Religion

Feature Story Israel Detains Muslim Spiritual Leader Sheikh Ekrima Sabri and Bans Him from Entering al-Aqsa Mosque for Six Months

An utterance during a prayer leads to detention and banishment. 

Bio Augustine Lama

A prodigious composer and organist who served Jerusalem’s holy sites for 70 years through his music

Blog Post Jerusalem Suffers in Silence on Eid al-Adha

Palestinian Jerusalemites find it impossible to celebrate this Eid al-Adha.

Blog Post Feeding the Needy on Eid al-Adha in Today’s Jerusalem: A High-Risk Endeavor

For Palestinian Jerusalemites, even fulfilling religious obligations is fraught with risk under Israeli occupation.

Photo Essay Sacred Seasons: Tracing the Holy Calendar of Jerusalem’s Palestinians

The sacred traditions of Jerusalem’s Palestinians through time and faiths

Blog Post George Sahhar: Attending Easter in Jerusalem Is a Commitment to Preserve the City’s Living Mosaic

“Everybody will be able to come to Jerusalem from anywhere they want and celebrate in Jerusalem.”

Blog Post “I Cried When I Entered al-Aqsa”: A Bethlehem-Area Farmer Enters Jerusalem for the First Time in over a Year

The second Friday of Ramadan passes peacefully; worshippers rejoice at finally being allowed to enter their holy site.

Feature Story Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, “Guardian of the Pulpit” of al-Aqsa Mosque, Targeted by Extremist Israeli Groups

Israeli extremists agitate for arrest, even assassination, of a beloved al-Aqsa Mosque preacher.

Feature Story “Ma fi Nifs”: Palestinians Have No Heart for Christmas Celebrations While Gaza Is Being Destroyed

A somber, muted Christmas season in the Holy Land