian identity of the schools. Three questions were asked about: At the end f the meeting, Fr. Faysal Hijazen announced holding a course for the school principals, and asked those willing to participate to register their names..

7 7 P a g e to carry on the message of hope and faith, and extended his Christmas greetings to them and to their families and schools. All the attendees had the annual Christmas dinner during which H.E. William Shomali wished all the attendees a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, he also thanked the General Secretariat for its endeavors and work which exemplary. Then Fr. Issa Musleh Presented a calendar and wished the attendees a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. and wished the Palestinian people dignity and freedom in their independent state and its Capital Jerusalem. He also thanked Fr. Faysal Hijazen and the members of the high board and the attendees for their endeavors. Following the mass, H.B. The patriarch was the guest of honour at a Christmas dinner with them, and again he wished them all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. H.B. Patrairch Fuad Twal meets with LPS-Israel principals and teachers. Galilee. Fr. Faysal Hijazen, the director general of LPS in Palestine and Israel, met with the principals and staff of LPS in Galilee: Reneh, Rameh, Jaffa of Nazareth, ShafaAmer, and Haifa. Fr. Faysal delivered a lecture entitled, Educating Today and Tomorrow, in which he stressed on the importance of education, and on adopting the new technological trends in education. He pointed out that the dissemination of knowledge, which is spreading rapidly due to the rapid technological advances, should be utilized in facilitating the teaching process. After the lecture, H. B. Patriarch Fuad Twal and H. E. Monsignor Marcuzzo celebrated the Christmas holy mass at the church of Jaffa of Nazareth. In his sermon. H.B The patriarch thanked them for their hard work, and urged them

8 8 P a g e Fr. Faysal Hijazen welcome address to the visiting American pilgrims and educators Your Excellency Archbishop Schnurr, Dr. Jim Rigg, The Superintendent Distinguished guests and friends. A group of American Pilgrims and educators from Cincinnati-Ohio visits LPS in Palestine On behalf of LPS, I d like to welcome each and everyone of you in our church, in our town Beit jala, and in our country Palestine, and to extend to your excellency and our guests our deepest appreciation and gratitude for your love and your moral and educational support for our schools, especially for your efforts in helping our teachers to improve and upgrade their teaching skills through HOPE program. Special thanks also to Nancy, the director of HOPE program. Our main concern focuses on The Child in our schools. Our children have every right to live a decent life in freedom and dignity. Thank you once more, and our prayers go out to you all for your incessant endeavors for peace in this troubled land in particular, and for peace in the Whole world in general. We ask for your prayers in this season of advent, for peace and stability in this troubled region of the world. And as we will soon celebrate Christmas, the birth of the Prince of Peace, Let us all together Pray that He might grant peace to his birthplace and to the whole world as well. God bless you all The General Administration: On Tuesday,Dec.9, A group of eighty Pilgrims and educators from Cincinnati-Ohio, headed by Archbishop Schnurr, Dr. Jim Rigg, the superintendent Archdiocese of Cincinnati Schools, Nancy Hemminger,president of HOPE program and several members of the clergy visited Beit Jala. The visiting group was welcomed by Fr. Dr. Faysal Hijazin, Director General of LPS in Palestine, Fr. Simon Hijazen, the curate of Beit Jala, Mr. Suhail Diabes, the school principal. Also present were the principal of LPS in Nablus, the staff of Beit Jala school and the staff and students of the Clerical Institute School, in addition to the teachers from LPS in Nablus, Zababde, Beit Jala and Beit Sahour, involved in HOPE, Talents Unlimited, and the twinning programs between LPS and American Catholic Schools, Archbishop Schnurr officiated the holy mass and was assisted by Fr. Dr. Faysal Hijazin, Fr. Ibrahim Nino and the priests from the visiting group. The mass was attended by the members of the visiting group and the school staff. The children choir of the elementary school sang several Christmas carols during the mass.

9 they concentrate on upgrading the teachers teaching skills and enhance the cooperation and cultural exchange between our schools and American Catholic schools. At the beginning of the mass, Fr. Dr. Faysal Hijazen welcomed the Archbishop and the accompanying group and thanked them for their endeavors in promoting the twinning relationship between our schools and American Catholic Schools, and stressed on the important role of the Catholic schools. Mr. Suhail Daibes stressed on the importance of applying modern technology in the teaching process and utilizing the technological revolution in helping the students. Archbishop Schurr thanked Fr. Faysal and the school staff for their warm welcome and wished them all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. He added that this is his first pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and prayed for peace in the homeland of the Prince of Peace. At the end of the mass, Fr. Faysal presented an olive wood carving of the Christmas grotto to the Archbishop, the superintendent, and Nancy Hemminger, one each, as well as an olive wood carving to each member of the visiting group. Following the mass, Fr.Faysal Hijazin, Dr.Rigg and Nancy Hemminger held a meeting at the administration hall for the teachers involved in Talents Unlimited and HOPE programs. They all stressed on the importance of these two programs as 9 P a g e At the end of the meeting, a one-and-a-half hour skyping tri-session meeting: St. Andrew and St. Antonius schools in Cincinnati and LPS was held. Fr. Dr. Faysal Hijazen said that this skyping session is a living proof of the possibility of using modern technology in education, and he thanked Mr. Wasim Kasbari for arranging this meeting technologically. Dr.Rigg talked about the warmth and hospitality of the Palestinian Christians and welcomed the American participants in this skipping session.he stressed on the importance of such sessions, and wished them a Merry Christams.The American teachers wished the Palestinian participants a Merry Christmas and expressed their wishes that the Palestinians enjoy peace in the land of peace.

