Growing Gardens for Palestine: Christmas

Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts

Thursday, December 14, 2023

Christ was a Palestinian ... a small collection of Poems by Anne Selden Annab in Growing Gardens for Palestine #Christmas

Nativity in Bethlehem 2023 - Baby Jesus in the rubble, a symbol of hope reflecting the current reality of the Israeli made genocide in Gaza right now. Pastor Munther Isaac &
Bethlehem's Evangelical Lutheran Church

Christ was a Palestinian ... a small collection of Poems by Anne Selden Annab in Growing Gardens for Palestine

Religious Fact ...

Religious Fact

Jewish- Christian- Muslim ALL
of the book ALL Abraham's
heirs... ALL of faith
somewhere on our
family tree.

A branch with branches
and twigs and seasons
bringing forth new leaves.

One branch on one tree
in a large orchard of life.

Some where some one
long long ago choose
to believe, to have faith
and to name that faith.

That human being
told true stories to
others. And others
helped spread the word.

Minds and hearts opened
communities grew
and yet
so did divisiveness as we are all
only human,

with many loving children
teaching each in turn
phrases to say
and habits to have
shaping human history.

Jewish- Christian- Muslim ALL
of an elaborate world where one by one,
each in our own exclusive way,
we are empowered to decide
who and what to notice
& who and what
to forget.

poem copyright ©2014 Anne Selden Annab

Preserved Online For All To See

“My Christian grandmother and my Muslim grandmother in Palestine” - Shared by a Palestinian man on Facebook

The Holy Land

You have bullets, bully brigades,

biblical words & word smiths

all fundraising for more...

More injustice. More suffering.

More homes and gardens usurped,

more children tormented and

families destroyed in what was

(what always will be)

historic Palestine.

We have nothing much more

than personal stories,

beloved memories,

and old photographs

preserved online for all to see.

We are people, human beings.

Our ancestry reaches back

totally entwined with every

rock and stone, every tree,

every water well, every little flower,

no matter where we are now.

Our recipes are of the land

and trade routes, plus trial

and error. We helped perfect bread

baked in clay ovens, in our own way.

Our Zaatar is a scrumptious blend

of herbs & our olive oil is heavenly gold.

We keep keys.

Our embroideries are

by hand, with symbols

imagined and taught

mother to daughter for eons,

for longer than thread can last.

Our hope is that one day

justice and peace will prevail

for all good people willing to

actively empower fair and just laws

with full and equal rights, respect,

dignity... and security for all.

Trust... A poem for peace in Growing Gardens for Palestine

Palestine photo credit ATFP news roundup

You are part
of continuum
alongside
and into
others.

Good is in our
collective quest
to live enlightened

To be measured
by our best and reminded
by our worst to be better.

To be the gold
of Golden Rule.

To spark joy
or comfort
or calm
or thought,
each in turn
as we turn
to others

bringing out
honor
decency
dignity
justice
peace

knowing
nurturing
continuum.

Ibrahim's Estate .... a poem by Anne Selden Annab

The Promised Land: In Celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
& Peace Day

Ibrahim's Estate

Recognizing rights
basic human rights
the People of the Book-
the Christians and Muslims and Jews
and the People of Outside the Box
looked... They
looked to homelands
looked to citizenship
looked to fair and just laws
to compassion
and empathy
and the Golden Rule...

looked for ways
to make peace
and diplomacy
a daily practice.

Some went astray.
Some waged war
instead of waging peace.

Some grew ugly thoughts
instead of gardens with flowers
to delight the soul and fruit to feed
the hungry.

Some grew selfish and paranoid.
Some grew angry and cruel
Some grew violent.

Bigots & bullies tried to own the story-
to tell it in ways to diminish
and alienate "others"...
to tell it in ways
to spark rage
and arguments...

But the People of the Book-
the Christians and Muslims and Jews
and the People of Outside the Box
taught their children to read
and to think... to stop look and listen...
and to invest wisely
so that country by country
community by community
we all might be free
as one epic nation
free to flourish
enjoying
Ibrahim's Estate...

This then is the nation
the promised land-
the real estate
agents of Good
keep safe for all to inherit...

No border, no book, no line, no letter
no brick or stone can contain it. No passport
can define it. No one sect
can own it... it is ours
in the largest sense

It is ours for all
eternity.

Little Golden Bell...

Tiny 2,000-year-old golden bell found in Jerusalem: A tiny golden bell which was lost in Jerusalem some 2,000 years ago during the Second Temple period has been found among ruins near the Old City, Israel's Antiquities Authority has said

Little Golden Bell

Little golden bell
lost
for 2000 years-
a precious treasure
and token
of times gone by

What stories did you hear
when you were first created
bought and sold
and then later- through the ages
as you hid in Palestine?

