Mar Elias Educational Institutions
Ibillin - Galilee
Founded by Archbishop Elias Chacour, Mar Elias Educational Institutions in Galilee play a pivotal role in promoting peace through cultural understanding, interfaith education, and community engagement. By bringing together students from diverse backgrounds, fostering dialogue, and emphasizing a common language of coexistence, these various schools at MEEI contribute to breaking down barriers and building mutual respect. The incorporation of peacebuilding curricula, cultural events, and leadership development programs equips students with the knowledge and skills necessary for constructive engagement in social and political challenges through research, advocacy, and partnerships with other educational institutions and organizations. The Peace Center at MEEI actively contributes to fostering a culture of peace in the region, reflecting a commitment to addressing local realities and building bridges between the various communities living in Galilee.
On June 2, 2024, in Ibillin, Galilee, a momentous occasion took place amidst the continuous warfare in the region. Emeritus Archbishop Elias Chacour, the esteemed founder of Mar Elias Educational Institutions, graciously hosted a delegation led by SHIUR founder Micki Weinberg. This event marked the inauguration of a significant partnership between SHIUR and Mar Elias Educational Institutions. The partnership is dedicated to fostering Jewish-Arab coexistence through text-based discourse, a mission of immense importance in our shared community.
Accordingly, with the values of Mar Elias Educational Institutions, the partnership will kick off with a unique 12-month program. This program, designed for Arab youth and community members at the Peace Center at Mar Elias Educational Insinuations, offers a rare opportunity to explore Arab and Jewish texts from literary, philosophical, and traditional sources. By engaging with these diverse texts, all participants will have the chance to discover new perspectives and appreciate the cultural and philosophical richness of 'the other.
Archbishop “Abouna” Chacour, Mr. Micki Weinberg, Mrs. Nawar Mussallam, Mr. Rafeek Khouri, and Dr. Emil Halloun explored texts from Hannah Arendt, St. Augustine, Idra Rabbah, and Rosa Luxemburg. The discourse was started with the following text from Hannah Arendt:
“The enlarged way of thinking, which as judgment knows how to transcend its limitations, cannot function in strict isolation or solitude; it needs the presence of others ‘in whose place’ it must think, whose perspectives it must take into consideration, and without whom it never has the opportunity to operate at all.”
This striving for “enlarged thinking” underscores the “A New Branch” initiative.
Archbishop Chacour emphasized how the path to peace lay in shifting the discourse: “The land does not belong to the Israelis. The land does not belong to the Palestinians. The Israelis and Palestinians belong to the land.”
Dr. Emil Halloun, the head of the International Relations Office at the Mar Elias Educational Institutions, will lead this transformative program. With Archbishop Chacour's blessing, Dr. Halloun will guide the participants on this enlightening journey of exploration and understanding at the Peace Center at MEEI in Ibillin.
This program will join other initiatives at MEEI to foster imperative dialogue between Arabs and Jews in Galilee. By promoting mutual understanding and cooperation, these ongoing activities seek to build stronger relationships and create a more harmonious reality for future generations in the region. Through collaborative efforts and shared experiences, the program aspires to bridge cultural divides and lay the foundation for a peaceful and prosperous coexistence in Galilee.
