all those weeks of negotiations led by the african union. the. real. vulcan schmidt has a demanding job as prevalent in jerusalem he's the german lutheran churches envoy

to the holy land. it's a delicate balancing act. that. doesn't dissolve this is a special place we are located in the middle of jerusalem hymns and that's how we view ourselves as a community minded to you for we want to connect to beat all to be a meeting place and a vehicle of understanding across borders this is the facts a tall order but it starts in a small way on simply welcoming people without worrying about church membership or what people believe consciously or invasion calvin's the forces here talking. yet. he has to say. ed koch is at the lutheran church of the redeemer right in

jerusalem's old city. with. more intimate. workers so we have been in germany we have a prayer. everybody is welcome to attend the may day press service sometimes the congregation is large but other times there are just a handful of people it's a german speaking parish. she is also a reading from the book of the prophet isaiah chapter 2. this is this is what isaiah the son of a mosque prophesies concerning judah in jerusalem. the nation shall not lift up sword against nation than. the church of the redeemer was built on the foundations of the crusade a century at the end of the 19th century the german emperor vilhelm the 2nd and his

consort august of victoria presided at the dedication ceremony. the provost leads us through the narrow alleys of the old city to christianity's most sacred site the church of the holy sepulture just 50 meters from the german church it's been a destination for pilgrims since the 4th century. traditions say this is where jesus was crucified and buried and where he rose from the dead 6 denominations the greek orthodox and meaning of the star like roman catholic ethiopian orthodox syriac also talks and coptic church is share the care of the basilica the lutherans have no say it was built more than a 1000 years before luther. burns is over and some of you might call us late comers . but literally mission goes back to the 1st christian centuries without the deckers with what the sun because there weren't any protestants until the late

middle ages was it and we've only been in jerusalem since the 19th century you were living. in. a lake come as they might be but protestants have made their mark all over the holy land. in television for instance it's a curious fact that lutheran christians from southern germany were among the founders of this bustling metropolis 150 years ago if you wanted to live here apart from foreign missionary tell of evil was a sandy waste land. today the settlement built by missionaries from the pietist lutheran sect known as the templars is overshadowed by towering skyscrapers. the preservation of the old buildings is almost entirely thanks to one man schaefer cash his love of the historical relics led the manufacture of painting tools to become a conservator he explains that television is deeply indebted to the german missionaries

. everything started neal when the temple survived to this place the delivery was not established yet there was nothing here for the desert and they built a really nice and very. pleasant colony with agriculture. one day around 15 years ago shafer cash took a look inside one of the dilapidated buildings and discovered to his astonishment beautiful old wall paintings together with a group of fellow enthusiastic he persuaded the televisa thirty's to grant building commission only to people prepared to conserve these old buildings. schafer cash turned his factory over to his sisters and began to study art conservation. the german missionaries set out nation 71 to establish christian communities in the

holy land the genes design and now uses the blacksmith's house mark twain is said to have stayed here when this building was a guest house today it houses a restaurant. the former wine cellars and now a trendy bar the wine on the menu no longer comes from here in serrano which is now an upmarket district. a small museum pays tribute to the german pioneers but it also reveals their darker side in the 1930 s. one in 3 of the residents was a member of the nazi party schaefer cash is the son of a romanian brush micah members of his family were murdered join the holocaust but he doesn't blame the german missionaries. the periods of the nazi time in. israel were very short. and the and reduced in the fall were very. that's a productive and the. contribution of the temple of the land of israel and was so

much the seal for years of what it is is there almost nothing. after the 2nd world war the last residents of serrano were expelled from the country the israeli military and secret service took over some of the buildings others were used by the 1st israeli government when television was officially established in 1999 the german missionaries had already been there for almost 40 years. back to jerusalem. here in the old city is the lutheran guest house. its central location the friendly atmosphere and a lovely garden attract many visitors. there

. we accompany the provost to beit jalla. involved and schmidt wants to show us the 1st lutheran school in the country it lies on the outskirts of bethlehem and this road would take us there directly if it were not for this war. to the israeli government in the west bank barrier is a security barrier against terrorism palestinians call it an apartheid wall west bank residents have to pass a checkpoint whenever they want to go to work or to shop in jerusalem the procedure and sometimes takes hours. the wall was built in response to the 2nd intifada. uprising against israeli occupation of the palestinian territories in which a 1000 israelis and $3000.00 palestinians were killed israel says the barrier has virtually eliminated terrorist attacks but it remains controversial.

