Students send Palestinian Rugby Club to Cyprus

By Jessica Paulsen
Managing Editor

Several students in a Saint Mary’s University Lasallian Core Traditions (LCT) class raised money to send the rugby team from Bethlehem University (BU), a Lasallian university in Palestine, to a tournament in Cyprus in early October.
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“They raised money and awareness and also did some research into what life is like for Christians living in Palestine,” said Dr. Jane Kelley Rodeheffer, professor of philosophy, who teaches the class. Students contacted the players and coach to get first-hand information about their situation.

“From corresponding with the coach, I got an idea of what things are like over there and how easy things are over here,” said Steven Boussie, a sophomore student in the LCT class. “It made me realize that I’ve been given an opportunity to help, and I should not take that for granted.”

Part of the course was to learn about the Lasallian mission, and the project focused on raising awareness about the situation in Bethlehem, according to sophomore Maria Biebel, a student in the class.

“It’s for perspectives on the good human life, so obviously we’re living the good life by helping people,” said Biebel.

“It was nice to be able to send them some money, but it was more about creating an awareness about what is going on in Bethlehem and making people stop to think about it,” said Boussie. The money the students raised went to the rugby team’s airfare to Cyprus and equipment needs that they had.

Tag rugby has become a way for youth in Palestine to learn about sportsmanship, team-building and peace. Martin Bisstrai, coach of the Rugby Club in Palestine, said in a news article for the Palestinian News Network that “‘Rugby is a great sport and it’s a battle without weapons. That is what Palestinian (and any other) youth need.’”

Israel has built a 30-foot-high wall around the city of Bethlehem. Many people are unable to leave and have to go through security checkpoints to enter the town. Because of these conditions, many of the rugby players had never been outside of Bethlehem before their trip to Cyprus, where the team won its tournament.

BU was the first established university in the West Bank and is the only Catholic university in the Holy Land. It was founded by the Christian Brothers and shares a Lasallian heritage with SMU.