News
The Longer Waiting
by Mohamad Jamous
Perhaps this day was one of the longest days of my life, I felt that every passing minute was a year! Every time I watched the clock, I saw it moving very slowly. You may wonder why I felt that this day so slow? Why all this wait? Actually, the answer is because I was waiting for a person to arrive at my house that I had already invited to Ramadan breakfast and this person was Rabbi Mattisyahu Brown.
They say "happiness comes after a long wait," and here for me this was a very long day and already happiness had come after this wait.
Tuesday, May 14. We are on this blessed day in this holy month of Ramadan, and for those who do not know much about Ramadan month, Ramadan month is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and the month in which the Quran was revealed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Fasting during the month of Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The month is spent by Muslims fasting during the daylight hours from dawn to sunset. According to Islam, the Quran was sent down to the lowest heaven during this month, thus being prepared for gradual revelation by Jibreel (Gabriel) to Muhammad. Therefore, Muhammad told his followers that the gates of Heaven would be open for the entire month and the gates of Hell (Jahannam) would be closed.The first day of the next month, Shawwal, is spent in celebration and is observed as the "Festival of Breaking Fast" or Eid al-Fitr.
The hour is approaching 7:00 pm and I'm sitting in my house waiting for Rabbi Mattisyahu Brown which i could consider him as a friend, a brother or even a partner, a partner in hope, a partner in meditation, a partner in peace!
Rabbi Mattisyahu Brown, I met him once in one of the interfaith meetings in Jerusalem. On that day I saw in his eyes the meaning of love, hope, happiness and peace that filled our hearts with all of us through his song "Eyn od mi-Levado... La ilaha illa-Llah..."
Hours before our meeting, I called Brown and I told him the details of the way to my house in Jericho, and asked him to leave any documents proving that he is a Jew at his home and to bring his US passport in anticipation of any circumstance beyond our control.
By the way, on that day I also invited some of the Brazilian friends who support peace work in the Holy Land and who work at the Brazilian Consulate in Tel Aviv. My Brazilian friends arrived before Brown arrived, we all sat discussing and talking as we waited for Brown's arrival.
Actually I was sitting with my guests but mentally with Brown, I was scared for him and I was calling him every minute to know where he is and where he had arrived. And then, after nearly an hour of time, Brown arrived and arrived with happiness, I welcomed him into my house and we all sat talking.
Most of our talk was about the peace work in the Holy Land, and how to build programs through our reflection and our unity as one body. Peacemaking here is very difficult, especially in the Palestinian territories. I have been building peace for more than fifteen years, since I was a young child and I have experienced many difficulties and obstacles in this work.
In fact, many people in Israel and Palestine are interested in a Jewish-Muslim meetings, but it is difficult for them to find the means, and it is difficult for them to find the right people for these meetings. We are here to be this means and this way.
The convening of these meetings, the exchange of cultures and the exchange of talk and opinions are very important and it will work to find solutions between the two peoples.
All the people here, they just need a way and support to hold such meetings and programs in the holy-land and then the solutions will be on their way to us!
I and my guests talked a lot and in many things that would really work to find such solutions through the establishment of programs and meetings.
After a while, talking and before my guests left, we took a memorial photo with each other.
Then they left my house in love and peace, hoping to meet again.
Perhaps this day was one of the longest days of my life, I felt that every passing minute was a year! Every time I watched the clock, I saw it moving very slowly. You may wonder why I felt that this day so slow? Why all this wait? Actually, the answer is because I was waiting for a person to arrive at my house that I had already invited to Ramadan breakfast and this person was Rabbi Mattisyahu Brown.
They say "happiness comes after a long wait," and here for me this was a very long day and already happiness had come after this wait.
Tuesday, May 14. We are on this blessed day in this holy month of Ramadan, and for those who do not know much about Ramadan month, Ramadan month is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and the month in which the Quran was revealed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Fasting during the month of Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The month is spent by Muslims fasting during the daylight hours from dawn to sunset. According to Islam, the Quran was sent down to the lowest heaven during this month, thus being prepared for gradual revelation by Jibreel (Gabriel) to Muhammad. Therefore, Muhammad told his followers that the gates of Heaven would be open for the entire month and the gates of Hell (Jahannam) would be closed.The first day of the next month, Shawwal, is spent in celebration and is observed as the "Festival of Breaking Fast" or Eid al-Fitr.
The hour is approaching 7:00 pm and I'm sitting in my house waiting for Rabbi Mattisyahu Brown which i could consider him as a friend, a brother or even a partner, a partner in hope, a partner in meditation, a partner in peace!
Rabbi Mattisyahu Brown, I met him once in one of the interfaith meetings in Jerusalem. On that day I saw in his eyes the meaning of love, hope, happiness and peace that filled our hearts with all of us through his song "Eyn od mi-Levado... La ilaha illa-Llah..."
Hours before our meeting, I called Brown and I told him the details of the way to my house in Jericho, and asked him to leave any documents proving that he is a Jew at his home and to bring his US passport in anticipation of any circumstance beyond our control.
By the way, on that day I also invited some of the Brazilian friends who support peace work in the Holy Land and who work at the Brazilian Consulate in Tel Aviv. My Brazilian friends arrived before Brown arrived, we all sat discussing and talking as we waited for Brown's arrival.
Actually I was sitting with my guests but mentally with Brown, I was scared for him and I was calling him every minute to know where he is and where he had arrived. And then, after nearly an hour of time, Brown arrived and arrived with happiness, I welcomed him into my house and we all sat talking.
Most of our talk was about the peace work in the Holy Land, and how to build programs through our reflection and our unity as one body. Peacemaking here is very difficult, especially in the Palestinian territories. I have been building peace for more than fifteen years, since I was a young child and I have experienced many difficulties and obstacles in this work.
In fact, many people in Israel and Palestine are interested in a Jewish-Muslim meetings, but it is difficult for them to find the means, and it is difficult for them to find the right people for these meetings. We are here to be this means and this way.
The convening of these meetings, the exchange of cultures and the exchange of talk and opinions are very important and it will work to find solutions between the two peoples.
All the people here, they just need a way and support to hold such meetings and programs in the holy-land and then the solutions will be on their way to us!
I and my guests talked a lot and in many things that would really work to find such solutions through the establishment of programs and meetings.
After a while, talking and before my guests left, we took a memorial photo with each other.
Then they left my house in love and peace, hoping to meet again.