What songs and hymns stirred
your heart to beat
underground

Did footsteps echo
in your ear
coming and going

Shall we argue now
as to your religion
and rightful heirs...

Fondly remembering the freedom
and the beauty found
in my own American childhood
(and the silly seriousness of children)
I like to think
you belonged to a young girl
A girl with joy in her heart
and a brilliant mind...
even brighter than your gold polished
A girl able to balance on a beam

A girl whose own story
we will never know
She is free to simply be
no ID card- no passport
no prison- no politics
no accusations
no religion
no names

Just life
being lived

little golden bell

perhaps she meant
to drop you.

Freedom to me is ... (a poem)

Freedom to me is
the ability to err
and apologize...

Freedom to me is the right
to change my mind-
change my hairstyle
change my clothes
change my mood
change my purse
the right to explore ideas
and formulate my own
and the right to change my mind
and maybe yours...

The Right To Respect
the Right To Return
& The Golden Rule...

Freedom to me is
the right to admire beauty
and invest in dignity

Freedom to me is
the awareness
of change
and changing awareness

Freedom to me is
finding hope
no matter what or where...

Freedom to me is to honor
my own heritage
and hearth

My family- and yours
our marriage
all marriage...

and the intriguing history
of humankind.

poem & picture copyright ©2010 Anne Selden Annab

Christ was a Palestinian

And unto us
a new era is born

The Phoenix
rising from the flames
of "Israel"

In seeing the Israeli made myths
and violence now

as the information age explodes

We Know

We know that what was remembered then
was for power- not for truth

We know that Israel usurped land and rights- and even the story itself

Now and then

We know that Israeli crimes
are all the more wrong as they claim
to be for God

We know

Now and then

We know that the only known political fact
is simply that the prophet and savior
Christ
was a Palestinian...

And we know that he deployed
Parables to free the people
from tyranny
of every type

Parables
to compel humankind to be both human
and kind

Parables
not guns

A dialog
not guns

Life
not death

We know that Christ is resurrection...

and we know that Palestine was then- and will be again
somehow

We know

and this faith
shall light our way

no matter what

This faith
will transcend the hate mongering
and sorrow and suffering...

This faith
will heal
the many wounds

made by Israel

and the many mistakes
made by all people
trying to find peace
in a troubled world

This faith will rebuild Palestine
one day

This faith will free the people
one by one
to transcend the many tyrannies
of our time

For Christ really was- is and always will be
a Palestinian....

Rivers of paint...

...Up Out of the Mud

Rivers of paint
run through my blood

Rivers of unequivocal color
up out of the mud

huts to palaces
every home

where ever tint can roam

every floor
every wall
every tile
every hall

every costume
every dance
every embroidery
every glance

huts to palaces
every home

every garden
every wood
every field
every could

huts to palaces
every home

where ever ever ever
an I might roam

...Universal Echo

Every time
you unlock any door
any where
any one
you are Al-Awda

Any time
you fit a key
into any ignition
of any vehicle

you are Al-Awda

Any time
you write a poem
(or a grocery list)
you are Al-Awda
as the ink shapes
in every language
spell out
what was
is and always will be
Al-Awda

When you read a book
When you fall in love
When you buy a ring
When you leave home
When you return
all Al-Awda

Every time
you flick a switch
turn on a light
Al-Awda

Every time
you close your eyes
and dream
Al-Awda

Every pillow you fluff
every penny you drop
every street you stroll
every garden
every step
even every stumble
All Al-Awda

And now knowing Al-Awda
know that all roads now
lead home
....to Palestine

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

#Christmas #Palestine #PalmTrees #Mary

Informative, inspiring and entertaining facebook posts today from my friend Mike -

Mike Hanini Odetalla

8 mins ·

So I was in the Mall yesterday when I heard some ladies discussing #Christmas and the weather. A couple of them had just gotten back from Florida and were commenting about palm trees decorated with lights and how out of place it felt, and so, once again, sensing an opportunity to educate and inform, I chimed in by asking them if they had ever seen a Nativity Scene. "Of course" they all replied. I them asked what kind of tree is always included in those scenes. They gave me a puzzled look, and finally one of them said "I am almost sure its a palm tree". I said that is correct, a palm tree because the trees that you are used to seeing decorated originated in European tradition, not #Palestinian because those trees are not at all native to #Palestine, the birth place of #Jesus., while palm trees are.

