THE GRADUATION CEREMONY OF THE YAFO SCHOOL GRADUATES

On Wednesday evening, 23 June/ 6 July 2022, the graduation ceremony of the four graduates of the Arab-speaking School of the Patriarchate in Yafo (Ancient Joppa) near Tel Aviv was held in an open ground space of the School’s courtyard.

The Patriarchate has always kept a school in this area. However, there was a disruption in the function of the School in 1948 when the Israeli army camped there. The Patriarchate managed to regain the function of the School 25 years ago by the actions of the memorable Patriarch of Jerusalem Diodoros and His representative in Yaffo, His Eminence Archbishop Damascene of Yaffo.

The graduation ceremony was honoured by the presence of H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, His Eminence Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, His Eminence Archbishop Damascene of Yaffo, Priest Issa Mousleh, Archdeacon Mark and the Priest of Yaffo community, Fr. Constanti.

The ceremony began with a prayer, and then the School Principal Mrs Najla Hanhan delivered the introductory speech and invited the four graduates on stage. The Principal described the work of the School, which overcame the difficulties due to covid and other factors and prepared the graduates to succeed in their exams for the Universities of Israel.

The School Principal also thanked His Beatitude for the moral and financial support of the School of the Patriarchate.

The ceremony continued with the addresses by the graduates, in Arabic, Hebrew and English. The students expressed their gratitude to the School for the education they received for twelve years. There was also a video with the school activities of the students in the previous year and they concluded by passing over the staff to the next year’s graduates.

Finally, Fr Issa read the Patriarch’s address in Arabic, which underlined the value of education as the foundation of society and thanked the School Principal and the Teachers for their educational work.

In the end, His Beatitude gave the graduation certificates to the graduates, wishing them success in their future careers.

From Secretariat-General