If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you how I feel about my friend Daoud Nassar, founder of Tent of Nations (and if you haven’t, you can read those posts here, here and here). It’s been my honor to serve on the Advisory Board of Friends of Tent of Nations – North America – and when they told me Daoud was coming to the US for speaking engagements, I jumped at the chance to add Chicago to his itinerary.
Among his stops here was a meeting with local interfaith clergy (below) and a presentation last night at Glenview Community Church for a program co-sponsored by Hands of Peace, a Chicago-area coexistence initiative on whose Advisory Board I also serve (bottom two pix). At every stop, it was my pleasure see so many new friends and supporters inspired by Daoud’s message of steadfastness and hope.
Last Sunday, Daoud gave the sermon at the prestigious Riverside Church in New York City. I’ve just watched the video (above) and I was deeply moved by his words. I’ve listened to Daoud present many times, but I’ve never heard him speak in the unique context of his Christian faith. As a Jew, I found his sermon to be deeply resonant, spiritually profound – grounded both in the truth of his own personal testimony as well as universal values of hope and human dignity. I encourage you to watch it in its entirety.
Shalom Rav 
Thank you —
Wow! That was incredibly moving. Many thanks for sharing it, Brant. For me it was yet another reminder as to how easy I and my family have things. I have never faced the night time trauma that Daoud had on that journey with the children asleep in the car. The way he drew upon his faith at that time and “lived” his Christian principles of not hating “his enemy” was inspirational. I love your blogs, and as you know I love your book. Now I also love one of your friends. What an amazing guy. Thank you.
The Nassar farm is a beautiful place. (I don’t mean physically.) A friend of mine was volunteering there and he described what happened when the army arrived to conduct one of their raids. Daher Nassar went to the gate, and told them, “You must leave those guns there and come in for tea.” With anyone else you might think that the remark was a gimmick, a little performance, but in that family it’s exactly how they live. The words they painted near the entrance to the farm have stayed with me – “We refuse to be enemies”. It was the first time I ever noticed that enmity is not necessarily created by what other people do to you, but rather how you respond to them, in spite of what they do.
Thank you, my brother, for the invitation to meet and hear Daoud’s message of hope. What a powerful message he is!
Bob
Sent from my iPad