The Chicago Committee of the Holy Land Christian Support Network is holding its first conference of the Christians of the Holy Land on November 23, 2002 at the St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church at 1220 South 60th Street, Cicero, IL from 9:00AM to 4:00 PM. The conference entitled, Christianity in the Holy Land: The Divine Light Still Burns! Will feature a number of speakers who are experts on the present conditions in the Holy Land as it suffers under military occupation and assault.

The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation*
News Release

The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation
&
The Holy Land Christian Support Network
Sponsors
Chicago Symposium on Christians of the Holy Land

The Chicago Committee of the Holy Land Christian Support Network is holding its first conference of the Christians of the Holy Land on November 23, 2002 at the St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church at 1220 South 60th Street, Cicero, IL from 9:00AM to 4:00 PM.  The conference entitled, Christianity in the Holy Land: The Divine Light Still Burns! Will feature a number of speakers who are experts on the present conditions in the Holy Land as it suffers under military occupation and assault.

In great detail, speakers will describe living conditions that Arab Christians endure as they struggle to survive in the birthplace of Christianity. Father Alex Kratz, OFM recently returned from the Holy Land after a fact finding mission lasting several weeks Maria Khoury, Ed. D. lives in Taybeh, a Christian village in Palestine.  She has had personal experience navigating the military checkpoints, curfews, bypass roads and the destruction of Palestine’s infrastructure.    Rev. Dr. Donald Wagner will discuss the history of Christian Zionism and the effects that this heretical American movement has had on America’s support of the war crimes committed in the name of security by Israel. Rev. Dr. Michael Prior, C.M., will discuss his views on the prospects of peace among the Jews, Christians and Muslims in the Holy Land.

Father Drew Christianson, Counselor on International Affairs for the US Council of Catholic Bishops, Donald Kruse, former US Consul in Jerusalem, George Khoury, HCEF Board Member Father Nicholas Dahdal, Pastor of the St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church, and Rateb Y. Rabie, KHS, HCEF President, have had extensive experience in the Holy Land and advocating for Holy Land Christians in the United States, will provide their insights about what Chicagoans can do to further the cause of preserving Christianity in the Holy Land. 

Workshops will be conducted in the afternoon that will orient the attendees about the practical steps that they can take with their churches and towns to develop programs that will inform Americans about the crisis in the Holy Land and to assist Christians to remain in the land of their birth.
For a Symposium Program please click: https://www.hcef.org/events/index.cfm?eventid=33


Symposium Registration Fee: $35 includes continental breakfast & lunch
For more information and registration contact Jolynn Ruggerio at (847) 729-7741, Liz430357@aol.com or contact Luma Haj at toll free 866-871-HCEF (4233),
toll free fax 866-871-4234, www.hcef.org, news@hcef.org

(30)

*The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation is a tax-exempt, non-profit organization, committed to improving the lives of Christians in the Holy Land through building bonds of solidarity with between Christians in the United States and Christians in the Holy Land. We have two goals: inform Americans about the Christians in the Holy Land and provide humanitarian assistance for the needy in the land where Jesus Christ was born, preached, died and rose again.  HCEF, 6975 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20815 (301 )951-9400, Toll Free (866) 871-4233, www.hcef.org  Email: news@hcef.org