The Tantur Ecumenical Institute opened in 1973, created by Pope Paul VI as well as a number of Jewish benefactors. The University of Notre Dame manages it. It is a place of research, education, dialogue and prayer. Its theological library holds about 70,000 volumes; it has classrooms, a chapel, a large dining room and accomodations for up to 200 people (we currently have about 75).
It is a genuinely ecumenical place: the current rector is a married Greek Orthodox priest; the vice-rector is a Franciscan Catholic nun from Ireland; among those present this spring are Baptists, Lutherans, Anglicans, and Presbyterians, as well as numerous Catholic priests and nuns from all over the world. The lecturers brought to Tantur this spring cover the spectrum of the monotheistic faiths, from orthodox Jews to a Protestant biblical historian, form a Catholic Palestinian priest to a Muslim scholar.
The programming here includes direct work between Palestinians and Jews, such as weekend programs for high school students from both sides, and a weekly prayer/support group of Palestinians and Jews who have all been physically wounded in the conflicts over the years.
Tantur sits on a terraced hill of stone walls and olive trees. It is about a 20 minute bus ride north to the old city of Jerusalem, a 10 minute walk south to Bethlehem, and directly next to the Jewish city of Gilo. So it sits at an intersection of Jewish and Palestinian Arab life. To get into Bethlehem, you need to go through a large military checkpoint in the security wall.
Tantur sits on a terraced hill of stone walls and olive trees. It is about a 20 minute bus ride north to the old city of Jerusalem, a 10 minute walk south to Bethlehem, and directly next to the Jewish city of Gilo. So it sits at an intersection of Jewish and Palestinian Arab life. To get into Bethlehem, you need to go through a large military checkpoint in the security wall.
Tantur is staffed mostly by Palestinian Christian Arabs, and some Muslims, all of whom go back and forth through the military checkpoint in the security wall separating Bethlehem and other parts of the West bank, under the Palestinian authority, from Israel. Both the rector and vice-rector speak Arabic. Being so close to Bethlehem, as well as a small Arab village across the street from us, called Beit Safafa, we also hear the Muslim call to prayer five times a day.
The pictures above give you a feel for the place-- the grounds, the plant life, some of the buildings. Israel is dry and rocky, but in the spring, lots of flowers pop up, so we are here at a nice time. The dining hall uses olive oil made from the olive trees on the property, and we pick lemons from the trees on the property as well. There are even almond trees.
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