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Blood Brothers Study Guide 1

Blood Brothers

Elias ChacourElias Michael Chacour was born November 29, 1939 in the village of Kafr Bir'im in Upper Galilee in the British Mandate of Palestine to an Arab Christian family, members of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. At the age of eight he was evicted along with his whole village of Biram by Zionist forces and became a deportee and a refugee but remained in the region.

Because he remained in his homeland, he was granted Israeli citizenship when the state was created in 1948. Completing his schooling in Nazareth, he studied theology at  St. Sulpice Seminary in Paris and returned home in 1965. He was

ordained a priest by the Archbishop of Akko, Haifa, Nazareth and all Galilee, who became Patriarch Maximos V two years later. He later studied the Torah and Talmud at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem as well as Aramaic and Syriac, becoming the first Arab to gain a higher degree there.

Chacour came to the village of Ibillin in the Galilee as a young priest in 1965.

The young Father Elias, seeing the lack of educational opportunities for Arab youth beyond the 8th grade, set about creating a school open to all local children, regardless of religious affiliation. In the early 1980s, on an empty hillside now known as the Mount of Light, a classroom building was begun. The newly formed high school moved from temporary quarters in the community center to the new building as soon as it was ready. The original high school has expanded considerably and now includes a primary school and a community college. The Mar Elias Educational Institutions now have 4,500 students, serving "boys and girls, Moslem, Christian, and Druze."An advocate of non-violence, Chacour travels often between the Middle East and other countries around the world.

The unforgettable story of a Palestinian Christian working for peace in Israel.

by Elias Chacour with David Hazard

Introducing the AuthorA short biography of the authorPage 1

Jerusalem: City of ConflictUnderstanding the setting of the story Page 2

Discussion Questions and Writing PromptsQuestions and writings prompts to help you better understand each chapterPages 3-9

Map and TimelineRecent map of divisions between Israel and Palestine.Page 10-11

Important Quotes Memorable quotes to record for the test / essayPage 12

Index

Father Elias Chacour

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Since the time of Abraham, the land of Palestine / Israel has been the most disputed area of real-estate in the world. Empires have controlled this land for centuries - Egyptian, Phoenician, Hittite, Assyrian, Canaanite, Israelite, Babylonian, Persian, Greek, Room, Byzanntine Christian, Arab Muslim, and Ottoman. Jerusalem has been destroyed twice, besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times, and captured and recaptured 44 times in the course of its history.

The city of Jerusalem has been a beacon of faith for millennia to Jews, Christians, and Muslims. For Christians, Jerusalem is integral to their understanding of Biblical history. Abraham’s route to Canaan, as well as the path by which Moses led the Jews out

of Egypt, can be reckoned from Bibilical accounts. The Gospels describe Jesus’ final trip to the holy city. The city is also of significant importance to the Muslims, who believe that Muhammad preached of God in Arabia and, in a vision, flew on a winged steed to

Jerusalem, the city toward which he first taught his followers to pray.

Today, the city remains at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.

Jerusalem: City of Conflict

The three flags shown here are from Palestine, Jerusalem, and Israel.

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Chapter 1 Discussion Questions

1. Where does Elias go to escape from labor and to be by himself? What is significant about the tree?

2. What is historically significant about the time period in which the story begins?

3. How does Elias describe his father?

4. What glimpse of foreshadowing does Elias give at the end of the chapter?

Writing Prompt

Setting plays an important part in Blood Brothers, and the narrator takes some time to describe the setting the first chapter. Using examples from the first chapter, describe the setting for this novel. Include what you think helped you to picture the area where the book begins.

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Chapter 2 Discussion Questions

1. Describe Elias’ school. How is it different from American schools?

2. Elias gets into trouble at school for speaking before he thinks. What does he say in school that gets him into trouble? What does this tendency (to speak too quickly) tell about his character?