as mine does not it makes me really angry to see how this beautiful landscape has been divided and we're. going on very well you see here is the wall. you know. the evangelical lutheran school is in the west bank the heartland of the palestinian territories. it's name tell it that to me comes from the gospel of st mark and maine's girl stand up it was founded as a girls' school by lutheran deaconesses from germany in $851.00 today it's a co-educational institution. the school has an excellent reputation among its notable alone i is the head of the palestinian mission in berlin. is a member of the school board and likes to keep an eye on things the principal has

some good news all the seniors have passed their final exams. this is going to have a german school leaving certificates you can study in germany 95 percent of them want to really wow we conducted a survey the nearly all of them want to study in germany to shop in order to i just hope they come back this month that's always my great hope that they don't just end up staying in germany. i have to go teach a class i can see you in a bit i know. in addition to being principal but he is both is also an english teacher the school has around $850.00 students. so you know you brian is new today who welcome to 90 great to have you here just tell us a few things where you come from a course. of the 12 years i've been here since 2 years living in. critical so. the muslim boy from berlin is not yet certain whether this school is

the right one for him his family decided to return from germany to the palestinian territories most of his classmates want to go in the opposite direction. we study in german that's why i come to this school to learn german so i can travel to germany because i want to become a doctor it's most. 40 percent of the students a christians most of the wrist a muslims. it's a school where we really learn together christians and muslims. and together we all strive toward the same goal of education. and that's what's special in this middle eastern context we offer education for everyone. to bring him has to tell his father what he thinks of the school and for that his father will then make arrangements with the provost of the buffalo this is tell me how was your day.

there was pretty good was actually so would you like to go to the school to hear them talk to each other more in arabic then in german that doesn't help me with my german pronunciation. but. votes going mediates between father and son he advices them to sleep on at. the school is built on 10 hit tears of problematic soil part of the grounds are israeli territory the palestinian authority administers the rest. the hind the wall the palestinian area is densely populated. and up on the hill the jewish settlement different is being built on israeli occupied territory. has a fund of stories about this divided country. because 1st of all the restaurant over there has been demolished 3 times because it was built without planning

permission or going in and now it has a tent roof to others so strictly speaking it's not a building. the continuous tension is sometimes hard to bear. over time one succumbs to resignation and hopelessness because one doesn't see any improvement in the situation as is my and that's been my experience over the past 7 years where is the source of hope. and are you pleased to be leaving because in your moment there are situations that i'll be glad to leave behind. on the mount of olives in east jerusalem standstill ghost of victoria hoss. little it's named after the wife of kaiser vilhelm the 2nd who founded the hospital more than 100 years ago today it's administered by the lutheran world federation. both frank schmidt is on the hospital board it's the only medical facility in the

palestinian territories that has an apparatus to provide radiation therapy for cancer patients israel has blocked the use of such nuclear medicine technology in gaza and the west bank citing security concerns. the provost is on his way to a board meeting. for what is no more is the hospital director after studying in france the united kingdom and the u.s. he returned to east jerusalem officially he stateless but his family has lived in jerusalem for generations. it is not easy for p.c. games to develop adventure visions of the day that we are services and that we are providing they do should know when it needs to look of book of revision and you know for the longest day up the palestinians the vision sure the rocket of vision of british day like anything else is not

a tour of music. cardross shalom is job is also not easy she's a pediatrician and a cancer specialist her work is made harder by the fact that her young patients are often separated from their families for weeks at a time she has to discuss the children's cases with their parents by telephone is the dean is 8 years old he has lymphoma for weeks the doctor was regulate his bedside because his mother wasn't allowed to visit him his family lives in gaza which palestinians may only leave with special permission. where ask actually for permission and we'll go to medical reports you've got india is there psychology situation because he's aware of the diseases and well being away from his family and from his brothers and sisters so this f. it actually is their treatment during his stay in the hospital so we're right there

and medical reports to explain how it's very difficult for him to stay for a whole month away from his mother so they allow for a mother to come next time with him and how long has to stay around one month one month in. the little boy in the next room is more fortunate at least in one respect marette has his grandmother with him she is old and ill which is why she was allowed to accompany him the 2 of them have been here for 2 months the 2 year old child has a kidney tumor the prognosis is uncertain. on returning to jerusalem both draws comfort from his home situation. without the support of his wife he says he wouldn't be able to endure all the suffering he sees. anetta flan schmidt has made great

