Humanitarians - Old City

AOS.  Arab Orthodox Society for the Sick was directed by Nora Kort -- an effective, high energy woman.  She also supported a cultural museum, bakery/restaurant, sewing center, medical/dental clinic and elderly center.

The clinic cared for many needy children and adults in the Old City.

On 2/22/11 we returned to inspect medical eqmt. provided by LDS Charities. (The clinic's director was the father of JC's Assoc. Dir., Tawfic Alawi.)

We also observed their distribution of our hygiene kits and some creative training on brushing teeth and making proper use of the kits.

Afterwards, we ate at an AOS restaurant employing capable Arab women.

Their Melia Centre also employed women to sew & make creative handicrafts.

In April '11 she hosted us and our daughter Melissa (with friend Dan Jennejohn) for a lovely luncheon and tour of her facilities.

On 7/3/11 Nora attended the Arab-Jewish Youth Concert at the JC, where she met her friend Betty Majaj (and daughter Lina) from Princess Basma.

On 2/28/12 we returned with the Schafers to say goodbye to Nora, tour the clinic & Melia Center and eat lunch at Bint al Balad.  Of course, she insisted that Marilyn take a red & black scarf.  We will miss this Palestinian dynamo.

ATTA.   Nora also directed "Aid to the Aged," a charity based in Beit Hanina (a Jerusalem suburb near the barrier Wall).  On 11/1/11 we visited her and her 3 part-time employees there. 

Their offices are on the ground floor of a 3-story bldg.  Over the years, we have supported them with almost as many hygiene kits as for AOS.

Beit Sahour.  On 11/21/11 we accompanied Nasser (ATTA's driver) and Kawther (social worker) to visit the Elderly Care Center there.  We met with Elen Qassis (Director) and Jan from PA (a 6-mo. volunteer). 

We enjoyed a delicious lunch (meat pies, chicken noodle soup & drinks).

This Elderly Care Center (for those over age 60) has been open for 10 yrs.  Elen has been with Health Work Comm. for nearly 30 years.

We took 160 hygiene kits in the ATTA van for each of their elderly.  Most of them come every day (5x per wk).  Men & women enjoyed their peers.

Rooms for conditioning, exercise, social games and group entertainment were well furnished & attractive.

In their recreation room, a large group was watching their own celebration during the Oct. '11 "Day of the Elderly" on a big screen video.

No elderly patrons live there but there are 5 nicely furnished bedrooms (each with a pvt. bathroom) as short-term lodging for up to 9 patrons.

We returned to JC in the rain -- impressed with this care facility for the elderly but also a little depressed that its funding sources are so limited.

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Elderly Supportive Community Services / Food Grand Opening.  Since 2001, Raja Salameh has been the Director of ESCS in the Old City. On 11/1/10, it held a grand opening of its new kitchen largely furnished by LDS Charities -- to sell food products to the public and support a wide range of services to elderly in the Old City.  Raja showed off his kitchen to foreign dignitaries.

Earlier, we had visited his rooftop before the celebration.   On 11/1/10 it was filled with nearly 100 visitors.  The "celebration" was a mass conducted in Arabic by a Catholic priest from Church of the Holy Sepulcre.    ESCS hoped to acquire this property after the lease expired in 2016 & get city approvals to expand services to the elderly.  However, funding ran out & ESCS had to close.

During the singing/chanting near the end of the mass came the evening "Adhan" or "Call to Prayer" from the adjoining mosque.  A cacophony!   Food was not served, but the public got to see the location & services.  We then met with reps of the Catholic Patriarchate & the Finnish Embassy that had financed their budget the last 3 years. 

ESCS "Singing to Seniors," Old City Walks.  On Sat. 10/20/10 & afterwards, we took groups of BYU students to visit some elderly.  We first met with Rajah.  He explained the benefits & challenges of living and providing humanitarian services in the Old City.

We then walked past the busy shops & vendors into the quiet heart of the Old City to see where elderly live.   Most homes in the Christian Quarter are owned by Catholic or Orthodox churches.  Residents live there rent-free but at-will.  Rajah noted some Catholic and Orthodox symbols on walls & doorways. 

ESCS posted Bible verses around the Old City, hoping to positively influence young people.









Entering one home, we met a sweet lady living on a high floor.  She could not climb stairs to seek medical aid & needed a lower-level flat.  But if she moved, she would lose her window lighting & connection with the outside world. 

After hearing her plight, we sang a few Christmas carols.  Her disabled dau. served treats.  Then we each gave her a hug & kiss -- also an Arab custom.

We returned with Summer Term students on 7/2/11.  This time Becca Winters played her violin as the lady served treats & we sang I Am a Child of God.

On 10/20/10 we visited the oldest woman living in the Christian Quarters -- over age 90.  Christmas carols and hugs also followed.

On 2/19/11 the Winter Term students came after Sabbath mtgs.  This time we visited & sang to a friendly woman living alone who actually spoke English.  Her son, a prof'l photographer, took this shot. 

On 3/26/11, while the Relief Society kept all branch sisters for their annual event, 8 males visited Rajah & this same grand lady.  The male chorus sounded great & she fell in love with them.  She also had a piano!  Her husband died last yr. at age 106 -- the oldest resident there.

On 2/19/11. we also visited and received treats from another lovely woman.

As much as the home visits, the 2/1911 students enjoyed this furry puppy outside one of the homes.  It was a wonderful excursion!

On 3/5/11, we returned with these students.  This time, Rajah just talked and then walked them thru the Christian Quarter, without visiting any seniors.

ESCS had to raise its own funds to help Old City elderly.  No govt'l aid came from either Palestinian or Israeli sources.  Local churches do not provide financial support if not done in their name.  So all funding had to come from abroad.  We helped Raja to prepare & translate into English a glossy newsletter.  A website was also planned.  However, all was in vain.  ESCS closed its doors in Nov. 2011.

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Greek Catholic Annunciation Society / Old City Daycare & Mentoring.  In another part of the Christian Quarter, cold stony walls in an aging 4-story bldg. have been transformed into a multi-use facility, including a cheery daycare center for infants and small children.

There are also after-school classrooms for teenagers who may otherwise drop out of school and do drugs -- or worse.  Remedial or supplemental instruction is provided in English, math & science.  There is even a small dental clinic serving many ethnic groups, since Israeli medical plans do not cover dentistry. 

On 2/6/12 we returned to arrange delivery of surplus hygiene materials & school kits for the 200 students being tutored.  The program has grown remarkably well -- thanks largely to the efforts of one dedicated leader like Elizabeth Inshewat.