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Middle East
Committee
Bethlehem University Scholarship
Fund
Scholarship Established
Honoring Jan and Gordon Forbes
On the occasion of Gordon Forbes'
retirement as senior minister of Westmoreland
and in honor of Jan and Gordon's long commitment to peace and justice for the Palestinian people, Pamela and
Robert Mertz established a scholarship at
Bethlehem University in the Holy Land, named for Gordon and Jan Forbes. Over 30 Westmorelanders contributed
more than $10,000 to provide a
scholarship in perpetuity.
Bethlehem University is a relatively
new Palestinian university. It offers diploma
programs in practical subjects such as hotel management, tourism, education, nursing and midwifery. It provides an
education with economic relevance, as
well as ethical and spiritual values, to Palestinian youth. The University aims to prepare each graduate to
contribute to the development of major
educational, economic, health care, natural resource and communication structures of their country.
Although this university has avowedly
Christian roots, it is open to Palestinians of all religions. For more information on the university visit their web
site at www.bethlehem.edu
First Scholarship Recipient
Named
Khader Asmari, a second-year Hotel
Management student, was the recipient of the
Jan and Gordon Forbes Scholarship for the Fall 2003 semester. George Sahhar, Director of Development wrote us a note
recently thanking Westmoreland for our
help to "needy students [at Bethlehem University] during these difficult times."
In early January, Khader himself
wrote a note of thanks for the scholarship support.
His letter said: "I am Khader Asmari
from Bethlehem. I study Hotel Management. I also have a sister studying Business Administration in Bethlehem
University. My father doesn't work
and we are in a bad situation, so your donation through the Jan and Gordon Forbes Scholarship has helped me and my
family a lot. It was the best
present this Christmas. It is beautiful and kind from [sic] you to be doing this. Happy New Year."
Letter from Bethlehem
University Vice President for Development
In July 2003, Brother Jerome
Sullivan, then Vice President for Development at Bethlehem University, wrote an evocative letter
describing the situation that faces the
students and staff of Bethlehem University during what he described as a "normal" year for the school: "It should be pointed out that "normal" for Bethlehem
is nothing like what that word means to
the rest of the world. Students from outside Bethlehem still have to pass through checkpoints each day just
to reach the University. The number of
checkpoints ranges from one to seven or more and can change daily. Faculty and staff cannot drive their
cars into Bethlehem, but must make
special arrangements to get to the border, cross it on foot and arrange for additional transportation within the
town. All of this adds considerably to
the cost of reaching the University, the time required for the journey and the uncertainty that they may not make
it at all. That is "normal" in Bethlehem
and that's why our students, faculty and staff are so special and why our Seniors have earned more than just
a simple diploma. We are so grateful to
you, our donors, for easing their burdens. Thank you!"
Last updated Wednesday, February 20, 2008.
1
Westmoreland Circle
Bethesda, MD 20816
301-229-7766
Email the church office: churchinfo@westmorelanducc.org
www.westmorelanducc.org
An
Open and Affirming Congregation
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