As Palestinians face uncertain times this Easter season, your gift offers hope to children with disabilities

American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem
Posted Mar 28, 2023

Mothers train to become at-home therapists for their children with disabilities at Jerusalem Princess Basma Center.

Wafa’, who lives in the West Bank city of Jenin, is the mother of a child with autism. She knows the stigma and isolation that diagnosis cases her child, herself, and her family, but she also knows that the Christian leaders and staff at the Jerusalem Princess Basma Center offer a lifeline for Palestinian families like hers. “All the therapies are under one roof, and we are taught to take what we learn home. This program is a candle in the dark for us.”

This Easter the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem (AFEDJ) is dedicated to raising support for the Jerusalem Princess Basma Center’s Mother Empowerment Program, a residential program that each year offers critical support to 520 Palestinian families with children with disabilities from across the West Bank and Gaza. It is the only comprehensive therapeutic program of its kind available to Palestinian families.

Violette Mubarak, general director of the Center, explained the challenges that a Palestinian parent encounters when they seek treatment and support for their child with disabilities, “Children from towns and cities in the West Bank and Gaza cannot access services at our Center because they and their parents don’t have permission to travel to Jerusalem. Our multidisciplinary team goes into the field to our partner clinics to assess children and then refers those who need comprehensive treatment to our Center. We then facilitate the permit process to allow the child and a parent, usually their mother, to come to Jerusalem for the residential program.”

This Easter season AFEDJ hopes to raise $89,000 – enough to allow 50 additional families from the waiting list to participate in the Mother Empowerment Program in 2023. Generous gifts from several individual donors and organizations will allow contribution to be matched dollar for dollar up to $45,000.

Many gifts together offer hope for the future for these children and their families. As always, AFEDJ ensures that 100% of designated donations go directly to the intended institution.

Visit www.afedj.org/easter to make a gift or learn more about AFEDJ’s Easter Appeal.

Thank you for considering this invitation to make a difference in the lives of those who live where Jesus himself transformed the lives so many.

AFEDJ is a nonpolitical, nonsectarian 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to transforming lives of the vulnerable and displaced in the Middle East through support of the schools, hospitals, and centers for children with disabilities that are owned and operated by the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem in Palestine, Jordan, Israel, Syria and Lebanon. Learn more at www.afedj.org.