Palestinian Christians in Michigan struggle to celebrate Christmas amid Gaza war
For the Christmas season, Huwaida Arraf often goes all out decorating her home in Macomb Township. Born to Palestinian Christian immigrants, Arraf cherishes Christmas as a joyous time, especially for a community that has roots in the area where Jesus was born.
“Usually, our house would be the most lit in our neighborhood,” said Arraf, 47. “We had lights on our lawn, reindeer and elves and candy canes, the whole nine yards.”
But this season, the mood is quite different as the Palestinian death toll from Israeli strikes over the past two months has reached a level not seen in memory. The Arraf family’s decorations and lights are now just sitting in their garage.
Your gift sustains the studies, the case files, and the classroom resources that keep this work credible.