Interfaith meeting

We had our monthly meeting last night. There were 11 of us in this gorgeous former home of Conrad Schick, who designed a number of Jerusalem neighborhoods in the last century. Now it belongs to the Swedish Theological Institute. A few new members showed up - a Franciscan Friar from Bethlehem. The word "friar" means "sucker" in Hebrew (one who gets conned easily, one who works for nothing, one who pays too much for something)- so I found it quite amusing when he told us he was a "friar" from Bethlehem. I asked him what the difference was between a friar and a priest and he explained that friars were Brothers whereas priests were Fathers. I think there were an equal number of each religion represented this time around. Someone wondered out loud if this group is effective in any way, she had some reservations if it was doing any good. Another mentioned that the women's group had been meeting every month for the past 2 years despite all the political difficulties and hardships people go through here and it is still preservering. I wanted us to go more public - to be seen in more public places, having coffee outside so people will see a mixed group, maybe take a second look and a third, maybe even getting newcomers interested because they "see" it happening. Like "What's going on here?" A Moslem woman was in charge of the refreshments much to the slight dismay of another person who commented - "You know them and their hospitality. They have to go all out (which she did - we had an amazing meal!). It's not in their culture to just bring drinks and cookies to a meeting. It's not in their culture to get receipts for the food either." I laughed. We were always so used to just coffee and cookies at meetings but this woman brought a carload of food. Trouble is - the main person in charge of reimbursing the group for refreshments will probably hit the ceiling when he sees the bill. ...Just some of the more amusing cultural differences you find here.