News of Friends

Mark has been referred for trans-aortic valve replacement and will have testing done via catheterization this Wednesday. Please keep him in your prayers through this process. Ruth and Greg contracted COVID last week. Their health is improving and they look forward to getting out of quarantine.

Specially Called Meeting for Business

This Sunday we will have a one item. specially called Meeting for Business to consider our presentation to the Canterbury Zoning Board of Adjustment. The presentation would be in opposition to the application for a special exception to the zoning ordinance by a potential neighbor that would allow the manufacture of some pretty horrible weapons in the new building being constructed near the meetinghouse.

The meeting will be at 12:00, not 12:30. A letter to the ZBA was considered in Meeting for Business last week and the revised letter (here [3]) is Ministry an Counsel's effort to better reflect the sense of the Meeting and strategic advice we have received. If at all possible, please attend this meeting and, just as importantly, the ZBA hearing on Wednesday evening at 7:00 PM in the Town's Meetinghouse next to the Library. The entrances to both buildings share a walkway. Strong advice from multiple sources is that a good turn out in opposition to the special exception will be very helpful.

GCIC Lenten Luncheons

YOU ARE INVITED…to attend the 2023 Lenten Luncheon series sponsored by the Greater Concord Interfaith Council. Each luncheon will feature a different speaker.

Dates: Thursdays: March 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30

Time: 12:00-1:00pm

Locations: With the exception of March 9 (see below), all the Lenten Luncheons will be held at Christ the King Parish, 72 South Main St. in Concord, in the Parish Activity Center adjacent to the church (enter the parking lot from Thorndike St.) On March 9, the luncheon will be hosted by Bow Mills United Methodist Church, 505 South St. in Bow (enter from the parking lot at the rear of the church).

Ticket Price: The ticket price will be $7.00 per luncheon. More details on the luncheon speakers will be coming soon!

Friends World Committee for Consultation

(FWCC): hybrid Section Meeting on March 23-26, Look here [4] for more information.

Rania Maayeh Newsletter - Ramallah Friends School

February 2023

Dear Friends,

We are thrilled to share some of the recent successes of our school. These accomplishments truly reflect our unwavering commitment to excellence, the well-being of our students and staff, and our dedication to providing a top-notch education.

Last week, our school hosted the Model United Nations Conference—PalMUN XII—which was a huge success, with over 500 students from across Palestine participating. The opening ceremony celebrated cooperation and negotiation, highlighting our commitment to promoting community and collaboration. It was a culturally rich event that included folklore dancing and an inspiring speech from the Prime Minister of Palestine to our future leaders.

At our school, we believe in working closely with the PTA to ensure that we meet the unique needs of each student and provide them with the necessary resources to succeed. Recently, we hosted workshops on children’s speech development and related issues. Our Lower Campus staff attended these valuable workshops, gaining a deeper understanding of the critical role of speech and language in early childhood development.

In addition to promoting high-quality education, we are also committed to the safety and preparedness of our students and community. To this end, we are proud to announce the establishment of a first aid committee on the Upper Campus by the Palestinian Red Crescent. The donation of a first aid kit from the Red Crescent is greatly appreciated and will aid us in promoting public safety.

We are also thrilled to report that our third-grade students demonstrated outstanding performance in the Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) in partnership with the Ministry of Education. These results inspire and motivate us to keep pushing for continuous improvement and using assessments for learning.

We want to highlight the ongoing struggle for justice and freedom for our sixteen-year-old student, Shadi Khoury, who remains under house arrest without charge or trial under the Israeli detention system. We are deeply troubled by this injustice and the countless other Palestinian children subjected to similar treatment. We call for the release of Shadi and affirm the rights of all children facing such oppression. We are doing our best to support Shadi and his family through remote lessons, but we need your help. We urge you to exert any pressure by contacting your local leaders and representatives and engaging in other social advocacy to spread the message about the injustice Shadi and thousands of Palestinian youths experience under Israeli occupation.

On a different note, we are also concerned about the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, which have claimed many lives, including Palestinian refugees who were already forced to flee from wars in Syria and Iraq. We cannot imagine the pain and suffering they are going through, especially with the cold weather front making it even more challenging for them. We hope that everyone can hold those impacted by the earthquakes in their thoughts and prayers, and we encourage those who can to donate and support the relief efforts.

As a school, we remain dedicated to the safety of our students, and we are taking steps to prepare for future weather and natural disasters. We hope to receive support from the community in these efforts.

In conclusion, we ask for your continued prayers for the safety of everyone in the region and for peace and justice to prevail. We can make a difference and create a better future for all.

In friendship,

Rania Ma’ayeh, Head of School, head [at] rfs [dot] edu [dot] ps

To Support Rania’s Ministry - Donate online here [5]

You may also mail a check with “Rania Maayeh” designated in the memo line to:

Friends United Meeting, 101 Quaker Hill Drive, Richmond, IN 47374 USA

Stay updated on the ministry of Ramallah Friends School! Check out the school’s website here [6], subscribe to the school’s newsletter here [7], and join the RFS page on Facebook [8]!

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