Source: christine and brian’s blog: What life is like here

“Even when the sirens don’t quit, the calm of the Bahá’í Shrine in Haifa is not effected”

This blog article offers a brief glimpse of life at the Baha’i World Centre on Mount Carmel, Haifa, during the current turmoil engulfing the region. The article is a translation from one of Israels largest newspapers.

“Perhaps the near future is hard and scary, but the distant future is bright, and that is what the lights of the Shrine symbolize.”

Full translation: christine and brian’s blog: What life is like here

For a while now Haifa has enjoyed the nick-name “City of Peace” because the people of the city, Arabs and Jews, co-exist side by side in relative unity.

Over the last few days the conflict in the Middle East has escalated and missiles have been landing in Haifa, killing many people there.

The Sanfrancisco Chronicle is reporting that “Hezbollah rocket attacks have targeted both Jewish and Arab towns throughout northern Israel, including Acre”… “One rocket hit the holy gardens of the Bahai Temple. There were no casualties.”

They also report that “the harmonious relations between Haifa’s Jewish and Arab citizens appear to remain intact.”

Source: San Francisco Chronicle, Haifa’s Arabs, Jews appear united

[Note: Post-conflict the Universal House of Justice, the international governing body of the Baha’is (based in Haifa), have confirmed that all the Holy Places and Baha’i workers in Israel have remained safe]

Globes [online] – Haifa municipality recommends Bahai center as World Heritage site

“The Haifa city council last week recommended that the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declare the Bahai center and gardens in Haifa a World Heritage site…”

As a Bahá’í myself there is obviously a bias that makes me particularly enthusiastic about this. The immense spiritual force and energy that engulfs me when I am in Haifa has left my heart and soul longing, almost begging every day, to be there time and again. As a young child I had a vivid dream of flying inside the Shrine of the Bab and awoke as, in my dream, I found myself locked within the Shrine and at rest in the ledge of a round window. With no pictures available of the interior of the Shrine it was not until about 8 years later when I made a pilgrimage as a 16 year old youth that I was able to witness that every detail I had vividly remembered was accurate and, when finding myself the bounty of being alone in prayer within the Shrine, felt my soul making the same flight that I had in my dream. I was not locked in after my prayers, but I liked to think that maybe a part of my soul remained there as my body did in my dream.

Since then the Baha’i World Centre has changed a lot and the mountain that surrounds the Shrine of the Bab, which is also the resting place for ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s body, has been beautified with 19 stunning terraces, each one tranquil and peaceful with the sound of trickling waterfalls and fountains drowning out the noise of the city. In essence, and in effect, the beauty that emanates from the Shrine is having its transforming affect on the land around it just as the souls that are moved by the transforming message of the Baha’i Faith have their positive influence on those that see them exemplifying the teachings of Baha’u’llah, whose coming The Bab announced.

Whether moved by the Spirit that animates the community of followers at the Baha’i Word Centre or simply keen to experience a beautiful and peaceful mountain, the terraced gardens with the jewel-like Shrine at their center are a treasure already hailed by many as one of the wonders of the world and, especially as the Baha’i Faith stands so firmly for the unity of people, races and nations, it might be fitting to acknowledge that this centre stands a symbol for the whole of mankind and not just those who have accepted the message of Baha’u’llah.

Link: article, Haifa municipality recommends Bahai center as World Heritage site

Link: source, Globes [online]