On August 20, the Abrahamic Reunion (AR) came for an interfaith solidarity visit to the monastery and Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes at Tabgha, on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. We were 35 people, Jews, Christians, Muslims and Druze, Israelis from Jerusalem and the Galilee, Palestinians from Nablus, Jericho and Bethlehem.
In an arson attack there on June 18th, part of the monastery was torched by Jewish extremists in a hate crime. This an important holy place for Christianity where according to tradition, Jesus fed a crowd of 5000 with just five loaves of bread and two fish.
In the main sanctuary, German Benedictine Father Mathias Karl welcomed us. He shared that many groups had come since the arson attack. Though many donations have come in from Jewish groups worldwide, they are holding off on re-building, expecting that compensation for the 5 million Euro cost will come from Israel’s Finance Ministry. Now a victim, Father Mathias acknowledged that in its history the Church has it’s share of sins too.
Father Mathias shared the history of the building, about the modern wood and stone structure built in the 80’s on top of the original Byzantine era mosaic floors that had recently been excavated, and the story of the miracle of multiplication that happened there.
Rabbi Mordechai Zeller from Maale Gilboa yeshiva came up to the Father and shared this teaching:
“Standing in this sacred place… try to remember that when living a spiritual existence, even our physical possessions can connect to the infinite, the eternal, as did the two fish and the five loaves of bread, that fed thousands of people.
Multiplication can be a difficult thing. One match can start a fire that can burn down a whole forest, a church, a home, or a family. The fire of one’s faith can lead to religious fervor, or to zeal, hatred and violence.
Yet we must believe, that the same is true for our acts of kindness, and deeds of compassion. That they too, like a match lit in a dark room, will illuminate, spread, grow and multiply until even two lovers, and five believers will satisfy thousands of people, who are angry, sad and ever so hungry for the good word of God.”
Father Mathias took us outside to see the main part of the Benedictine monastery destroyed in the arson attack. He showed us where the fire started, and had spread, destroying the library and other rooms. Sheikh Ghassan Manasra spoke about our work uniting Abraham’s family as the best response to acts of religiously motivated violence. Rabbi Yakov Drori from Tsfat condemned the arson saying, “what they did here was against everyone, against the sovereignty of the State of Israel”.
Elana Rozenman spoke about how the women of the AR work to strengthen the truth of our religions — and how the arsonists expressed a false religion that has nothing to do with true Judaism.
Siham Halabi, a Druze woman leader, had brought groups of Druze women before to visit the church, she promised to return with more Druze visitors, and offered to help with reconstruction.
Sheikh Abdel Salaam Manasra spoke about the importance of educating the youth to the path of peace.
We then joined hands held high in two circles, the inner circle women, the outer circle men, in a powerful healing prayer of unity and solidarity with our Benedictine friends. Rev. Daniel Aqleh from Bethlehem, Sheikh Ghassan Manasra, and Eliyahu, then each offered prayers for healing and peace.
In a powerful moment Rabbi Mordechai Zeller (after sharing that we that we blow the shofar during this Hebrew month, Elul, to awaken our soul) blew his shofar. Elana Rozenman writes: “The shofar blasts pierced the burnt surroundings of the church with a clarion call for peace among ourselves and our religions.”
We then went to the hall where a line from a Hebrew prayer, “and the idols will be cut off” had been spray-painted as hate graffiti. We asked, can’t zealousness that leads to burning down a holy place be a form of idolatry? A Catholic volunteer showed us the “Beit Noah” nature retreat center on the monastery grounds where groups of Arab and Jewish youth with disabilities come for healing. There we gathered for cold drinks and a group photo…
Shalom, Salaam,
Eliyahu McLean, and Sheikh Ghassan Manasra, co-directors, Abrahamic Reunion
Thanks to Benedictine Father Mathias for hosting us
Thanks to the Abrahamic Reunion USA and the German Global Hope Fund for their support.
