Daher’s Vineyard and The Tent of Nations

The Nassar family is one of the last Christian Palestinian families living and working in the fertile hill country south of Bethlehem. The family's farm was named after Daher Nassar, who purchased the land in 1916. The Nassar's farm stands alone, ringed by Jewish settlements and the encroaching Separation Wall, the last holdout in a region marked for annexation by Israel. The family has been offered millions for the land and safe passage out of Palestine, but they remain steadfast. "This land is our mother," says Daoud Nassar, grandson of Daher. "Our mother is not for sale." Under his leadership, the family has taken the case to establish the family's land rights all the way to the Israeli Supreme Court.

So far, the fight to save their land has cost the family over $130,000. While fighting their case and continuing to farm the land (including the ongoing project to replace the 400+ olive trees illegally uprooted by the neighboring Israeli settlers), and in order to demonstrate their commitment to peace and coexistence, the Nassar family has established "The Tent of Nations" providing arts, drama, and education to the children of the villages and refugee camps of the region. International volunteers and visitors are a constant presence on the land. In addition, Daoud and his family have also established a Women's Educational Center in the adjacent Palestinian village of Nahalin, offering classes in computer literacy, English, and leadership training. The Nassars seek coexistence with Israel in a shared Palestine and are committed to nonviolence.

Friends of Tent of Nations North America, Inc.

Friends of Tent of Nations North America (FOTONNA) is a charitable 501c3 corporation. The corporation has been established to create a living bridge to Tent of Nations and to support the work of the Nassar Family to bring peace, dignity and sustainability to all the people of the region. Our support takes two forms: Land and People. Click on the link to find out more how you can become part of our work. Projects: Land and People