I then asked them why is a palm tree included in the nativity scene, and of course none of them knew, thinking it was there for "decoration". I then informed them that in the Quran, where the blessed Virgin Mary has her own story, we are told that after having given birth, weak and hungry, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to her and instructed her to "nudge the palm tree" for sustenance, whereby ripe dates would fall for her to eat, and today, science has proven that dates are a "super food"...They were amazed, and by now I had an audience of about 10 people, and so we went in depth about Palestine, Islam and Jesus, and I was peppered with questions which I was most certainly more than happy to answer, complete with pictures because I "conveniently" keep thousands of relevant photos of Palestine, #Bethlehem, and #Jerusalem...One at a time

Jesus is Born

The pains of childbirth drove her to clutch at the trunk of a date-palm tree and she cried out in anguish:

“Would that I had died before this, and had been forgotten and out of sight!” (Quran 19:23)

Mary delivered her child right there, at the foot of the date tree. She was exhausted after the birth, and filled with distress and fear, but nevertheless she heard a voice calling out to her. .

“Grieve not! Your Lord has provided you a stream of clear water under you; and shake the trunk of palm tree towards you; it will let fall fresh ripe dates upon you. So eat and drink and be glad...” (Quran 19:24)

God provided Mary with water, as a stream suddenly appeared beneath the place she was sitting. He also provided her with food; all she had to do was shake the trunk of the date tree. Mary was scared and frightened; she felt so weak, having just given birth, so how could she possibly shake the immense trunk of a date tree? But God continued to provide Mary with sustenance.

The next event was indeed another miracle, and as human beings we learn a great lesson from this. Mary didn’t need to shake the date tree, which would have been impossible; she only had to make an effort. As she attempted to follow God’s command, fresh ripe dates fell from the tree and God said to Mary: “…eat, drink and be glad.” (Quran 19:26)

Mary now had to take her new born child and go back to face her family. Of course she was afraid, and God knew this well. Thus He directed her not to speak. It would not have been possible for Mary to explain how she had suddenly become the mother of a new born child. Since she was unmarried, her people would not believe her explanations. God said:

“And if you see any human being, say: ‘Verily! I have vowed a fast unto the Most Gracious (God) so I shall not speak to any human being this day.’” (Quran 19:26)

Bethlehem, Palestine...Circa 1898

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

A Christmas poem... Star Street Bethlehem Palestine 2014

Post by Maysoon Zayid.

Monday, December 27, 2010

Charity

I like both traditional and odd Christmas decorations. I like both handmade and store bought ornaments. I like all the many different ways Christmas can be celebrated in our homes- in different ways by different families... Every year I sort through the ever changing hodgepodge of gifts and purchases that are my holiday decorations in order to recreate Christmas anew for my own nearest and dearest.

Charity begins at home they say- in thought, word and deed- and I think that is very true. Start with a smile and a kind word- and move forward from there.

In today's world many different organizations raise funds to help those in need. Bell ringers stand by doorways and hope that Christmas shoppers will be generous with their funds. Even fashionable clothing retailers do what they can to help raise funds for those in need. That is how I ended up with this adorable paper mache "Story Ornament" Elephant this Christmas.

I found him in an Anthropologie catalogue while looking for a fashionable sweater to buy for my daughter for Christmas. I get a HUGE kick out of this little trumpeting elephant covered in newsprint words. Seems a fitting symbol for the deluge of words brought on by the information age- AND I very much like idea of helping Haitian artisans rebuild their lives, their homes, and their country.

(That particular Story Ornament Elephant is already sold out on Anthrolpoligie website)

When in Jordan this past September, one of my husband's relatives (cousin Mohammed's mother- a delightful women I had never met before) gave me a beautiful cross from Bethlehem.

Symbols make our world more interesting and interconnected. Art history books can devote pages and pages to the meanings of a painting. Some symbols are obscure and harder to fathom, others (like the cross, or the star or the crescent moon) are quite well known.

The last cross I received as a heartfelt gift came from my grandmother who gave me a book mark that is made of three book length long strands of narrow white ribbon, each strand of ribbon with a small golden charm sown onto the end. A cross, an anchor and a heart: Faith, Hope and Charity .

Charity is love- and generosity.

Dove of Peace

A friend from many many years ago sent me a link last month to a charity in Jerusalem that I find intriguing and exciting.... Palestinian artisans are making Christmas symbols out of the lambs wool from Bethlehem sheep.

Thanks to the Internet I was able to order some to give as gifts (as well as some to keep for myself) and they arrived here just in time for Christmas...and my heavens are they popular ! Every one who sees them and touches them is utterly enchanted. The workmanship is suburb. Each item is charming- and so very symbolic.

Sunbula is a Jerusalem-based nonprofit Fair Trade organization that supports Palestinian craft producers -- women‘s groups, artisan cooperatives and disabled people‘s organizations. By promoting traditional handicrafts locally and internationally, they support economic self-help efforts of those living in difficult conditions in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, and the Palestinian minority inside Israel.

Sunbula is Arabic for "spike of wheat," the flower that makes bread. As the name symbolizes, Sunbula helps people provide themselves with the gift of a more dignified life.

