Dar al Kalima Lutheran School Hosts Sports Day
Under the patronage of Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar, the Lutheran Schools held their annual Sports Day today, hosted by Dar Al-Kalima Lutheran School. Dar al Kalima, ELS Beit Sahour and Talitha Kumi were joined by Hope Secondary School from Beit Jala. Unfortunately the Evangelical Lutheran School of Hope in Ramallah was not able to join for the event due to travel and safety concerns. Students competed in football, ping pong, and chess tournaments throughout the day. We are proud of the sportsmanship, cooperation, and healthy competition exhibited by our students. ...
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Bishop Azar Attends Requiem Mass for Pope Francis
Yesterday Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar attended the Requiem Mass for His Holiness Pope Francis at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, led by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and our siblings in Christ of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Bishop Azar and the entire ELCJHL continue to pray for our Catholic siblings and the universal church in this time of mourning....
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ECLJHL Judges and Pastors Meet with Palestinian Justice Institute
Last year the ELCJHL began a partnership with the Palestinian Judicial Institute aimed at advancing justice within the ecclesiastical court system. Yesterday the partnership took a step forward with a joint meeting that gathered ELCJHL ecclesiastical judges, pastors, and representatives of the Gender Justice Ministry. The meeting was an opportunity to strengthen our connection with the PJI, explore its services, and begin outlining the next phases of cooperation. As part of this collaboration, the ELCJHL and PJI will jointly develop a tailored judicial training cu...
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Bishop Azar Exchanges Easter Greetings with Local Partners
This morning Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar and a delegation from the ELCJHL exchanged Easter greetings with our siblings in Christ of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate and the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate. We are honored to share the hope of the resurrection with our Christian community in Jerusalem during this shared Easter season....
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A Statement from Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar on the Passing of Pope Francis
Click here for the full statement....
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Bishop Azar's 2025 Easter Message
Click here for the Easter Message in Arabic. Click here for the Easter Message in English. Click here for the Easter Message in German....
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2025 Easter Message from the Jerusalem Heads of Churches
Click here for the Easter Message in Arabic. Click here for the Easter Message in English....
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ELCA and ELCIC Solidarity Visit Statement
Click here for a joint statement with the ELCA and the ELCIC about their recent visit to the ELCJHL....
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ELCJHL Welcomes ELCA and ELCIC Solidarity Visit
Last week, Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar and the ELCJHL welcomed a solidarity visit from our siblings in Christ of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, including ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and ELCIC National Bishop Susan Johnson. The two presiding bishops were joined in the visit by Bishop Carla Blakley, Bishop of the ELCIC Eastern Synod; Rev. Paul Gehrs, Assistant to the Bishop, Justice and Leadership for the ELCIC; Rev. Khader El-Yateem, ELCA Executive Director for Service and Justice; Rev. Gabi Aelabouni, ELCA MENA Desk...
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Statement on the Palm Sunday Bombing of Al Ahli Anglican Hospital
Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land join Archbishop Hosam Naoum and our Anglican siblings of the Diocese of Jerusalem in condemning the Israeli strike on the Anglican Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza this morning - the morning of Palm Sunday.We are very concerned by the continuing destruction and bloodshed in Gaza as well as the disastrous blocking of humanitarian aid, especially as we begin Holy Week. We join the calls and prayers for an immediate end to this war which has caused the suffering of millions of our brothers and sisters. ...
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ELCJHL Congregations Celebrate Palm Sunday
This year the Western and Eastern church calendars are aligned for the celebrations of Holy Week and Easter. Today all six ELCJHL congregations and our Christian siblings throughout the Holy Land marked Palm Sunday. Though our people are enduring a time of great suffering, we still commemorate the triumphant entry of our Lord Jesus Christ into the Holy City of Jerusalem, and we prepare for his journey to the cross this week. We still proclaim: “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” And we continue to pray for peace and justice to come to our land, in Jesus...
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Dar al Kalima Lutheran School Hosts Open Day
Under the patronage of Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar, Dar Al-Kalima Lutheran School held their Open Day and Educational Exhibition to honor creativity, academic excellence, national identity, and cultural heritage in the school. The event was led by Dar al Kalima principal Rev. Anton Nassar, Rev. Ashraf Tannous, Mr. Adel Khader, and ELCJHL Education Director Ms. Eva Azar. The day began with an opening ceremony featuring speeches by Rev. Anton Nassar and Ms. Eva Azar, national songs, dabke folk dancing, gymnastics performances, and poetry readings. In the opening prayer, Pastor ...
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ELCJHL Students Participate in International MUN
A delegation from the Evangelical Lutheran Schools has just returned from their trip to Istanbul, where they attended the Model United Nations conference at one of the most prestigious American international schools in Turkey. The conference was held under the theme: "Enhancing Cooperation: Mending the Cracks in the Rules-Based International Order." Our delegates represented Germany in the following committees: the Disarmament Committee, Political Committee, Legal Committee, Human Rights Council, Economic and Financial Committee, and the Economic and Social Council. We are inc...
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ELCJHL Youth Join Bonhoeffer Commemoration in Germany
Rev. Sally Azar, Rev. Rodny Said, and five ELCJHL youth are in Bavaria this week with an international youth group commemorating the life and death of Lutheran pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer. As we honor Bonhoeffer’s legacy we remember that our faith calls us to not stay silent in the face of injustice, but rather to have the courage and strength to speak out wherever it is found....
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Gender Justice Women's Day Celebration
Under the patronage of Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar, the Gender Justice Ministry of the ELCJHL held a special event today for the women of the church in recognition of International Women's Day and Mother's Day. A concert by the Edward Said Conservatory Choir was held at the Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, followed by games, activities, lunch, and gifts at Dar Annadwa. Women from all five Palestine congregations were in attendance. Special activities for children were offered as well. As Women's Month comes to an end, we recognize and celebrate the role of women in our...
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Reformation Day Research Awards
In March Reformation Day Research winners were awarded in the four Lutheran schools. Research projects focused on the importance of Reformation in Palestinian society today were completed by 8th grade students from each school as part of the annual Reformation Day Celebration in October....
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South African Delegation Visits Jerusalem Heads of Churches
Yesterday Bishop Dr. Ibrahim Azar met with the Jerusalem Heads of Churches at the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem. The Heads of Churches welcomed a visiting delegation from two South African churches to discuss the situation of Christians in the Holy Land. They also discussed preparations for the upcoming Holy Week and Easter....
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Bishop Azar Visits Berlin
Last week Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar traveled to Germany for the retirement celebration of Berliner Missionswerk Director Rev. Dr. Christof Theilmann, who has been a partner of the ELCJHL for many years. While in Germany, Bishop Azar also traveled to Hamburg to meet with some of our other international partners....
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Spring Competition at the EEC
Today 75 students from nine local schools came together at the Environmental Education Center - Elcjhl for the Annual Spring Competition. These students split into groups to either draw, take photographs, or write about this year’s theme: Land of Beauty and Biodiversity. Winners from each of these categories will be chosen and announced at the end of the school year!...
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EEC Delegation Visits the USA
This week representatives of the Environmental Education Center - Elcjhl are on an advocacy trip to the USA focused on caring for creation, eco-justice, and climate justice. The trip is led by Executive Director Simon Awad, along with two ELCJHL young adults, Nardine Nassar and Sameer Musallam, and is supported and facilitated by ELCA Sumud. The delegation visited churches from the ELCA in New England, Washington DC, the Rocky Mountain Synod, and the Pacific Synod....
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