3. How does Elias tell us that his family has lived in the Galilean region for a long time? Use specific examples.

4. How does Elias communicate with God? Describe the relationship they have.

5. Explain the history of the Melkite Christians.

6. How does Elias describe his father? List at least 2 character traits that Elias seems to admire.

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Chapter 3 Writing PromptFrom your studies of history you know how many Jews were treated throughout Europe in the early 1900’s. First, describe how Zionist Jews took over a large percentage of Palestine and tell what happened to Elias’ family. Then explain what is ironic about these events.

1948 – Present Arab-Israeli ConflictsFaced with mounting opposition and unrest in Palestine, Great Britain gave up its mandate over the region in 1947. Later that year, the UN voted to partition Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states. In May 1948 Israel declared itself an independent country. Arab states refused to recognize the new nation. In a series of wars, Israel prevailed over neighboring Arab countries and gained more territory. Large numbers of Palestinian Arabs and Jewish refugees from Arab countries were displaced by the wars. Alternating periods of open warfare and tense quiet have continued to the present day.

In the picture: Members of the Jewish settlement police advance against Arab marauders in December of 1938, during the British Mandate of Palestine, in what would later become the state of Israel.

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Chapter 4 Discussion Questions1. Explain why all of the women and children from the former town of Biram turn to Elias’ mother for strength after the men are taken away.

2. Early in the chapter, Elias is praying to the Lord. What does he promise he will give to God?

3. In a few sentences, describe what had happened to Father, Rudah, Musah, and Chacour while they were gone.

4. What does Elias’ father say, and then do when he learns that his fig orchard has been sold to someone else?

5. How is Elias first treated when the Zionists find the cut telephone wire?

6. At the end of this chapter, how is the new military and government in Israel described?

Chapter 5 Discussion PromptFirst, describe the environment of the orphanage and what Elias thinks of it. Then, tell about what happens to Elias’ family while he is at the orphanage.

Bombed by Zionist soldiers in 1952, the village of Biram was destroyed, and the inhabitants refused re-entry. It is now considered an Israeli National Park.

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Chapter 6 Discussion Questions1. What “special gift” is Elias given during his second year of studies in Hafia that helps him to survive?

2. What decision do the two friends make together about their futures?

3. Describe the place where Elias goes to meditate and find solitude.

4. What kinds of rules does Elias struggle against while studying in Nazareth?

5. When talking with the Archbishop, why does Elias insist that Biram will exist again?

6. What does Elias believe he must do with his life?

7. Why were Faraj and Elias not allowed to attend school in Jerusalem? Where were they sent instead?

Chapter 7 Discussion PromptFirst, describe the problem that Elias discovers is plaguing the churches and seminaries of the Western world. What is the difference between the way Elias and Faraj view God, and the way many Westerners view God? Next, explain what happens at the end of Chapter 7 to change Elias’ perspective.

From 1933 - 1945, more than 6 million Jews and 5 million non-Jews had died or were killed in Nazi concentration camps.

Jewish youth rescued from the Auschwitz Nazi concentration camp show their tatooes on their forearms on board a

refugee immigration ship at Haifa port, during the British Mandate of Palestine, in

what would later become the State of Israel.

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Chapter 8 Discussion Questions1. During the first Zionist conference in Basle, Switzerland, how did Theodore Herzl describe Palestine? Why did many of the other delegates object?

2. What country had controlled Palestine prior to the British takeover following WWI? When the British took over, what had they promised to the Palestinians?

3. How did England’s Lord Balfour influence the course of events in Palestine?

4. Where did the term “Palestinian terrorist” originate?

5. What did the politically radical Jewish group known as the Haganah do to bring more Jews into Israel?

6. Explain the difference between what Faraj believes they must do to help their people and the land of Palestine, and what Elias believes they must do.

7. Describe why Elias is reluctant to return home again.

Chapter 9 Discussion Questions1. Describe the ordeal that Elias must face at customs when he tries to return home from Europe.

2. Why does Elias’ cousin warn him not to park his car on the street? What reason does he give?

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3. Describe what Elias finds when he returns to Biram.

