Youth Old City Tour

The ELCJHL Gender Justice Ministry and Youth Ministry organized a tour of the Old City of Jerusalem for youth from the Jerusalem congregation, with help from church youth leaders. Despite living in Jerusalem, many of these youth have limited experience exploring their own holy sites due to safety concerns around accessing the Old City.

Today, Palestinians in the Old City face violence and intimidation from Israeli soldiers, police, and armed settlers, leading to alienation within their own city. This tour gave youth the opportunity to learn more about their home and holy places. In a time when many Palestinian youth are leaving the Holy Land, the church hopes to deepen the connection youth have to their land through learning the history of the city and country. These activities also seek to build deeper ties between youth and get them more involved in the church.

Thank you to Lutheran Church of the Redeemer Arabic-speaking congregation member Salim Mussalam for leading this incredible tour!