sacrifices for her marriage she holds to graze in theology and remedial education but can't get a work permit in israel so she's reduced to being her husband's help might. be added to the parish newsletter. art it seems yes i just have to give it a final read through. they're a good thing and she has no regrets. i know my love for going on one of my predecessors told me when we were preparing to come here that drew slim was worth it and what i've had to give my. and i must say that i see it the same way. i wouldn't have followed both going to some other places quite so readily. but jerusalem is worth it. committed i can't imagine not having somebody with whom

i can constantly and regularly share what i experience here the things that challenge me and my thoughts about the situations that raise doubts in me. although the cloister is currently under repair it's one of the native land schmidt's favorite spots. in a courtyard is a peaceful way since in the center of the bustling old city and it's open to the public the provost's one is always available to visit is in church workers. for service i'm glad you've come again you sold my popcorn to see it since the minds of the renovations you insist on i'm sorry about that. my wife also wants to come that's amazing because she never wanted to know what i raved about it was the most beautiful spot in the world are you renovating yes we are. 3 years ago and not have lunch maid had the idea of opening

a cafe in the. she runs it with the help of volunteers. in a room above the cafe a young theology student is studying. is spending a year in israel the program study in israel is financed by donations and the german lutheran church. the 1st 6 months were difficult for the young woman from saxony in eastern germany the middle eastern culture is a far cry from what she's used to. here. i can retreat when i need some peace and quiet. after i've been out in the city and feel overwhelmed by so many

impressions the powers a wonder. when i need a break i can come here and drink a cup of coffee. and enjoy the peace in the midst of the hustle and bustle. on a tumor walks almost everywhere there's no other way of getting around in new york city she sometimes feels overwhelmed by the crowds but the young theology student enjoys the spiritual patchwork that is jerusalem. she shows us another of her favorite spots the abby of the dual mission is a catholic ministry. usually the benedictine monks chant midday prayer at this hour but today is an exception the catholics have some visitors. so it was.

a uh it's a group of syriac orthodox christians from outspoken southern germany not a problem in this ancient city with its amazing variety of faiths 2 2 2 2. but i'm going to miss spends most of her time here at jerusalem's hebrew university . the lutheran world foundation pays her student fees of $10000.00 euros. the woman at anatole aside is melanie moore to host maya she's part of wolfgang schmidt's team and runs the study program she also attends the course because she's one of the chooses its election on the talmud the definitive rabbinic commentary on the hebrew bible the lecture is given in modern hebrew which presents something of a challenge to the student from germany. verbal holder come.

with all thoughts of russia russia all the law. melanie more crossed my are participating in the program herself in 2002. she recalls her last. time i wanted to go to the university to collect my certificate and there was also a farewell meal planned in the students' canteen that was out now and that's what we collected as a ticket somewhere on our way to the canteen when something happened that delayed us then we heard the news there had been an attack on the campus and then in the heart of the hebrew university in the canteen where we intended to have a farewell learn only visited in the men's as a babel via and then tap on the opposite as in what the hunters and ok. couldn't believe it has happened here at the university of cairo because the uni was considered one of the places where the most diverse people came together was

a war and jewish israelis as well as muslim palestinians and foreigners like us christians. all religious nations are represented here at uni and. it didn't change her love of the country melanie moore tossed maya returned and her . stand on the other hand is leaving jerusalem. when the provost the fischel tyler to say goodbye. to know your true very good through a greeting is about the limit of wolfgang schmidt's arabic he's had some language lessons but on the streets of jerusalem he doesn't get very far with what he learned the people here are friendly regardless. dropped it we will miss you have a nice time. even new year's eve exactly. friendship

that's right. so so we're pretty. close to the feast of the ascension the lutheran parish organizes an international church service on the mount of olives german english and arabic speaking christians celebrate together it is from here that jesus is believed to have ascended to heaven. there. when the d.p. when we read the bible in germany it seems very abstract and far away. but here it's late to a specific geography where this is on the one hand that's fascinating down on the other hand i would say especially in the lutheran tradition. our faith doesn't depend on these places specifically but it's good that we have the most places of remembrance. in the home. everybody is invited to the meal at the

conclusion of the church service the provost is among them most of the people here of foreigners like the student anatolia the german lutheran parish office them a home away from han the end of the summer marks the end of. june in jerusalem he isn't sad. i've often described my life here as being constantly plugged into an electrical outlet constantly under tension. on the one hand that's very invigorating but over time it's also exhausting you don't fight through an airship . for him that's the nature of life in the holy land.

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