The young people of the Al Raja Palestinian Folkloric Dance Troupe are bringing hope and encouragement to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America as we carry out our campaign: “Peace Not Walls —Stand for Justice in the Holy Land.”
Al Raja means “hope.” Christian and Muslim teens from the Evangelical Lutheran School of Hope in Ramallah are sharing their talent and a witness of hope with our congregations and communities. The school is a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL).
The ELCA advocates dignity and justice for all people and works for peace and reconciliation among the nations, with a special strategy underway for engagement in Palestine and Israel.
Voting members of the ELCA’s 2005 Churchwide Assembly urged congregations to participate in the campaign, “Peace Not Walls: Stand for Justice in the Holy Land,” to build awareness and engage in accompaniment and advocacy for peace with justice between Israel and Palestine.
As the young members of the Al Raja Troupe share their gifts of Palestinian music and dance, they bring a special opportunity to learn from Christians and Muslims from the Holy Land. The Al Raja dancers are accompanying us and helping us build awareness.
The group consists of some 18 teens from Palestine. They do a 50-minute performance. Afterwards, we will have an opportunity to interact with them, learn about their complicated lives and, perhaps, learn some of the dance steps.
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