Our Solidarity
House of ABRAHAM IS RUN BY SECOURS CATHOLIQUE - CARITAS FRANCE
The creation of the the House of Abraham was entrusted to Secours Catholique – Caritas France by Pope Paul VI in 1964 in order to welcome pilgrims of the 3 religions, in priority the most modest. Secours Catholique-Caritas France is a service of the Catholic Church, created in 1946, whose mission is to support the most vulnerable. Nearly 58,000 volunteers and 900 employees are committed to solidarity in France and around the world. The association fights against the causes of poverty, inequality and exclusion. It calls on public opinion and public authorities and proposes long-term solutions. It places at the heart of its action the participation of the people it supports and the reinforcement of the capacity of all to act together.
At the international level, Secours Catholique provides support in more than 70 countries through the worldwide Caritas Internationalis network of which it is a member. The global Caritas network today brings together 165 Catholic organizations on every continent. It responds to disasters, promotes the development of the human person in all his or her dimensions, and acts against the causes of poverty and conflict by fostering local and international partnerships. The Caritas network has observer status at the United Nations (UN).
House of Abraham's support to local associations
Open to its neighborhood and the city of Jerusalem, the House of Abraham welcomes and brings together people wishing to work on inter-religious encounters, development, human rights, gender equality, ecology… In the spirit of Secours Catholique – Caritas France, we regularly receive in our dedicated spaces the associations of our neighborhood in order to give them the possibility to work, to meet and to live simple moments in benevolence and openness.
Intereligious encounters
It is now a tradition, every year, local representatives of Muslim civil and religious authorities, as well as representatives of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, share an Iftar at the House of Abraham, the meal that marks the breaking of the fast on the evenings of Ramadan. It is a festive meal shared in a spirit of openness and welcoming the other.
Althoury Women Center
AWC is a women-led organization located in Jerusalem which works to improve women’s rights and security, strengthen their economic autonomy and their active participation in public life. Their goal is to contribute to the construction of a society free of all forms of discrimination against women.
The House of Abraham hosts some of their training activities:
In partnership with AWC, we host neighboring women who benefit from documentary photography, marketing, yoga … Every December, a famous Christmas Bazaar is organized: “Women’s crafts”. Hundreds of visitors visit and discover about 60 stalls of local handicrafts made by Palestinian women and nuns from the Holy Land. Side by side, they combine their talents to support their families and their communities, which are suffering from the difficulties of daily life. Songs, dances, Palestinian culinary traditions and animations for children make this a particularly joyful and festive moment. During Ramadan, we also organize Iftar meals for the women and inhabitants of the neighborhood.
Al Bustan social center
The gathering space hosts the tents and games of the young scouts of the neighborhood for a week. The gardens and spaces of the house vibrate with their songs and energy.
Scouts and Guides of France
Regularly, teams of young people from the Scouts and Guides of France, use our outdoor spaces for the organization of their weekend animations.
Kids for Music (Jewish, Christian, Muslim)
This association brings together children from the three monotheistic religions. We host their musical camps during summer and winter.
Schools of the neighborhood for the olive harvest
Many schools of our neighbourhood benefit from the peacefulness of our garden, and also contribute to the olive harvest of the House.
SECOURS CATHOLIQUE - CARITAS FRANCE SUPPORT IN PALESTINE
Founded at House of Abraham in 1967 following the Six Day War, Caritas Jerusalem’s mission is to assist the people of Jerusalem, Occupied Territories and Gaza, regardless of their religion. A member of the International Caritas Confederation, the organization works for sustainable development and improved health services, social welfare, food security, and livelihoods through advocacy, micro- credit, education, charity, emergency response, and direct service delivery.