4. Explain the symbolism Elias sees in his old fig tree.

5. What warning does the Bishop give to Elias regarding his new church in Ibillin?

6. Describe what the village of Ibillin looks like and how Elias is greeted upon his arrival.

Chapter 10 Discussion PromptWhen Elias first arrives in Ibillin, he is shocked. Describe the situation of the church and explain why people no longer trust the church. Then, using the sisters from the Convent and the worship service on Palm Sunday as examples, describe how Elias is trying to bring peace to the village, and build forgiveness among the people.

Chapter 11 Discussion Questions1. In order to better reach the people of the community of Ibillin, Elias encourages the Christian sisters to reach out to the Moslem women. What are some of the ways that they interact with the people of Ibillin?

2. Describe the political problems that are occurring in Israel. (This should take about a paragraph to fully answer.)

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3. Why is Elias troubled by the response to the victory and the conclusion of the war in 1967?

4. During many long conversations together, Elias and Professor Flusser discuss the nature of Israel. What attitude is Elias surprised to find in Flusser?

5. During a conversation with his new Bishop, what does Elias say is the “greatest need of all” for the Palestinians?

6. What large public event/demonstration does Elias plan after the demonstration in Biram?

7. Although Golda Meir, Israel’s Prime Minister, never responds to the request of the peace marchers, what good does come from the demonstration?

Chapter 12 Discussion PromptThroughout Chapter 12, Elias works to bring hope to the people of both Palestine and Israel. Describe at least three of the different projects that he is working on. Sadly, all of the work is starting to have an impact on Elias himself. What is happening to Elias’ motivation as he encounters setbacks to his work for peace?

Chapter 13 Discussion PromptIn this final chapter, Elias is really struggling with where he ought to be working/living. Describe at least two events that convince him to leave Israel. By the end of the chapter, Elias changes his mind and decides to stay in Israel. Explain why he decides to stay and what he plans to do with his future.

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World History Blood Brothers Timeline Life of Elias Chacour

Ottoman Turkish conquest of Palestine 1517

First census in Jerusalem – 7120 Jews, 18445760 Muslims, 3390 Christians First Zionist Settlement 1878

First Zionist Congress in Basle, Switzerland 1897

Aliens Act excludes Jews from Great Britain 1906

Start of WWI, Allies at war with Turkey 1914

British issue Balfour Declaration – this promises 1917a “National Home” for Jews in Palestine

Armistice between Allies and Germany, Nov. 11th 1918

Violence growing rapidly in Palestine, Europe 1930’s

Britain and France declare war on Germany 1939“White Paper” issued, barring further immigration into Palestine – Irgun respond with bombings

1947 Story begins in Biram

British withdrawal from Israel 1948

1949 Father and brothers taken forcefully from home by Zionist soldiers

Haganah bombs Jews in Iraq to increase 1950 Elias punished for supposed cutting of Immigration telephone wire

1951 Begins studying at orphanage

1952 January – Rudah visits to tell of Biram’s bombing.

1954 Elias / Faraj transfer to St. Joseph’s Minor Seminary, Nazareth

Zionist forces invade Gaza 1955

1958 Elias / Faraj attend school in Paris, France

1965 Elias finishes training in Paris, returns to Israel to begin ministry

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Capital:Disputed. Israel claims Jerusalem as its capital, but most countries have embassies in Tel Aviv.

Area:8,019 sq mi, slightly smaller than New Jersey. Hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas. Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley.

Population:5,938,093 (July 2001 est.).

Gaza Strip:Israeli occupied territory with limited Palestinian self-government.

Area:139 sq mi, mostly limestone hills.

Population:1,178,119 (2001 est.)

West Bank:Israeli occupied territory with areas of limited Palestinian self-government.

Area:2,263 sq mi, flat to rolling sand- and dune-covered coastal plain.

Population:2,090,713 (2001 est.) note: 176,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank, about 6,900 in the Gaza Strip, about 20,000 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 2000 est.).

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/indepth_coverage/middle_east/conflict/map.html

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Important Quotes to Remember