A Message from the Friends of Tent of Nations Steering Committee: Thank you to the many Friends of Tent of Nations who have contacted Members of Congress and the State Department in the US and government leaders in other nations, in support of the Nassar Family’s efforts to Re-Register their land under Israeli law. Daoud […]
Background Information on Tent of Nations Tent of Nations is a peace project located on a farm owned for over 100 years by the Nassar family, located 6 miles southwest of Bethlehem in the occupied Palestinian territories. Situated in Area C under Israeli administrative and security control, the farm is located on a hilltop surrounded […]
Dear Friends: Please Act to Support the Tent of Nations. Your prompt attention will mean a lot. As Daoud Nassar mentioned in his most recent update to the Friends of Tent of Nations, a re-registration hearing has been scheduled for February 12, 2023. FOTONNA believes it is important to continue advocating for Tent of Nations […]
Subject: Template of letter to Secretary of State Blinken — can be sent to elected officials in constituent’s email for them to use in writing Secretary Blinken Dear Secretary Blinken: I am writing to request your intervention with the appropriate Israeli authorities, asking them to finalize the re-registration of the Nassar family-owned farm outside Bethlehem […]
PHONE CALL SCRIPT for use with your elected officials Use these links to obtain the contact information for your representative and senators. House of Representatives: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative Senate: https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm?OrderBy%253Dstate%2526Sort%253DASC State what you are asking your representative/senator to do: “I am calling to ask you to contact the State Department to urge them to pressure Israel’s Coordinator […]
Sample text for constituent use in emailing their representatives re: Feb. 12, 2023 Hearing Email Subject Line: Time Sensitive action needed prior to Feb. 12, 2023 I am writing to ask you to contact the State Department to urge them to pressure Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) to complete the re-registration […]
Update from Daoud Nassar Dear Friends of Tent of Nations: In this season of Advent, a time of hopeful waiting and preparation, we light the advent candles as a reminder of the light that will outshine the darkness of our world. We continue to walk with faith, love, and hope as we “pass through the […]
Dear Friends: Thanks to all of you who have written words of support to us and are wondering about the outcome of the hearing on January 16 th , 2023. With good reason, we had hoped this hearing would produce a decision by the Military Committee for Land Registration to recognize our land as privately […]
December 2020 Many thanks to Bill and Kay Plitt* for their many years of work with the Nassars to build an international community working to “create a better, more tolerant, peaceful world. In these challenging times, your song, “Loving Acts of Kindness” is a wonderful gift to the FOTONNA family. Click here to listen to […]
Dear Friends, Unfortunately, but not unexpectedly the committee decided “for reasons related to its schedule ” to delay the committee session for the reregistration of the Nassar land from the 27th of October until the 21st of November 2022! We don’t understand why they suddenly discovered after setting the session 6 months ago that their […]
FOTONNA Newsletter October 2022 Update from Daoud Nassar Dear Friends of Tent of Nations, Despite the challenges that we are facing, we are blessed with a growing number of international guests and volunteers who have been visiting us. In the first two weeks of September, we had a group of international volunteers who stayed for […]
Please Act to Support the Tent of Nations: As Daoud has mentioned in his most recent update, the next and hopefully final re-registration hearing has been delayed again until January 16, 2023. FOTONNA believes it is important to continue advocating for TON with our elected officials leading up to the hearing with the Israeli Military […]
November 2022 PHONE CALL AND EMAIL SCRIPT for use with congressional representatives Use these links to obtain the contact information for your elected representatives: · House of Representatives: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative · Senate: https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm?OrderBy%253Dstate%2526Sort%253DASC 1. State why you are calling/emailing: I am contacting you about the urgent situation at the Tent of Nations, a family farm located outside of […]
Update from Daoud Nassar Dear Friends of Tent of Nations, As you might know, the re-registration hearing of the land that was scheduled on May 2nd was postponed and no date was set for the next hearing. We are asking our friends to continue raising awareness about the Tent of Nations among religious and political […]
April 18, 2022 Dear Sisters and Brothers, Easter Greetings from the Tent of Nations! “As HE came near and saw Jerusalem, HE wept over it.” Jesus was sad to see the suffering of the people. Today the situation and especially in Jerusalem is not that different; the city is full of tension, hopelessness, and sadness. […]
April 18, 2022 Dear Friends of Tent of Nations, In our March newsletter we promised an April email with updates on the Re-Registration Hearing scheduled for early May in Israel and information about how you can help. Your solidarity and prayers have buoyed the spirits of Daoud Nassar and his family! Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, […]
