Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land

15/06/2026

Update from Bishop Dr. Imad Haddad on Natalie Abudayyeh:

Dear friends and partners,

We give thanks to each of you who have prayed and advocated for the safety and release of ELCJHL youth Natalie Abudayyeh after she was detained by Israeli forces on June 2nd. Unfortunately, Natalie has still not been released.

We have been informed that she had a court appearance yesterday, and the proceedings will continue in ten days. The other three women who were detained with Natalie remain in prison as well. We are deeply concerned about their continued detention and that these proceedings are being held in Israeli military court, where administrative detention can be extended without official charge or trial.

Disturbingly, Natalie’s ongoing detainment is part of a pattern of recent Israeli raids, arrests, and restrictions on Palestinian universities, limiting academic freedom and restricting the right of education. Our youth feel targeted. We are losing an entire generation as our young people struggle to imagine a future in their homeland. Our ELCJHL youth are incredibly dismayed and anxious about the wellbeing and future of Natalie, their sister and friend, and for their own safety here.

This pattern of violence, erasure, and fear is destroying Palestinian life.

We once again call on the global church to remember your commitment to work for justice, peace, and fullness of life, and we ask you to continue to advocate for Natalie’s immediate release.

Please continue to hold Natalie and her family in your prayers.

Bishop Dr. Imad Haddad

Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land

13/06/2026

12/06/2026

Congratulations to the graduates of the Lutheran World Federation Vocational Training Center! Between the two center locations in Beit Hanina and Ramallah, over 300 students in the 74th class graduated this spring with diplomas or certificates in various professional skills, from Automotive Mechanics, to Food Preparation and Catering, to Ceramics and Handicrafts, and beyond.

As Bishop Dr. Imad Haddad said in his speech, “The reformer Martin Luther taught us that work is not merely a means of earning a living; it is a calling and a mission through which individuals fulfill themselves and serve their communities. Therefore, the value of your work is measured not only by what you achieve for yourselves, but also by what you add to the lives of others. Every profession practiced with integrity, every skill used to serve people, and every effort dedicated to the common good is a genuine contribution to building a society that is stronger, more dignified, and more humane."

The work of the LWF Training Center is opening doors to new opportunities and strengthening the expertise and professionalism of all their students. Congratulations to this year’s graduates!

LWF VTC Jerusalem الاتحاد اللوثري العالمي برنامج التدريب المهني

نبارك لخريجي مركز التدريب المهني التابع للاتحاد اللوثري العالمي هذا الإنجاز المميز.

فقد احتفل أكثر من 300 طالب وطالبة من الفوج الرابع والسبعين بتخرّجهم هذا الربيع من فرعي المركز في بيت حنينا ورام الله، بعد إتمامهم برامج تدريبية متخصصة وحصولهم على دبلومات وشهادات مهنية في مجموعة متنوعة من التخصصات، شملت ميكانيك السيارات، وإعداد الطعام وخدمات الضيافة، والخزف والأشغال اليدوية، وغيرها من المهارات المهنية التي تلبي احتياجات سوق العمل.

وفي كلمته خلال حفل التخريج، قال المطران الدكتور عماد حداد:
«علّمنا المصلح مارتن لوثر أن العمل ليس مجرد وسيلة لكسب الرزق، بل هو دعوة ورسالة يحقق الإنسان من خلالها ذاته ويسهم في خدمة مجتمعه. لذلك، لا تُقاس قيمة عملكم بما تحققونه لأنفسكم فحسب، بل بما تضيفونه إلى حياة الآخرين. فكل مهنة تُمارس بأمانة، وكل مهارة تُسخّر لخدمة الناس، وكل جهد يُبذل من أجل الصالح العام، هو مساهمة حقيقية في بناء مجتمع أكثر قوة وكرامة وإنسانية».