10 participants the Christmas and New Year greetings of Fr. Faysal, and thanked Mrs Naela Kharroub, principal of Dar Al Kalima School for hosting the sports day, and wished Mr. Tony Nassar all the best in his new job as the next Principal of Dar Al Kalima School The meeting was concluded with a prayer by Fr.Faysal Hijazen who wished the Palestinian and American participants a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Sports Day Jerusalem: Under the patronage of Fr.Faysal Hijazen, the secretary general of the General Secretariat of the Christian Schools in Palestine, a sports day for the Christian schools in the Bethlehem Governorate was staged at Dar Al Kalima gym, on the occasion of the Palestinian Teacher s Day. The sports events included volley ball and table tennis matches. Present at the events were the principals of all the Christian schools in Bethlehem Governorate in Beit Jala, Bethlehem and Beit Sahour. Terra Sancta School won the championship, and the Freres School came second. At the end of the sports events, Mr. Samer Badra, represen tative of Fr.Faysal Hijazin, awarded the winning teams the trophies, and participation medals to all the players. He conveyed to all the 10 P a g e

11 11 P a g e Our schools in Christmas 2014 Our schools are distinguished from other schools in preparing for Christmas. The Christmas trees are set up and decorated, visiting and helping the needy families and the charitable institutions that care for the needy, masses and prayers especially during the novena

12 12 P a g e Nablus: Taybeh: Ramallah:

13 13 P a g e Beit Sahour: Jifna:

14 14 P a g e Jinen: Aboud:

15 15 P a g e Beit Jala:

16 16 P a g e In Israel : Visiting the old people homes and people with special needs, giving for the poor

17 17 P a g e Lighting the Christmas tree in Jaffa of Nazareth Visiting homes for people with special needs

18 18 P a g e Activities of our schools in December Aboud: students attend a musical performance Students of grades 3-6 attended a musical performance organized by Barnium Said Association, and was performed at the Palestinian Medical Relief hall in Ramallah. A Lecture about environmental project The Wild Life Society in Palestine, in cooperation with LPS administration, gave a lecture to the ninthgraders under the title of The Youth Project for Environmental Education. Following the performance, the student listened to three lectures about music and its role and effect on our lives. The lectures were about the Baroque music and Baroque composers in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in Europe. The lecture dealt with curbing the environmental pollution,preserving the natural resources, the urgent need to rely on alternative power resources such as the solar energy, and the importance of recycling.

19 19 P a g e Educational meetings about the Physical psychological and social changes. Sawa Association held three educational meetings with the sixth-graders about the physical, psychological and social stage they are going through, so that they understand these changes and accept them. The meetings discussed various topics such as adolescence, the various kinds of violence, and the internet. Beit Sahour. A group of students leave on a ten-day educational exchange visit to Denmark. In cooperation with YMCA, three eleventhgraders left for a ten-day educational exchange visit to NNE School in Denmark. The main objective of this visit is to talk about the Palestinian problem and its ramifications on the educational process in Palestine, and the daily harassment the students face by of the Israeli occupation soldiers, especially college students at the checkpoints on their way to college and back. In the meetings with the third graders, the issue of the various kinds of violence and child abuse was discussed. The children were taught how to seek help by means of a puppet show which the children enjoyed very much. The Shepherds Choir performs in Beit Jala. The Shepherds Choir, conducted by Dr. Charlie Abu Sa da, gave a two-hour performance of Christmas Carols on Tuesday.Dec.12, the third day of the Joys of Christmas bazaar, held at the Annunciation Hall in Beit Jala. The performance was attended by Fr. Dr. Faysal Hijazin, the parish administrator of the Latin Congregation of Beit Jala, Fr. Simon Hijazin, the curate, and a large crowd of shoppers and members of the congregation.

20 20 P a g e The Shepherds Choir is a local choir which participates in the various religious occasions in the churches, especially during the Christmas season. It is subsidiary to LPS in Palestine, and has recently produced a CD of Christmas Carols. We wish the Shepherds Choir all the best. Nablus Right Rev. Archbishop Suheil Diwani visits the school The right rev. Suheil Diwani, archbishop of the Anglican Church in Jerusalem, accompanied by Rev. Ibrahim Nairouz, Dr. Walid Qirreh and several other religious and lay personalities paid a visit to the school. They were received by Fr. Johny Abu Khalil, the parish priest, Abeer Hanna, the school principal, and the members of the staff. Jifna The sports department, under the supervision of the sports teacher, carried out a sports activity for the elementary stage students to test their physical fitness,and physical and mental agility In her welcome speech. Abeer Hanna, the school principal welcomed the visitors on behalf of Fr. Dr. Faisal Hijazen, the Director general of LPS, and thanked them for this kind gesture. She also talked about the mission of LPS in creating a generation that believes in peace, justice, and coexistence. She said that in diversity there is beauty, wealth and strength.

