Dear Friends and Members of the Bethlehem Association:
                                                                     (12/20/2003)
Four years have passed since the second millennium celebration of Bethlehem - birthplace of Jesus Christ. With the help of generous outsiders, the town was spruced up and new buildings erected in time for the celebrations. The town put a brave face on the reality of the Israeli occupation outside, a dire economy, and the encroachment of yet more Jewish settlements.

Much of the renovation work was destroyed in these four years of the Intifada. The town was under siege or curfew for months by the Israelis; the Church of the Nativity itself was besieged for weeks, Bethlehem University coped as best it could with many closures, and people had no income as the economy came almost to a halt.

Although it is distressing, we would like you to look at the informative and moving power point slide presentation at this link. It shows the amount of damage and destruction that was inflicted on Bethlehem.  It deserves to be looked at as it took a lot of time and effort to put it together.  (if you don't have Microsoft power point on your computer, download the viewer from here)

It has been disheartening for us living in North America to see how bad things could get over there and still no criticism of the Israeli occupation or actions but plenty of blame for the Palestinians. But we must not give up.  There have also been many honest people who have spoken up for Palestinian rights.  The tide is turning. 

As an indication of how much we care, members who attended the Bethlehem Association Convention in San Diego gave more money than ever before to both the Charitable Fund and also the Scholarship Fund. We started a Rachel Corrie scholarship in memory of the 23 year old American who was killed by an Israeli bulldozer. As a result of this support from our members, we are able to send more to Bethlehem. We are sending $30,000 this month to different charities and needy families in Bethlehem and an additional $29,000 to support thirty scholarship  students at Bethlehem University this year. Take a look at the charities elsewhere on this web site. 

However, to be realistic, this is just a drop in the bucket in terms of the needs of the thousands who live in Bethlehem.  We need to do so much more.  Think of it when you do your Christmas shopping and allocate a small amount for your Association to send as a gift for Bethlehem where it all started! 

In November 2003, we had a productive meeting with the new executive Committee, showing them the records, computer files and data base program.  We are delighted that this younger and more innovative group is taking over in January.  The Association is now eighteen years old and in good shape.
 
We have enjoyed running the Bethlehem Association but it will be such a relief to pass on the work to a new and energetic team. We will continue to be active and supportive members and we wish them all the best in making the Association flourish and continue to bring Bethlehem families together.

Wishing you all a blessed Christmas and a fulfilling and peaceful 2004!

Edward and Joan Hazboun,
Linda & Domingo Handal.

 
PLEASE RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP WHICH ENDS AT THE OF EACH YEAR, AND SEND A CHRISTMAS DONATION FOR BETHLEHEM. 

 

Rainbow over Bethlehem and Shepherds Field on Christmas Eve 2000.
 "An angel of the Lord rose by the shepherds, and the glory of the Lord shone about them, and they feared with a great fear. And the angel said to them, 'Fear not for behold, I bring you glad tidings of a great joy...for there have been born to you this day a Savior in Bethlehem... Glory to God in the highest, and peace upon earth among men of goodwill." St Luke  2


 

Bethlehem - The Manger Square area - December 2002
 

Dear Friends:

The land of Christ’s birth is still in turmoil. With Bethlehem residents under curfew again this Christmas, people are locked up in their own homes, with barely enough food to eat, and very little money to spend, Christmas celebrations have been cancelled. 
 

I am sure you have heard and seen how bad the situation is. The constant curfews have worsened an already terrible situation: The Christians of the Bethlehem district, are facing economic disaster.  90% of the people are out of work; the hotels are empty and the shops and restaurants are closed. Many have had their homes destroyed or damaged. In the past 2 years in the Bethlehem district, more than 125 people have been killed and over two thousand six hundred wounded; many of whom have been permanently incapacitated and hundreds incarcerated. Two of the oldest churches in Christendom, Saint Nicholas and Saint Michael in Beit Jala have been badly damaged. The Nativity Church also suffered a lot of damage during a two month siege in April 2002.  The infrastructure of the three towns - roads, electricity, water and sewage, have been severely damaged. All the construction and improvements made for the bi-millennium have been totally destroyed. Bethlehem University and many schools have been hit with rockets and machine gunfire. Even the girls hall of residence has been rocketed. See Reports and Photos.

 

We have received so many appeals for help - from the three Mayors, from the Churches, from various charitable organizations that we helped in the past, from clinics and hospitals and from many individuals. Without work or any income, they have no way to to help themselves. They are looking to you, their townspeople, relatives and friends, to help them in any way you can.

Your donations, no matter how small, are urgently needed.

Help lift their morale and replace despair with hope and may God repay your generosity many fold.            Please GIVE NOW.
If you have not done so yet, please click below to send your contribution and renew your membership. Unless you renewed recently, your membership lapses at the end of December each year.  To be proud of this good work and to support the Association's activities please send your membership renewal now.
Edward A. Hazboun
President

Please Help Bethlehem