Celebrate Life!

at Ma'an lil-Hayat/L'Arche Bethlehem

What Makes Us Unique?

We're a community of welcome

“Communities are truly communities when they are open to others, when they remain vulnerable and humble; when the members are growing in love, in compassion and in humility. Communities cease to be such when members close in upon themselves with the certitude that they alone have wisdom and truth and expect everyone to be like them and learn from them.

“The fundamental attitudes of true community, where there is true belonging, are openness, welcome, and listening to God, to the universe, to each other and to other communities. Community life is based on forgiveness and openness to those who are different, to the poor and the weak. Community is the breaking down of barriers to welcome difference.”
― Jean Vanier (founder of L’Arche), Community and Growth

We celebrate the unique value of each person

“Each human being, however small or weak, is of unique and sacred value and has something to bring to humanity. As we start to really get to know others, to listen to each other’s stories, things begin to change. We begin the movement from exclusion to inclusion, from fear to trust, from closedness to openness, from judgment and prejudice to forgiveness and understanding. It is a movement of the heart.” Jean Vanier, founder of L’Arche

“Every child, every person, however fragile or vulnerable, needs to know that they are a source of joy; every child, every person needs to be celebrated.” Jean Vanier, founder of L’Arche, Becoming Human

“The heart of L’Arche is to say to people, ‘I am glad you exist.’ And the proof we are glad that they exist is that we stay with them for a long time… ‘I am glad you exist’ is translated into physical presence. Jean Vanier, Living Gently in a Violent World: The Prophetic Witness of Weakness, co-authored with Stanley Hauerwas

We engage with the world around us

“To be transformed, we must first meet people who are different, not our family, friends and neighbours who are like us. Let us meet across differences – intellectual, cultural, national, racial, religious and other differences. Then from this initial meeting we can begin to build community and places of belonging together…

“Community … is a place of togetherness in spite of differences, of people united in love and open to all other people. A community then is like a fountain or a shining light, where a way of life is being lived and revealed, open to others and attractive to them. It is a place of peace, revealing a way to peace and to unity for the human family.” Jean Vanier, founder of L’Arche

Ma'an lil-Hayat - Dar Salah

In response to our growing awareness of the needs of people with disabilities in the area and the ever-increasing number of names of people waiting to be welcomed into our community, we opened a second day program in September 2016 in a village on the outskirts of Bethlehem. Ma’an lil-Hayat – Dar Salah was founded by four long-term core members (people with intellectual disabilities) and two assistants from Ma’an Bethlehem. Today, there are ten core members and three assistants, along with numerous volunteers and student interns who form this satellite community. The beginnings of this project are quite remarkable. When the village council of Dar Salah learned that we were hoping to open a center in the village, the head of the council offered us a recently renovated house to use rent-free for the next few years. We are grateful to the village council as well as to the founders of Ma’an Dar Salah for their generosity!

Ma’an lil-Hayat (Together for Life) is the first and only community project in Palestine that brings together people with and without intellectual disabilities to engage in creative textile-arts activities and share daily life together. Founded in August 2009, in Bethlehem, Ma’an lil-Hayat is a member of the International Federation of L’Arche Communities, created in 1964 in France by Jean Vanier (see www.larche.org). Members of Ma’an lil-Hayat use the wool of Bethlehem sheep to make felted-wool ornaments, nativity scenes, and other unique gift items. The raw wool is purchased from women shepherds in a village on the outskirts of Bethlehem.

Ma’an lil-Hayat seeks to affirm and empower people with intellectual disabilities in their claim to adulthood. Meaningful, challenging activities encourage a sense of personal responsibility and genuine participation in the building of civil society.

Experiences

A variety of experiences and activities aid in fostering the development of self-esteem, the ability to make choices, the active participation in a learning environment, and the development of creative skills. Ma’an lil-Hayat encourages its members to discover and share their talents and abilities, to become more aware of the needs and realities of other people, to work as part of a team, and to acquire a greater sense of personal and communal responsibility.

Participation

The participation of members with intellectual disabilities in making high-quality beautiful handicrafts enables them to experience the joy of artistic creativity and the social recognition it attracts. Our members with disabilities are unable, because of their disability and the lack of support within the Palestinian community at large, to be employed in ordinary workplaces. Therefore, the sheltered environment provided at Ma’an lil-Hayat responds to their specific needs and offers a way for them to have a more “normal” adult routine that fosters a greater sense of self-respect and dignity.

Creative Activities

Members of Ma’an lil-Hayat make felted-wool ornaments, nativity sets, and other gift items from the wool of Bethlehem sheep. The raw wool is purchased from women in villages on the outskirts of Bethlehem.