Solidarity refers to unity or agreement, particularly between members of a group, often a political group, based on shared interests, goals, and sympathies. It signifies a feeling of unity and the willingness to support and act in solidarity with others, especially in times of need or when facing shared challenges.
In April 2025, seven people from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) travelled to the Holy Land to walk with our ELCJHL partners. Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, Presiding Bishop of the ELCA, Bishop Susan Johnson, National Bishop of the ElCIC, Rev. Khader El-Yateem, Executive Director for the ELCA Service, Rev. Gabi Aelabouni, Area Desk Director for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Kathryn Lohre, Assistant to the presiding Bishop of the ELCA, Rev. Paul Gehrs, Assistant to the National Bishop of the ELCIC and Rev. Carla Blakley, Bishop of the Eastern Synod, ELCIC.
The first comment from Bishop Dr Sani Ibrahim Azar of the ELCJHL, “We feel abandoned by the world, we are so grateful you came.”
Times are very challenging for Palestinian Christians.
During our visit, we met with ELCJHL pastors and ministry directors, local heads of churches, and interfaith and ecumenical partners. We also visited Lutheran schools and Augusta Victoria Hospital. We were asked to bring their stories back to our churches. The most heartbreaking days were visiting the Lutheran Schools in Bethlehem. In three months, Israeli forces have tightened their siege on Bethlehem and have installed ninety new military gates, barriers and concrete blocks. In our visits to Bethlehem Lutheran schools, we had the opportunity to listen to the youth. Here’s what they asked us to tell you:
We dream of peace.
We want to have a normal childhood.
We are not terrorists.
We respect each other and those who are different from us.
We feel this is unfair.
We want people to know there are Christians here.
We think about Gaza all the time.
We have seen too much on social media.
We want a different future.
We are happy to learn English so we can tell our story for ourselves.
We also heard from Rev. Dr Mitri Raheb, President of Dar al-Kalima University in Bethlehem who spoke about the many challenges of higher education under occupation. In Gaza, all Universities have been bombed, and Bethlehem universities are increasingly worried about increased military activity and checkpoint challenges.
I have been asked what we in the ELCIC can do, first, educate yourself on what is happening in this region. Follow our ELCJHL Lutheran Partners on social media, Rev Sally Azar, Rev Rodny Said, Bishop Ibrahim Azar, Rev Anton Nassar, Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb, Rev. Dr Munther Isaac.
Bishop Johnson and Bishop Eaton joined Bishop Azar for a webinar about the current experiences of Palestinians; a recording of the webinar is available to watch here: https://vimeo.com/1075813290/2e0d896bb6
Read below Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar’s joint statement with Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton of the ELCA and National Bishop Susan Johnson of the ELCIC regarding their recent visit to the Holy Land.
https://elcjhl.org/joint-statement-with-elca-and-elcic
We continue to pray for our partners, listening for ways to accompany them and advocating for peace, the end to the war, the release of the humanitarian aid in Gaza, and the end to colonization.