Sunday 4 August 2019 was the day for the alumni get-together in
JLSS.
This year alumni from abroad travelled to Lebanon to attend the
meeting. In some cases, the affluent helped others with their travel
expenses to enable them to attend.
JLSS offered alumni travelling from abroad who needed to stay
overnight, rooms in the guesthouse free of charge.
As is the tradition, all alumni gatherings begin with a worship
service in St. Michael’s Church.
Mr. Ghassan Shehadeh, president of the alumni association in
Lebanon, informed the director that among the alumni attending the
get-together is an Orthodox deacon, and a Shiite SAYYED (Sheikh).
The director invited them to jointly lead with him the worship
service.
In the wonderful spirit of Schneller tolerance and brotherhood, both
accepted the invitation.
The Sunday worship service was an extraordinary interfaith service.
It included readings from the Holy Bible, recitation from the
Glorious Quran, Hymns, Christian and Muslim prayers, and a short
meditation by each.
Deacon Ibrahim Ibrahim, SAYYED Fadi Sayyed, and Rev. George D.
Haddad, presented a most wonderful picture of the unity that binds
JLSS alumni, which is the result of their upbringing in Schneller
School. The messages of all three were a wonderful testimony to the
success of the Schneller peace educational program that brings up
students together, without any distinction of religion, race, or
color. Students live together in tolerance, harmony, love, and above
all, respect to each other's traditions and faiths.
After the service, the attending alumni had lunch together in
Hermann Schneller Hall hosted by the alumni association in Lebanon.
The general assembly of the alumni association followed during which
a new executive committee was elected.
The meeting was the fruit of the outstanding efforts of the
president of the alumni association in Lebanon, Mr. Ghassan
Shehadeh, and his executive committee. Their dedication and
wonderful support of JLSS are highly appreciated.
Their term in office was characterized by an ideal relationship with
the school administration to which JLSS is most grateful.
Attending from the USA was Mr. Aziz Shalaby who presented his idea
to organize alumni associations into chapters with the mother
association being the one in Lebanon.
JLSS also highly appreciates the wonderful support it receives from
Mr. Shalaby and the Lutheran Board for Mission Support - USA.
We express our gratitude to all the Schneller alumni who attended
the meeting.
We congratulate them for their wonderful dedication to their alma
mater and their kind support.