Mother Agapia (Stephanopoulos), Administrator, Orthodox School of Bethany, arrived in Palestine six years ago "with no intention of working with people in Palestine." She intended to live an inner life and remain within the walls of her convent. "When you become a monastic, you wear a cross and carry it with you inside the monastery. I've learned from Palestinians what it means to carry a cross."
Her home is at the school in Bethany on the Russian Orthodox compound. Bethany is in Area B which means that it is under Palestinian civil control and Israeli military control. Muslims are the majority in town; and Muslims and Christians have always had friendly relations. By May 2000, according to the Wye Agreements, Bethany was supposed to come under full Palestinian control. During the time leading up to this transfer of authority, according to Mother Agapia, there was a general acceptance between the Palestinians and the Israeli settlers nearby.
The transfer of authority never happened, and four months later, Ariel Sharon made his appearance on the Temple Mount. Describing the 2001-2002 school year, Mother Agapia remarked that it was impossible to plan a day at school because the military repeatedly put the town under curfew.
"Rather than being awoken by the call to prayer or the church bells, we would hear the armed personnel carriers and Israeli jeeps driving through town calling out, 'Curfew' from their loudspeakers."
Her home is at the school in Bethany on the Russian Orthodox compound. Bethany is in Area B which means that it is under Palestinian civil control and Israeli military control. Muslims are the majority in town; and Muslims and Christians have always had friendly relations. By May 2000, according to the Wye Agreements, Bethany was supposed to come under full Palestinian control. During the time leading up to this transfer of authority, according to Mother Agapia, there was a general acceptance between the Palestinians and the Israeli settlers nearby.
The transfer of authority never happened, and four months later, Ariel Sharon made his appearance on the Temple Mount. Describing the 2001-2002 school year, Mother Agapia remarked that it was impossible to plan a day at school because the military repeatedly put the town under curfew.
"Rather than being awoken by the call to prayer or the church bells, we would hear the armed personnel carriers and Israeli jeeps driving through town calling out, 'Curfew' from their loudspeakers."