Latest news from September 26, 2026 (for more information, see the latest newsletters):

Dear members and donors, dear people interested in our association’s activities,

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free! Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery!” (Galatians 5:1) But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:15)

Despite all our optimism, we must not forget the suffering of people, especially in Ukraine, Gaza, the West Bank, Iran, and Lebanon. The disastrous war in the Middle East, with its global repercussions (update below), makes it very difficult not to give up hope for a new beginning, optimism, love, and peace in the world.

October 10, 2026: 6:00 p.m.: Tiki Küstenmacher (© Photo): Living and Believing More Simply and Happily Where: Dietrich Bonhoeffer House, Dietrich Bonhoeffer Street 39, 53757 St. Augustin, Free admission; proceeds from donations will go to Palestine

The international bestselling author of “Simplify Your Life” (over 5 million copies sold) and pastor puts our entire lives in order with this classic guide to living! From your desk to your finances, health, relationships, marriage, and faith, he covers every aspect of self-management and time management. He illustrates his meditation-style talk with live caricatures that accompany his tips for a more carefree, relaxed, and happier life and faith. (Includes a book signing by the author and caricaturist)

Oct. 18–31, 2026: For the JIK Israel-Palestine trip (4 participants): postponed to the NRW Easter break in 2027
November 30, 26, 7:00 p.m.: JIK General Meeting in Sankt Augustin-Birlinghoven, Haus Lauterbach:
5.5. – Sun, May 9, 27: Executive Board Trip to Budapest, Rome, or Istanbul: over Ascension Day
Approx. 7-day preparatory trip to Romania (Easter break: Sat, Mar. 20–Sun, April 4, 2027): 2–3 participants
Prerequisite: An accompanying adult, preferably for both youth exchanges:
(Participant requirements similar to those for the March/April 2027 preparatory trip to Israel—P.)
10-day youth exchange in Sibiu (Romania), dates: August 16–30, 2027,
8 participants (ages 16 and up) and 2 chaperones; more information on registration will follow.
10-day youth exchange with Romania here, dates: June 26 – July 7 2028

(Oct. 1: News online. Link: www.gregorschroeder.de – for everyone who loves humor, literature (+ interpretation), and creative political, satirical, and poetic texts. New: AI: Pros and Cons, Catholic Neo-Integralism, History of Celibacy)

ToN (Update as of September 26, 2026):

Today, Daoud flew to the UK and will be back in Bethlehem on October 5. After his return, we will push forward with the Nobel Peace Prize nomination process in order to successfully complete it in early 2027 (see attachment in the last newsletter). Unfortunately, there was yet another incident involving Israeli soldiers who used crowbars and shears to break open a section of the ToN fence, allegedly in search of a Palestinian. Fortunately, many more volunteers are now expected this fall than were in the summer.

Bodo Ramelow, who serves as Vice President of the Bundestag and as a member of the Bundestag for The Left, among other roles, writes in his “Diary” about his meeting with Daoud on September 22, 2026 (photo: far right with Daoud):

“We refuse to be enemies.” This sentence has stayed with me in particular since my encounter with Daoud Nassar and his family from Tent of Nations. On their family farm, “Daher’s Vineyard,” about ten kilometers southwest of Bethlehem, the Christian-Palestinian Nassar family has been committed for many years to nonviolent resistance, intercultural dialogue, and responsible stewardship of the land. In the process, Tent of Nations has become a place where people from all over the world come together and build bridges with one another. For decades, their home and their work have been shaped by a legal dispute over their land, by the surrounding Israeli settlement policies, and by ever-increasing restrictions. And yet their message remains: We refuse to be enemies. As the spokesperson on religious and political affairs for the Left Party (Die Linke) in the Bundestag, this stance has deeply moved me. For it is precisely where religion, background, and political conflicts divide people that we need places where encounter remains possible. Places where hatred and exclusion do not have the final say. And we need voices like that of Daoud Nassar, who also remind us that Christians have been part of this region for centuries and that their perspectives must be heard.
For me, however, listening and understanding do not mean turning a blind eye to injustice. Peace requires rights, security, and dignity for all people. International law must apply to everyone. That is why my parliamentary group is introducing the motion“Consistently Implement International Law”in the German Bundestag this week. It addresses Israel’s occupation and settlement policies in the West Bank and the responsibility Germany bears in dealing with them. The political struggle in the Bundestag and the daily life of the Nassar family are two very different realms. But for me, one question connects them: How can we create a future in which people can live with one another rather than against one another? I am grateful to Daoud Nassar and his family for our meeting, for their openness, and for their perseverance.”

