West Bank charity still fills ancient duty, hungry stomachs
For a millennium, an almshouse in Hebron has offered food for the needy all year round, and its activities become all the more vital during the holy month of Ramadan.
HEBRON, West Bank — Starting 10 a.m. on June 21, thousands of women, men, children and elderly line up in front of the Abraham almshouse building in the old town of Hebron, each carrying an empty container and passing it through a small window to the almshouse kitchen. There it will be filled with a meal of meat, soup, rice and bread.
It is Sunday, and today’s meal consists of meat and yoghurt. Today, the almshouse workers will cook more than 300 kilograms (660 pounds) of lamb and distribute it with bread and rice. It is a popular meal.
In the almshouse, food is cooked and distributed to the needy, the poor and whoever comes asking for food, including passers-by and visitors to the city of Hebron. This almshouse is one of the oldest in Palestine and makes its offerings all year round, shielding the city against hunger for hundreds of years now. During Ramadan, the almshouse has even more work to do.
The waqf director in Hebron, Ismail Abu Halawa, said that the establishment dates back to the pre-Mamluk era and was known as “Prophet Abraham’s Bread.” During the 1250-1516 Mamluk period, the almshouse’s work flourished and the current building was built. The generosity of the Mamluk rulers helped make the almshouse famous and its name has become associated with these rulers.
