“It is very important that music reaches as many people as possible in Jerusalem, and that it can be a fundamental part in the life of our local Christian community.”

With these words, Jamil Freij, a teacher at the Magnificat Institute in Jerusalem, that he tells of his passion for music. He was born and grew up in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem and is one of the many “Living Stones”: people who are, for one reason or another, an active part of the life of the Custody here in the Holy Land.” 

Jamil’s bond with the Franciscan friars started when he was a child and at ten years old his parents enrolled him at the Magnificat Institute, the school of music founded by Fra Armando Pierucci, to study the piano. This led him to graduate in Renaissance and baroque singing from the Conservatoire of Vicenza, with which the Magnificat Institute has always collaborated, to then return to Jerusalem, this time as a teacher of solfege and director of the “Yasim” choir. Jamil’s story is an example of how music can be an instrument of education and growth, capable of creating a strong bond between the local Church and the young people in the community. 

A bond through music

“My bond with the Custody,” Jamil says, “passes through music.” The son of musicians, his passion for music started when he was a child, handed down to him from his father and grandfather. 

“In 2014 I started to work at the Magnificat as a project coordinator. Then they asked me to teach solfege, because they did not have enough teachers who spoke Arabic for the students from the Old City.” Jamil accepted this position with great enthusiasm, aware of the importance of passing on the beauty of music to the youngsters in his community.

Music and the local community

“I love conducting the choir because it lets me come into contact with the students. I have this objective, I want to help the community around me, especially those in the Old City. Because in Jerusalem it is very difficult to find recreational activities for children and teenagers that involve music.” 

Jamil makes an effort every day to offer the young people in his city an opportunity for growth and expression through music, aware of the power that it has in creating union and a feeling of belonging.

Teaching music in Jerusalem

“In my opinion, music has to be a very important part of the life of the local community. Not only Arab music, but also classical music. It is very important that music reaches as many people as possible in Jerusalem so that it can become an essential part of their lives here in Jerusalem.” 

Jamil firmly believes in the educational power of music, an art that enriches people’s lives. This is why,  through his work at the Magnificat Institute, he makes every effort to spread knowledge and love for music among the youngsters of Jerusalem, offering them an opportunity for personal growth and strengthening the bond between the local Church and the community.

By custodia.org

Source Link: https://www.custodia.org/en/news/jamil-educating-through-music-jerusalem/