1. Donations for the printing and shipping of the new ToN brochure in German (starting in October 2026)
To receive this new ToN brochure, we ask that you make a donation (approx. 10 € per copy) to JugendInterKult e.V. (Reference: ToN-B), IBAN: DE09 3806 0186 0704 8870 19. It’s best if those wishing to donate send me an email (schroedergregor@aol.com) and provide your address if you need a donation receipt, or call me (0163-6335535) so we can discuss how many copies of the brochure you need.
2. The 2027 Nobel Peace Prize nomination process runs from September 9, 2026, to January 31, 2027. We would like to nominate Daoud Nassar for this award this time.
We are currently seeking university presidents and professors of history, social sciences, law, philosophy, and theology/religion, as well as members of the Bundestag (excluding the AfD), whowill actively support our cause —either by submitting a nomination or by joining us in a joint Sign the cover letter. Send the relevant contact information to me, among others.

Thanks to our donations, Daoud has now received additional solar panels, batteries, and an inverter. The (used) olive press has since been delivered.
However, he still needs additional donations for infrastructure projects at ToN.

JIK supports volunteers’ stays at ToN lasting 2–3 weeks or longer by subsidizing or covering their airfare (contact me for more information: 01636-335535). Thanks to our help, volunteers will once again be able to assist there for an extended period. Costs for lodging, meals, etc., are approximately 150 € per week. With the help of all ToN supporters, we are striving to launch a long-term initiative to save ToN, among other causes. Perhaps you, too, have important contacts or suggestions for us?! Please help through your donations so that the many Christian organizations in Bethlehem and Jerusalem—and especially the Jahalin Bedouins—do not have to give up.

Call for Donations
The situation for many people in the Near and Middle East remains catastrophic. Pilgrims and tourists are not expected to return to Bethlehem, for example, until at least the fall. Christian institutions, monasteries (such as those of the Bridgettines), schools, universities, and even large segments of the Palestinian population in the West Bank—especially in Bethlehem—are facing increasingly severe financial hardship or are even at risk of closing down. The greatest concerns remain the famine, the 80% destruction of Gaza, and the aggressive, forced settlement policy in the West Bank and its planned partition.

Successful fundraising campaign since Jan. 1, 2023: 710 T € Ukraine, Africa, Latin America, India, the Middle East, etc.
Since total donations have been declining here as well, we will focus in the future on people in the Middle East who face multiple threats and are disadvantaged (ToN, monasteries, schools, and universities in Bethlehem and Jerusalem, the Jahalin Bedouins, Angels of Cultures, etc.; see the very bottom for bank details).

Our bank account information (including information on donation receipts)
JugendInterKult ee.V., Volksbank Köln-Bonn; BIC: GENODED1BRS; IBAN: DE09 3806 0186 0704 8870 19
(If you provide your mailing address and email address or send us an email, you will receive a donation receipt via email for donations of 100 € or more. The tax office recognizes donations up to €300 without a donation receipt.) If you would like to donate to a specific fundraising campaign or project, please indicate this in the “purpose” field (e.g., Birgittine Convent, Bethlehem University, Jahalin Bedouins, ToN).

Stay healthy and, despite all the discord, remain confident and happy to donate!!!
Kind regards
Your Gregor Schröder (0163-6335535), schroedergregor@aol.com
Am Köppekreuz 21, 53225 Bonn – www.jugendinterkult.de