2021 Advent Programme

Hana Bendcowsky, an Israeli Jew from Jerusalem with a M.A. degree in Comparative Religion from Hebrew University and 14 years of practical experience in interfaith activities in Israel and abroad, is in charge of overseeing the daily running of the Center’s diverse educational programs, contributes to the preparation of educational materials in Hebrew, and teaches in the Center’s various educational programs. In addition to being the program director of the Jerusalem Center for Jewish-Christian Relations, Hana works as a free lance tour educator in Jerusalem for groups involving over 1,500 individuals a year, mainly Israeli Jews and primarily study tours in the Christian Quarter.

Fr. David Neuhaus is a Jesuit priest, who was born in South Africa, but has lived most of his life in Israel. He holds an M.A. and PhD in Political Science from Hebrew University, and Pontifical License from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. As a professor he is teaching at the Ratisbonne Seminary, Bethlehem University, and the Seminary of the Latin Catholic Patriarchate. David Neuhaus was the Patriarchal Vicar for Hebrew-speaking Catholics for 8 years, between 2009 and 2017, and the Coordinator of the Pastoral Care for migrant workers and asylum seekers in Israel.

Shepherding a new Judaism in Jerusalem. Rabbi Tamar Elad-Appelbaum is the founder of ZION: An Eretz Israeli Congregation in Jerusalem; and Vice President of the Masorti Rabbinical Assembly. Her work spans and links tradition and innovation, working toward Jewish spiritual and ethical renaissance. She devotes much of her energy to the renewal of community life in Israel and the struggle for human rights.

Is a licensed tour guide in the West Bank for the German, English and Arabic speaking tourists. He has been working as a tour guide for the last 10 years. He first graduated from Talitah Kumi a German Lutheran school. after which he studied accounting in Bethlehem University a Catholic University, in Germany in the city of Ingolstadt achieved his MBA Masters in International project Management, and did his further studies in USA in the city of Boston as a Certified Public Accountant. Kamal worked in Bethlehem University as a lecturer and a project manager for a World Bank project in the area of business incubation, where after that he diverted to tourism as that is the field where he did find himself explaining and lecturing about his Christian community in specific and about peace in the holy land in general and teaches at the bible collage the tour guide course. His focus is on the biblical geography, history of the land, and life in Palestine, he is married and a father of four 3 girls and a boy. Kamal is also a basketball player in the Palestinian league and trains women and young men basketball.

Edward Flynn is a member of the Irish Spiritan community in Dublin. Apart from Dublin he has worked in Pakistan, the Philippines and Geneva. At present he advocates for the rights of women. In particular he works with people in Africa and South Asia to prevent Obstetric Fistula. This is a devastating condition resulting from a child birth injury. Through advocacy work at the Human Rights Council in Geneva he works with representatives of other organisations to call attention to this issue at an international level. And to encourage governments to fulfil the rights of women who suffer from Obstetric Fistula which is often described as modern day leprosy.

I am Scottish and from a Roman Catholic background. My family had many Jesuit associations and I have always felt “at home” in the Ignatian tradition. In my twenties I found new and profound grace in Ignatian Spirituality, through studying at Heythrop, the Jesuit University in London and doing a 30 day retreat. I have worked in full time ministry for the last thirty years in retreat centres, in a parish, diocese and university. Currently I work with the UK Jesuit Province in Spiritualty and am based at the Ignatian Spiritualty Centre in Glasgow. I am also the Roman Catholic Chaplain at Cornton Vale, the dedicated women`s prison in Scotland.

I studied theology at Heythrop College, Edinburgh University and Durham University. My doctoral thesis is in ecclesiology. My academic interests are mission and ministry in post-modernity.

My favourite quote from Ignatius is: There are few people who realise what God would make of them if they freely placed themselves in God`s hands and let themselves be touched by grace.

This is for me the invitation of Ignatian Spirituality.

“Fr. JP”, is a member of the Midwest Province of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). He was ordained in 1980 and has a Masters of Sacred Theology from the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, California as well as a Masters of Fine Arts in Theatre from The Catholic University in Washington DC. He has served as Director of Novices, Assistant Provincial, Director of Formation, and Provincial Assistant for Native Ministry in his years of internal governance within the Jesuits. He also has ministered with Native peoples on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota working as teacher, superior, president, and superintendent of schools at Red Cloud Indian School. Prior to coming to Tantur, he was at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was a participant in Tantur’s 6-week program in 2013 and today is the Rector at Tantur Ecumenical Institute

Stephanie Saldaña grew up in Texas and received a bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College and a master’s degree from Harvard Divinity School. In 2004 she went to Damascus to study Islam on a Fulbright scholarship. At the remote Mar Musa monastery in the Syrian desert she found a new relationship with God as well as her future husband, Frédéric, a French novice monk. They now live in Jerusalem with their two children. Saldaña teaches at the Honors College for Liberal Arts and Sciences, a partnership of Bard College and Al-Quds University. She has written two books, The Bread of Angels: A Journey to Love and Faith and A Country Between: Making a Home Where Both Sides of Jerusalem Collide, and is the founder of Mosaic Stories, a project to preserve the threatened cultural heritage of the Middle East through research and storytelling.

Frederic Masson is the Program Director at Tantur Ecumenical Institute, responsible for the oversight of Tantur's continuing education programs and offerings for visiting groups. Frederic is originally from the Alpine Mountains of France. He has lived in the Middle East for more than 20 years, spending his time between Syria and Jerusalem. Frederic was ordained to the Syriac Catholic Priesthood as “Abuna Yunan” on Saturday 10 July 2021 in the Saint Joseph Syrian Catholic Church in Bethlehem and will assume the position of Pastor of the Saint Joseph Syriac Catholic Church in Bethlehem at the end of 2021. He brings a wealth of experience in ecumenism, sustainable tourism and Inter-religious dialogue. He is married to Stephanie Saldaña, a poet, university lecturer, and author of The Bread of Angels. They live at Tantur with their three children.