Elias Chacour then takes us beyond all "Us v. Them" kind of thinking
to help us remember that its really "Just Us,"
just us fellow human beings living before the God of Peace.
John Riffe, Book Reviewer

Father Elias Chacour was born November 29, 1939 in the village of Biram in Upper Galilee, to a Palestinian Christian family, members of the Melkite Catholic Church, an Eastern Byzantine Church in communion with Rome.

Father Chacour came to Ibillin as a young priest in 1965. He quickly saw the lack of educational opportunities for Palestinian youth beyond the 8th grade. A vision of a school for all the children of Israel began to take shape in his mind. Today, this vision has become a reality in the village of Ibillin, Israel, on an empty hillside now known as the Mount of Light.

Abuna (the affectionate and respectful term given to priests) is the author of two "best selling" books, Blood Brothers and We Belong to the Land (links to Amazon.com reviews). These books have been translated into 29 different languages. 

Father Chacour has become an ambassador for non-violence, as well as someone who not only preaches, but lives the Sermon on the Mount. He travels very often between the Middle East and other countries around the world. In addition, hundreds of groups of visitors, fact-finding missions, and pilgrims have visited and continue to visit him in Ibillin. He has received many international peace awards and been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize on three occasions.

Father Chacour is determined to give a voice to his people. He believes that the divine and the good in human beings are more contagious than the evil and the wicked. For him the encounter of the Jews and the Palestinians should not be, as politicians used to say, only on the battlefield. There no genuine encounter takes place - only confrontation.

These are the reasons that have motivated Abuna to establish a place where equal opportunity, dignity, self-esteem, and mutual respect for everyone can be provided: a place where men and women from all denominations, religions and creeds can and do work together. He believes that as they learn together, they will live and work together, changing each other for the betterment of society.

Father Chacour is determined to give a voice to his people. He believes that the divine and the good in human beings are more contagious than the evil and the wicked. For him the encounter of the Jews and the Palestinians should not be, as politicians used to say, only on the battlefield. There no genuine encounter takes place - only confrontation.

These are the reasons that have motivated Abuna to establish a place where equal opportunity, dignity, self-esteem, and mutual respect for everyone can be provided: a place where men and women from all denominations, religions and creeds can and do work together. He believes that as they1@?p?®o1(p
9d?*d?p¸q??px±pprocess19]?“|??p??pP?pX?pact1P¹q
??p
ep?p)
9FOUNDER OF MAR ELIAS CAMPUS (MEC)99?"?p?p¸?p??ptitle9?p

??p
9??4, ??p ?p8?pP?psmallpicture9dp2p??p(?p
16 ?p9jk??D?p?p ?p¸?pcatid9??p
??p
9w— ¬?pˆ?p??p8?p@?ohtmlpage9_topp?p??p9?]v ?pp?p`?p ?plinkx9
??p
9?[?o l?pH?p??p??ph«olinktarget9°?p

0p¨?p9¥?; ??p??p`?ppublished9body?p)