Dear Friends of Tent of Nations: I hope my message finds you in good spirits. I would like to express my sincere thanks and gratitude for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. Daher and I are recovering physically. We never expected to be attacked by Palestinians and this continues to […]
Please Continue Advocating about TON with your elected officials! So much has happened since we reached out to you in July last year and asked for your assistance with the “Save Tent of Nations” petition. You and over 3,600 from the U.S. and across the world signed the petition requesting Secretary Blinken to take action. It was […]
Volunteer at the Tent of Nations What Can We Do to Support the Tent of Nations? Many of you have asked this question over the last few months. The physical presence of volunteers on the land is one thing that has protected the land and the family. That presence has been lacking over the past […]
February 13, 2022 Dear Friends of Tent of Nations, Thank you so much for all your thoughts and prayers. We are still recovering physically, but emotionally the pain might accompany us longer. Things are not settled yet, but we believe that justice will prevail. Recently 20 volunteers from Germany and France came to the Tent of […]
Friends: Since the attack on Daoud and Daher we have heard from so many of you of your concern and great love for the family. It has been overwhelming, and we are so grateful for your support of them. Daoud and Daher are beginning to heal – both physically and emotionally from the attack. This […]
Dear Friends, The Nassar family is appalled by the brutal physical attack on Daoud Nassar and Daher Nassar on Friday, January 28, 2022, which left them in a critical condition in a Bethlehem hospital. About fifteen masked individuals from the nearby Palestinian village attacked Daoud and Daher with iron bars, large sticks, and razors. Daoud […]
WCC expresses concern about violence against Christians in Palestinian Authority areas February 3, 2022 World Council of Churches (WCC) acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca called on the Palestinian Authority to investigate recent attacks on Christians in the West Bank, and to ensure justice and dignity for all citizens. “The WCC call follows […]
February 2, 2022 By Jonathan Kuttab, for FOSNA blog. I have been associated with Tent of Nations and the Nassar family for many years. In fact, my law office in Jerusalem has been and continues to represent them in their ongoing legal battles to save their land from the Israeli government and the Jewish settlers who have […]
Carter Center Tweet, 1:53 PM · Feb 1, 2022· 1/ We condemn the attack against Daoud & Daher Nassar and express solidarity with their family and the Tent of Nations, who continue to face threats due to their commitment to peace in Palestine. We urge authorities to protect the family & bring the attackers to justice. […]
January 29, 2022 No doubt many of you have heard about the personal attacks on Daoud and Daher Nassar that took place on the Nassar family farm/Tent of Nations on the morning of Friday, January 28. Several masked men came onto the property and brutally beat Daoud and Daher, sending them both to the hospital […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, D.C. – January 29, 2022 Media Contact: media@cmep.org 202-543-1222 Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) calls for prayer for Nassar Family and Tent of Nations Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) calls for prayer for the Nassar Family and the Tent of Nations after yesterday’s horrific incident. On the afternoon of […]
YOU ARE INVITED! “THE STORIES I NEVER KNEW”: Acts of Lovingkindness Amidst the Struggle for Human Rights and Dignity in the Occupied Palestinian Territories & Israel A Conversation with William Plitt Moderated by Michael Spath Monday, February 7, 2022 1:00pm Eastern time REGISTER ON ZOOM: icmep.org – Programs and Events in February https://indianacmep.org/event/stories-i-never-knew-william-plitt/ In light of […]
January 28th, 2022 Dear Friends, We learned this morning that Daoud and Daher were attacked by masked individuals at their farm – Tent of Nations. Both sustained injuries that are serious but not life-threatening. Please hold the family close and keep them in your prayers. We will update you as we know more, and determine […]
FOTONNA NEWSLETTER – December 2021 Update from Daoud Nassar Dear Friends of Tent of Nations, Greetings from Bethlehem. I hope this message finds you well and in good health. It is a difficult time for all of us since the pandemic is hitting many countries with a new wave of the virus. At […]
FOTONNA NEWSLETTER – September 2021 Update from Daoud – 15 September 2021 Dear Friends of Tent of Nations, I hope this message finds you well and in good health amid these challenging times. Here in Palestine, the political situation is becoming more difficult following the latest events. The continuous expansion of Israeli settlements across the […]
July 2021 Dear Friend and Supporter of Tent of Nations, You have been a supporter of Tent of Nations or are receiving this message from a friend or colleague who wishes to inform you about this urgent situation. As you know, Tent of Nations is a peace project located on a farm owned for over […]
FOTONNA NEWSLETTER – March 5, 2021 Update from Daoud – March 1, 2021: Greetings from the Tent of Nations! We are facing the third wave of Covid 19. Every day we hear about new cases, the hospitals are full of patients and some are in critical situation. We have closures on Fridays and Saturdays, and […]
