Search - Blood Brothers

An amazing look at Elias Chacour's life detailing the creation of Israel and how various cultures that used to get along daily (Jews, Muslims, and Christians) started living in conflict and his efforts to promote peace through his faith.

Palestinian Christian's autobiographic account of his life in historic times, the creation of the state of Israel, detailing the impact on his family, his village, and his career.

If you don't know much about Israel/Palestine, this book is a good starting point. Writing with humor and empathy, Chacour tells his story as a Paletinian Christian living in a land that was given to the Jewish people in 1948 - the effect on his family's home village; his experiences studying and traveling while becoming a Melkite Catholic Priest; and his experiences working with the villagers of Ibillin (in Northern Israel) and the Jewish government after he realized that education was the answer for these poor villagers. This is the story of how the school built. The school now has Christian, Druze, and Muslim students and teachers and an exchange program with a neighboring Jewish village. Before the latest Infitada, the school also had Jewish students. The school, which goes from elementary through high school, has an excellent reputation in spite of continuing problems dealing with the Jewish government.

This book is an easy yet enlightening read. I highly recommend it. Elias Chacour is now the head Bishop (sorry, I don't know the proper term) of all the Melkite Catholic Christians. He has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize several times and has received numerous awards for his work in promoting peace among those of different faiths who live in Israel.