The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation is planning a program on the Christians of the Holy Land in the Chicago area. President Rateb, KHS, and Don Kruse, Executive Vice President have begun to formulate plans for the program after initial inquiries indicated that a number of people in Chicago showed a significant amount of interest in the Palestinian Christians living in the Holy Land.
The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF)*
News Release
HCEF Planning a Chicago Forum on the Christians in Holy Land
The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation is planning a program on the Christians of the Holy Land in the Chicago area. President Rateb, KHS, and Don Kruse, Executive Vice President have begun to formulate plans for the program after initial inquiries indicated that a number of people in Chicago showed a significant amount of interest in the Palestinian Christians living in the Holy Land. President RatebRabie said, ” We were surprised by the amount of interest that people we talked to had about the situation in the Holy Land. We are encouraged enough by our initial contacts with Chicagoans that we will meet with interested parties in Chicago on Saturday April 6, 2002 at 2 pm in the parlor of the First Presbyterian Church of La Grange at 150 South Ashland Avenue in La Grange, Illinois. A briefing will be held at that time about the living conditions of Christians in the Holy Land. For more information call toll free at 1 866-871-HCEF.
HCEF has two main missions: To inform American Christians about the suffering of Arab Christians living under Israeli military occupation and to raise funds to provide humanitarian assistance.
Arab Christian Palestinians are the “forgotten faithful” who have had a continuous presence in the Holy Land since the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, 2000 years ago. HCEF is engaged in a number of projects that provide hope and support for the remaining Holy Land Christians. HCEF encourages Christians to remain in the Holy Land in order to continue the Christian legacy in the land where Christianity was born. HCEF provides funds received from donors to support education of Christian children. HCEF also encourages pilgrimage to the Holy Land and has thus far arranged two Christian pilgrimages during 2002. Military occupation and the Intifada have resulted in the collapse of the tourist and handicrafts industries in the Holy Land. HCEF creates markets in the United States for olive wood and mother of pearl handicrafts produced by the 40-50 family workshops in the Bethlehem district. Most importantly, HCEF is creating awareness of the plight of Holy Land Christians and informs Americans about the impact that military occupation has had on the spiritual, social and economic lives of all Palestinians living in the land where the Prince of Peace was born, taught and died.
The Holy land Christian Ecumenical Foundation is an all-volunteer 501c3 organization with the mission of informing Americans about the ongoing plight of Christians in the Holy Land and provides humanitarian assistance to relieve suffering, educational support and assists in job creation.
The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation urges interested people to attend the forum on April 6, 2002. Come and meet Rateb Rabie and Don Kruse and others interested in assisting the Christians in the Holy Land. Refreshments will be served. For more information please Call Toll Free 1-866-871-HCEF.
* The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation is a tax exempt, non-profit organization committed to improving the lives of Christians in the Holy Land by developing bonds of solidarity with Christians in the United States. HCEF, PO Box 6687, Silver Spring, MD 20906. (301) 871-9222, Fax (301) 871-2277. www.hcef.org. Email: news@hcef.org, Toll Free (866) 871-4233