FOTONNA NEWSLETTER – December 16, 2020 Daoud and Jihan and the entire Nassar family would love to hear from all of you. A Post Card – not a letter – sent to the following address with a Christmas greeting or even just a note of support would be an uplifting gesture from each of you. […]
Note from Bill Plitt: Dear Friends, As you will see in this letter from Daoud that conditions on the farm and surrounding area are desperate; we are not yet certain as to the reasons why this is happening. One thing we do know is that the U.S. policy towards the region, plus the repercussions of the […]
Dear Friends, This will be an update on the following items: EASTER GREETINGS FROM DAOUD: Dear Sisters and Brothers, I hope my message to you finds you well and in good health during these uncertain times as Covid-19 paves its way rapidly across our communities and societies affecting our daily lives, altering social, political and economic […]
Dear Friends, This will be an update on the following items: Advisory Council meeting on November 17, 2019/Update from Daoud Notice about both Spring and Fall 2020 Tours Reflections from Fall Tour 2019 Museum of the Palestinian People – August 2020 Tour Invitation Advisory Council Meeting – November 17, 2019 Once again, Daoud gave a moving and […]
– September 30, 2019 – Dear Friends, Daoud has added an update (below) on what has been happening on the farm through the actions (or inactions) of the military courts. You may recall from the last two NLs that in December 2018, demolition orders had been placed on the land in a corner section that […]
March 18, 2019 – This will be less a Newsletter and more like a short TON update in addition to giving you all a new mailing address (temporary) for donations or other communications. Here is the latest message sent to our Advisory Council Members: March 8, 2019 Dear Friends, It’s been some time since you […]
Dear Friends, Thanksgiving has come and gone, and we move on to the coming of Christmas and the ringing in of a New Year 2019. We have much to be thankful for, and among those gifts is the fact that the Tent of Nations still stands as a bright, shining star outside Bethlehem – a […]
On November 16, 2018, Beth (our FOTONNA Tour Coordinator), Daoud and I returned home after an eight-day trip across southern and central Virginia, sharing the story of the Nassar family’s persistent stand in claiming their ancestral lands through a simple message of “refusing to be enemies/loving our neighbor” and doing so through a creative non-violent […]
Friends of Tent of Nations, North America Newsletter – Summer/Fall 2018 – October 3, 2018 Dear Friends, I want to apologize for the long delay in getting news out to you about Tent of Nations. I have been laid up after left hip replacement surgery in mid-July due to the fact that my sciatic nerve […]
Since 1998, undergraduate, graduate and alumni groups from Eastern Mennonite University and Eastern Mennonite Seminary have made the Tent of Nations farm outside of Bethlehem a regular stop on their Middle East trips. Several hundred have visited the Nassar family’s 100 acres in Palestine to plant trees, harvest olives and fruit, and learn about the family’s witness to […]
A Green, Flexible, Temporary Wall Installed on the Land I flew to Palestine on October 3 and returned on October 11 for my regular, annual visit to the Nassar family farm. I was joined by Beth Moore, our Tour Coordinator; we were there to represent Friends of Tent of Nations North America (FOTONNA) at the […]
The Nassar family, Distinguished Guests, Sisters and Brothers, It is a singular honor, joy, and privilege to greet you in the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. The presence of Archbishop Chacour, a recipient of the World Methodist Peace Award makes this even a more special moment. The Vice-President, Ms Gillian Kingston and […]
FOTONNA/TON Winter 2018 Newsletter Dear Friends, Please check out the following: Daoud will be traveling in Arizona with Beth Moore and Bill Plitt for the Spring 2018 Tour. Here is the schedule of presentations. WE REFUSE TO BE ENEMIES A conversation with Daoud Nassar, Palestinian Christian farmer and Director of Tent of Nations. Located […]
In June, three members of the Franciscan society, a group of related mendicant religious orders within the Catholic Church, founded in 1209 by Saint Francis of Assisi, applied for scholarships to travel to the Holy Land and visit the holy sites there as well to work as volunteers at the Tent of Nations for two-three […]
Tent of Nations Lutheran Palestinian brothers welcome all to family farm Wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses to shade himself from the early May sun, Daoud Nassar strolls down the dusty path on his family’s 101-year-old hilltop farm. In every direction he looks, he can see the ever-expanding Israeli settlements with their white multistory buildings […]
Suad ________, 49 Where I Am From… I am from the countryside, Close to the manger of Jesus Christ, And the place where Mohammad ascended. I am from the innocent childhood, From the fields of oranges, olives, and za’tar. The birds are singing every morning, From above the olive trees That are holding tight to […]
Dear Friends, VOLUNTEERING: High school students look for gap-year experiences; retired people look for short-term volunteer projects; college students look for international travel experiences for credit or for internships; people between jobs look for something new and different to add to their résumés; many people are searching for meaningful ways to make a difference in […]