Middle East Musalaha – "Forgiveness and reconciliation"

“We have no other choice but to be one because ‘He is our peace, and He is our reconciliation’…Together we can bring real hope of the real peace for our nations.” These are the words of John*, a Palestinian Christian and pastor who has allowed the ministry of Musalaha to work in his heart for good and for change.

As conflict in the Holy Land persists, Musalaha (link to http://www.musalaha.org/) seeks to be an encouragement and facilitator of reconciliation. This ministry, founded in 1990 by Bethlehem Bible College (BBC) Academic Dean Dr. Salim J. Munayer, works to produce forgiveness and relationship between Palestinian Arab Christians and Israeli Messianic Jews. How does it happen? On the basic foundation of their faith in Jesus Christ – following Biblical commandments and the life and teaching of Jesus to love their neighbors and even their enemies.

Musalaha’s ministry brings people together through youth and women’s activities, summer camps, conferences, theological seminars and desert encounters, where participants must communicate, build relationships and rely on each other through the journey’s challenges. A willingness to share stories and personal pain from the conflict leads to a deeper understanding of each other and a friendship that could have never existed before. Transformed, they “return to their communities committed to salting their context with the reconciling love of Jesus Christ.”1

“My relation with Jewish friends started with Musalaha, but it did not stop there,” John continued. “What these programs did was motivate me to be more active in making the effort to build relations together. It is true that in every step I took, I discovered that we are different, but also I believed that we can still enjoy our unity in our diversity.”