ويواصل مركز التدريب المهني التابع للاتحاد اللوثري العالمي أداء رسالته في فتح آفاق جديدة أمام الطلبة، وتعزيز خبراتهم العملية وكفاءاتهم المهنية، بما يمكّنهم من بناء مستقبل واعد والمساهمة الفاعلة في تنمية مجتمعاتهم.

ألف مبارك لخريجي هذا العام، مع أطيب الأمنيات لهم بمستقبل مليء بالنجاح والعطاء، وأن تكون مهاراتهم ومعارفهم مصدر خير وخدمة لمجتمعاتهم

12/06/2026

ELCJHL Pastor Rev. Sally Azar is attending the LWF Council this week!

03/06/2026

Read our May newsletter below.

02/06/2026

UPDATE 10 June 2026: Yesterday we learned that Natalie's court appearance has been postponed until Sunday. We hope to have more information at that time. Fortunately, Natalie's father was able to briefly meet with her yesterday. At this time we do not have any information on the other young women who were detained with her. Please continue to pray for Natalie, her family, and all those impacted throughout this time.

UPDATE 5 June 2026: As of June 5th, Natalie has not yet been released. She has had brief contact with a lawyer, but no visitation from her family or the lawyer has been permitted. At this time, we still do not know how the situation will proceed. Please continue to pray and advocate.

Statement from Bishop Dr. Imad Haddad on the Israeli Detainment of Natalie Abudayyeh

This morning a beloved youth from our church community, Natalie Abudayyeh, was taken at gunpoint by Israeli forces from her student apartment in Birzeit alongside three other women. We are deeply shocked and horrified by this news, as well as by the news that her family does not yet know where she has been taken. Natalie is a member of Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Reformation in Beit Jala, a graduate of Talitha Kumi Lutheran School, and a Media and Journalism student at Birzeit University.

As Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, I unequivocally call for Natalie’s immediate release. The entire ELCJHL stands in solidarity with the Abudayyeh family and the Beit Jala and Birzeit communities, and we join them in earnest prayer for Natalie’s safety and freedom.

We are incredibly disturbed by the reality that Natalie now joins the thousands of Palestinians in Israeli detention without charge or trial. Palestinian civilians, including women and children, suffer deep injustice in Israeli military detention and are often held for months or years with no explanation.

We call on our friends, partners, and siblings in Christ around the world to advocate for Natalie’s freedom using whatever channels are available to them, and to demand an end to this unjust and unequal system of detainment and detention that paralyzes and destroys Palestinian communities.

Bishop Dr. Imad Haddad
Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land

31/05/2026

ELCJHL graduation season concludes tonight with the commencement ceremony for the Evangelical Lutheran School in Beit Sahour Class of 2026.

From Bishop Dr. Imad Haddad and the entire church, congratulations to all these incredible students for their hard work and dedication over the years. We know they are off to do amazing things. Our prayers go with them wherever their future leads!

تختتم الكنيسة الإنجيلية اللوثرية في الأردن والأراضي المقدسة مساء اليوم احتفالات التخرّج لهذا العام، من خلال حفل تخريج فوج عام 2026 من المدرسة الإنجيلية اللوثرية في بيت ساحور.

وبالنيابة عن المطران الدكتور عماد حداد وكافة أبناء الكنيسة، نبارك لهؤلاء الطلبة المتميّزين، تقديرًا لما بذلوه من جهدٍ وإبداعٍ ومثابرة طوال سنوات دراستهم.
ونحن على يقين بأنهم مقبلون على مستقبلٍ مشرقٍ حافلٍ بالإنجازات والنجاحات، ليكونوا مصدر فخرٍ لعائلاتهم

ومجتمعهم ووطنهم.
ألف مبارك للخريجين والخريجات!

31/05/2026

Today we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the ordination of ELCJHL Bishop Emeritus Munib Younan. We give thanks for 50 years of faithful ministry 🙏

30/05/2026

Warm congratulations to Deacon Bassem Thabet and Deacon Rana Zeidan on the first anniversary of their ordination in the ELCJHL!