21 21 P a g e Fr. Johny Abu Khalil talked about the importance of the school which reflects the true Participation in the events of the International Day of Persons with Special Needs. concept of coexistence in peace and harmony among the inhabitants of Nablus. He also talked about Jerusalem and the suffering of the people there. He thanked the archbishop for this visit and added that it entrenches us in faith, and that religions are but bridges that bring together all the children of the one God. The archbishop thanked the school administration for their warm welcome and visited some classes and talked to the students. English speaking and elocution competition An English speaking and elocution competition was held for the higher classes. The panel consisted of a special committee of the English teachers of the school. The boy scouts troop of LPS participated in the events of the International Day of Persons with Special Needs which was held at the Directorate of Education. The main objective of this participation was to learn more about this marginalized segment of the community, which, just like the other citizens, has rights and obligations, and that a disability was never an obstacle in realizing the disabled person s hopes and aspirations. It is worth mentioning that many people with disabilities have contributed to society. These include celebrities, world leaders, musicians, and many other famous people such as Helen Keller, Beethoven, Franklin Roosevelt,Stephen Hawkings, and many others. A Lecture about boycott of Israeli products In order to entrench the concept of the Palestinian economic situation, a lecture was given to the students of the higher classes about boycotting the Israeli products and it effect on supporting the Palestinian products the Palestinian economy.

22 22 P a g e Renovation of the Computer Lab Upon instructions of Fr. Dr. Faysal Hijazin, the director general of LPS, concerning activating the computer labs in most LPS, in order to facilitate the technological learning for the students,the computer lab was renovated and upgraded and modernized to meet the needs of the students. Beit Jala Participation in the Science Day in Palestine The eleventh-graders, science stream, participated in the Science Days in Palestine exhibition. They paid a visit to the natural history museum in Bethlehem. The museum staff lectured the students about the importance of the museum on both the local and international level. The students saw many endangered animals ( reptiles, insects, mammals, etc..)preserved in special ways. They had an idea about animal preservation. Taybeh: LPS wins the first position in handball for females The Taybeh LPS handball team for females won the championship of the the Samir Najim Championship tournament for the Ramallah and Bireh Governorate secondary schools. The tournament was attended by the director of education for the Ramalla-Bireh governorate and several other heads of departments in the office of education. The students toured the museum and watched specimens of resident animals and insects in Palestine, and specimens of some endangered species. Then they listened to a lecture on how some insects and animals are mummified to preserve them. Several students expressed their desire to volunteer to work in the natural history museum during the summer holidays in order to get some experience about environmental work.

23 23 P a g e Participation in assembling the Christmas tree LPS students in Beit Jala, in cooperation with the Beit Jala municipality workers, participated in assembling the new, huge Christmas tree in the city centre. Fr. Simon Hijazin, the curate of Beit Jala and the religious education of the tenth grade were also present and took part in the assembling process. Barbara). It consists of boiled wheat decorated with raisins, nuts and other sweets. The dish is named after St. Barbara, the patron saints of the poor, and observed in her honour. The tradition says that she used to offer decorated boiled wheat to feed the poor, this tradition is observed in all the Christian communities in Palestine. Open Day The elementary section of LPS in Beit Jala organized an open day program on the occasion of the feast of St.Franciso Xavier, the patron saint of the school, and the feast of St. Barbara. The activities included various sports activities and were concluded by a theatrical performance by Inad Theatre. The kindergarten teachers prepared the traditional dish Burbara (The Arabic vernacular name for

24 24 P a g e A Skypping simulcast session with a French school Under the supervision of Mrs Du a Qunneis and the French department, a skyping session was held at the general administration hall between the fifthgraders in our school and their counterparts at the Immaculate Conception School in France. LPS The main objective of this session was to encourage our students to speak French, and to enhance the friendship and twinning relations between our students and their French counterparts. Wishing you a Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year 2015

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26 26 P a g e With your help, we can complete projects to renovate buildings, purchase lab equipment, school supplies and furniture, as well as many more necessities!! You can even give a poor child the priceless gift of education by providing his or her tuition! If you feel called to help the students in the schools of The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the bank details are below. For our friends in Europe: General Director : Rev Faysal Hijazen - faysalhijazen@lpj.org For our friends in the United States: For U.S Dollar currency transfers utilize the following bank address: Intermediary Bank, Credit Suisse, Zurich. Swift Code: CRESCHZZ80A > Favor of:arab Bank No.49 Bethlehem Branch No. 853 Director: Fr. Faysal Hijazen Edited by: George Abu Dayyeh Designed by: Waseim Kasabry