JERUSALEM, August 30, 2011 (WAFA) - During the holy month of Ramadan, the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem joined hundreds of Palestinians to celebrate the spirit of community and generosity that is particularly important during this time of year.
As a part of its wide-ranging Ramadan outreach, the Consulate said in a press release that it sponsored more than a dozen activities and events, undertaken in partnership with various community organizations.
The outreach program included community service activities, environmental awareness campaigns, arts education, and cultural performances in Jerusalem and the West Bank. These community-based activities highlighted the core universal values of compassion and service shared by Americans, Palestinians, and all people.
The Consulate General partnered with several organizations, including AMIDEAST, Partners for Sustainable Development (PSD), Nuran Charitable Association, Jerusalem Community Advocacy Network, and Nadi Abna'a Al Quds to organize the events. America House in East Jerusalem and the Consulate-supported American Corners in Salfeet and Jericho also shared in these cultural exchange opportunities for youth, women, and orphans from refugee camps and other communities in East Jerusalem, Ramallah, Salfeet, the Gaza Strip, Jericho, Bethlehem, Tulkarem, Tubas, Nablus and Hebron. Local leaders, community volunteers, alumni of U.S. Government-funded exchange programs, and Consulate staff organized the activities together, demonstrating their commitment to serving their communities and promoting mutual understanding between Americans and Palestinians.
On August 23, American Consul General Daniel Rubinstein and Minister Mahmoud Al Habbash of the Ministry of Religious Affairs hosted an Iftar for over 50 Palestinian orphans in Ramallah. Consul General Rubinstein and Minister Al Habbash handed out school supplies to the children, wishing them a happy Ramadan and Eid al Fitr, and success as they embark on a new school year.
At a separate Ramadan event in Tubas on August 16, Consul General Rubinstein said, 'It is an honor and a pleasure for me to celebrate these wonderful Ramadan traditions that bring friends together, families closer, and the people of different nations to a common table.' Consul General Rubinstein quoted from President Barack Obama's 2011 Ramadan Message: 'To the millions of Muslim Americans across the United States and… to the more than one billion Muslims around the world, Ramadan is a time of reflection and a time of devotion. It’s an occasion to join with family and friends in celebration of a faith known for its diversity and a commitment to justice and the dignity of all human beings. So to you and your families, Ramadan Kareem.'
