Press release for immediate publication

Three months after its experimental publication, the official website, Maghtas.com was launched Wednesday morning, December 1^st. Maghtas.com is a specialized site focusing on the lives of Arab Christians in Jordan, Palestine, Israel and the diaspora.

Christian spiritual and lay leaders sent video messages of congratulations and wish that the site will help strengthen Christian presence and unity.

Rev. David Rihani head of the Jordanian Evangelical Council, Orthodox Bishop Atallah Hanna, attorney Botrus Mansour head of the Evangelical Council in Israel,  Bethlehem mayor Anton Salman, former Beit Sahour city councilor Issam Kokali, director of the Augusta Victoria Hospital Walid Nammour, Munther Nemat head of the Jordan Bible Society, Orphan activist Nisreen Hawatmeh, Assyrian Father Boulus Khano, Jordanian lawyer Haythem Ereifej, Reverend Bassam Banoura from Beit Sahour and Jerusalem activists Dimitri Diliani are among those sending video greetings.

Maghtas.com is a non-theologian and non-denominational Christian site, registered in the US state of Pennsylvania, members of the board, the advisory council, and the staff can be seen on the about us page at https://milhilard.org/about-us/

Upon its launch, the site will publish an extensive interview with Bethlehem’s mayor and will make available a number of in-depth reports dealing with issues of concern to the Arab Christian community. Issues of marriage, divorce, inheritance, adopting, and other related personal status issues of concern to Christians.

The new site has contracted with Rana Abu Farha a leading reporter in Bethlehem who will give exclusive coverage to the Christmas season the birthplace of Christ. Legal advisor to the Anglican church in Jordan will begin a series of articles on legal issues of concern to the Christian community.

A special calendar of events page has been accumulated giving detailed information of events in the coming days and months. A weekly newsletter will be sent to interested members every Friday morning and a special effort will be made to encourage young people to write to the website and make their voices heard.

Press release in Arabic here