This 5,000-year-old hillside village in Maaloula, Syria, is one of the last remaining native Aramaic-speaking communities in the world. "Aramaic is on the verge of extinction,” warns a specialist in the language spoken in the time of Jesus - threatened by devastating civil wars and the mass exodus of Aramaic-speaking Christians from the Middle East.
What is Aramaic?
Aramaic (air-uh-MAY-ick) is an ancient language deeply rooted in the Middle East, and the native tongue of Yeshua - Jesus - and his family, friends, and followers.
The Christian Lord's Prayer ("Our Father"), written in a form of Aramaic script. Like all Middle Eastern languages, Aramaic is read from right to left. The word commonly translated as "Our Father" - abwoon - appears in the top right corner.
What is The Aramaic Way?
... a journey of discovering the spiritual richeshidden within the Aramaic words of Yeshua (Jesus) that have been all but lost over more than two thousand years of translation, transcription, and interpretation
... an exploration of the historical, cultural, and language contextof Yeshua's world, so we can hear his message with "Aramaic ears" and understand his spiritual vision with an "Aramaic heart"
... the story of the Aramaic-speaking community in the 21st century - dispersed worldwide, struggling to keep their rich and unique language, history, and traditions alive in the face of oppression, exile, and persecution
... a celebration of the unity we reclaimwhen we strip back 20 centuries of denominational differences and distinctions, and return to the heart of the common heritage of Christianity, Judaism and Islam.
... and above all, a living practice of remembrance, and a powerful example to follow in our own continuing unfoldment as men and women of God