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In his studio in the heart of old Gaza, not far from a 5th
century Orthodox church, Jeldha spends his days carving
religious figurines, chiseling low-relief carvings of Biblical
scenes and painting portraits of Jesus, Mary Magdalene and the
saints.
"My message is about my religion," said the gray-bearded
57-year-old, a member of the Greek Orthodox community.
"I want to make it visual, I want to make people see it, not
only to be kept as texts in church."
As he works, steel-rimmed spectacles perched on his nose, Jeldha
listens to Byzantine prayer music that echoes softly around the
studio, creating an atmosphere from another era.
The walls are covered in his pictures, with more laid out on the
arms of chairs and sofas, and others propped on a 150-year-old
Russian piano in the corner. As well as painting and sculpture,
Jeldha plays the accordion, piano and guitar.
In the run up to Christmas - celebrated on Jan. 7 in the
Orthodox church - Jeldha is busy making pieces as gifts for
friends and relatives.
While he has been an artist for 35 years, he does not display
his works or offer them for sale. Instead, he presents them as
gifts at weddings or events on the Christian calendar. He does,
however, have plans for a public showing soon.
In the next two weeks, he is also hoping he will be one of about
800 Christians granted a permit by Israel to leave Gaza and
travel to Bethlehem, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, to
attend prayer services in Jesus's birthplace.
"We have applied for permits and if we get them I intend to
travel with my family," said Jeldha, who is determined to remain
in Gaza despite the departure of many Christians over the last
decade in the face of rising economic hardship.
While Gaza's Christians generally enjoy good relations with
their Muslim neighbors, there have been isolated attacks by
hardline Salafist groups on Christian tombs and symbols.
Hamas, the Islamist movement that has ruled Gaza since 2006, is
keen to ensure the Christian community feels safe and protected.
Its leaders occasionally visit the heads of the three Gaza
churches to build stronger relations.
Jeldha acknowledged that the economy was suffering, with the
blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt, a move to pressure Hamas,
limiting trade, driving up costs and causing despair.
Despite that, Jeldha, whose white front door is adorned with a
small cross painted in blue, said he would never leave.
"I have lived in this neighborhood for 54 years. I have
brotherly and wonderful relations with Muslims," said the father
of four. "Gaza is beautiful and I will not leave it...I do not
feel I am a stranger here."
(Writing by Nidal Almughrabi, Editing by Luke Baker and Angus
MacSwan)
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