27/05/2026

The ELCJHL Diaconal Ministry, in cooperation with the Palingual Centre and the Our Authentic Heritage Association organized a specialized training course in food preservation for the Deaf Ministry under the supervision of trainer Mona Matar. This course is part of ongoing efforts to empower our deaf group and enhance their practical and life skills.

Over five sessions, participants learned different ways to prepare and preserve homemade food in a healthy and safe manner. Practical training included making different types of pickles, preparing jam, preserving white cheese, making ghee, and crafting traditional soap using simple and readily available, local ingredients.

Given the challenging economic conditions and rising cost of living, this course aimed to equip people with practical skills that can help them save money as well as preserve their cultural heritage. It also emphasized the importance of learning how to preserve food for extended periods outside of refrigeration, fostering self-reliance and making the most of available household resources. The course also encouraged participants to consider small home-based projects that could provide additional income for themselves and their families.

It was a joy to experience the interest and enthusiasm our Deaf Ministry participants showed during these sessions. These new skills and experience along with the participation and teamwork that was fostered during this course will go with them into the future.

This course was part of the ELCJHL's ongoing mission to support vulnerable populations, including people with disabilities, and our vision of providing inclusive educational and training spaces that enable people to develop their abilities and enhance their active participation in society.

Thank you to our partners with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) for their support of the Deaf Ministry.

نظم مكتب الخدمة الاجتماعية في الكنيسة الانجيلية اللوثرية في الأردن والأراضي المقدسة، بالتعاون مع مركز Palingual وجمعية تراثنا الأصيل، وبإشراف المدربة منى مطر، دورة تدريبية متخصصة لمجموعة شبيبة الصم في مجال تصنيع وحفظ الأغذية، وذلك ضمن الجهود المستمرة لتمكين الشباب وتعزيز مهاراتهم العملية والحياتية.

امتدت الدورة على مدار خمسة لقاءات تدريبية، تعرّف خلالها المشاركون على العديد من طرق تصنيع الأغذية المنزلية وحفظها بطريقة صحية وآمنة، حيث تم التدريب العملي على صناعة المخللات بأنواعها المختلفة، وتحضير “التطلي”، وكبس الجبنة البيضاء، وصناعة السمنة البلدية، بالإضافة إلى صناعة الصابون البلدي باستخدام مكونات بسيطة ومتوفرة.

وهدفت هذه الدورة إلى تزويد أفراد المجموعة بمهارات عملية يمكن الاستفادة منها في الحياة اليومية، خاصة في ظل الظروف الاقتصادية الصعبة وارتفاع تكاليف المعيشة، إلى جانب أهمية تعلّم طرق حفظ الأغذية لفترات طويلة خارج الثلاجة، بما يساهم في تعزيز الاعتماد على الذات والاستفادة من الموارد المتاحة داخل المنزل. كما فتحت الدورة المجال أمام المشاركين للتفكير بمشاريع منزلية صغيرة يمكن أن تشكل مصدر دعم إضافي لهم ولعائلاتهم.

وقد تخللت اللقاءات أجواء من التعاون والتفاعل والفرح، حيث أظهر المشاركون اهتماماً كبيراً وحماساً لتعلّم مهارات وخبرات جديدة، الأمر الذي ساهم في خلق بيئة مشجعة على المشاركة والعمل الجماعي وتبادل الخبرات بين أفراد المجموعة.

ويأتي تنفيذ هذه الدورة انطلاقاً من رؤية الكنيسة الانجيلية اللوثرية على دعم الأشخاص ذوي الاحتياجات الخاصة وأهمية توفير مساحات تعليمية وتدريبية دامجة تتيح لهم فرصة تطوير قدراتهم وتعزيز مشاركتهم الفاعلة في المجتمع.
ونتوجه بالشكر الجزيل للكنيسة الانجيلية اللوثرية في امريكا ELCA على دعم برنامج شبيبةالصم في الكنيسة