Each one of their product is made by hand with care, and in the spirit of preserving Palestinian craft traditions.

Go shop at their 2 fair trade shops in Jerusalem or visit their Online Craft Market for hundreds of beautifully crafted items Palestinian embroidery, olivewood carvings, home decors, jewelry, and more!

These felted wool ornaments feel good to touch- and they are so lightweight, and unbreakable. Although I suspect a naughty kitten might have fun pulling one to pieces... all the more reason so buy more than one just in case!

I like olive wood ornaments too, both for my own home and to give as gifts to friends and family.

Some holiday decorations are simple, others are much more complex, like this music box I got a few years ago- made in Palestine... turn the star and it plays the Christmas carol Silent Night.

In growing a garden for Palestine today, I have to keep hoping for peace, even though sometimes it seems that is getting harder and harder to do, with so many extremists, bigots and imbeciles (on both "sides") dominating the conversation at every turn. Thankfully there are many others- many better, brighter, more compassionate and realistic men, women and children who are hoping for peace too- a just and lasting peace for every one's sake.

There are good and decent people here, there and everywhere, hoping and quietly, gently doing what they can to help make Palestine a reality. A real country with real jobs for real people- not a rally cry but a sovereign nation state where Palestinians are fully free to rebuild their lives and homes... fully free to live in peace- and earn a good living. Fully free to simply be.

Today, here in America we can find and buy Palestinian crafts and souvenirs- but in time we might also be exploring sophisticated computer programs or security advice made in Palestine. There is no limit to what might be.... New inventions and new technology or new ideas that radically change our world and the way we do things can not be predicted. But we can help create an environment where more people are more able to make the most of their time and talents.

Lamb's wool angel floating on a puff of lamb's wool cloud

If you are an American citizen looking for ways to invest in a real Palestine be very very careful about what you invest in- and (who and) what you promote. Spend both your energy and your money wisely.

Times change- and life moves on. Sometimes it is in very unexpected ways. Sometimes the change is shocking- but sometimes it is barely noticeable.

And sometimes it is REALLY hard to find a family photo where everyone is actually looking towards the camera!

Christmas Eve dinner at my mother's house 2010

Every year we celebrate any holiday, no matter who we are or what we are celebrating, it is at least a little bit different than the last as our children grow up and we age... Some years the change is huge- loved ones die and we miss them horribly, wishing they were still with us.

Fact is money can not buy the best things in life.

For all the ornaments and decorations that I very much enjoy, my favorite Christmas ornaments are actually the birds in our garden.

A tree full of bluebirds

Growing Gardens for Palestine

Thursday, December 14, 2023

Christ was a Palestinian ... a small collection of Poems by Anne Selden Annab in Growing Gardens for Palestine #Christmas

Nativity in Bethlehem 2023 - Baby Jesus in the rubble, a symbol of hope reflecting the current reality of the Israeli made genocide in Gaza right now. Pastor Munther Isaac &
Bethlehem's Evangelical Lutheran Church

Christ was a Palestinian ... a small collection of Poems by Anne Selden Annab in Growing Gardens for Palestine

Religious Fact ...

Preserved Online For All To See

A Christmas poem... Star Street Bethlehem Palestine 2014

Trust... A poem for peace in Growing Gardens for Palestine

Ibrahim's Estate .... a poem by Anne Selden Annab

Little Golden Bell...

Freedom to me is ... (a poem)

Christ was a Palestinian

Rivers of paint...

...Universal Echo

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

#Christmas #Palestine #PalmTrees #Mary

Mike Hanini Odetalla

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

A Christmas poem... Star Street Bethlehem Palestine 2014

Monday, December 27, 2010

Charity

It Being Sunday - a poem by Anne Selden Annab

Links

Thursday, December 14, 2023

Nativity in Bethlehem 2023 - Baby Jesus in the rubble, a symbol of hope reflecting the current reality of the Israeli made genocide in Gaza right now. Pastor Munther Isaac & Bethlehem's Evangelical Lutheran Church

Christ was a Palestinian ... a small collection of Poems by Anne Selden Annab in Growing Gardens for Palestine

Religious Fact ...

Preserved Online For All To See

A Christmas poem... Star Street Bethlehem Palestine 2014

Trust... A poem for peace in Growing Gardens for Palestine

Ibrahim's Estate .... a poem by Anne Selden Annab

Little Golden Bell...

Freedom to me is ... (a poem)

Christ was a Palestinian

Rivers of paint...

...Universal Echo

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Monday, December 27, 2010

Nativity in Bethlehem 2023 - Baby Jesus in the rubble, a symbol of hope reflecting the current reality of the Israeli made genocide in Gaza right now. Pastor Munther Isaac &
Bethlehem's Evangelical Lutheran Church