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OSLJ Supports Orthodox School of Bethany for Girls on Lazarus Saturday

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For the fourth year in a row, the Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem has supported the Orthodox School of Bethany for Girls through fundraising efforts on Lazarus Saturday, when Orthodox pilgrims flock to the school's small chapel, built on the site where Martha and Martha met Christ to tell him of the death of Lazarus.

This year, over 500 olive wood Easter eggs were painted by the boarders and volunteers in preparation to be sold to pilgrims for much-needed funds for the boarding section of the school. A separate fundraising appeal is sent out to the international Christian community as well.

Founded in 1937, the Orthodox School of Bethany for Girls is a mission school of Jerusalem Ecclesiastical Mission of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia. It presently includes a small monastic community that oversees both the private girl's school and a boarding section for approximately a dozen Christian girls from across the Holy Land who come from adverse family circumstances.

OSLJ Holy Land Commandery member Dan Hautakoski has been volunteering on behalf of the Order since 2014. The School was visited by the Grand Master of the Order prior to his installation in Jerusalem in October 2015.

"The Orthodox School of Bethany has been particularly appreciative of the Swedish Commandery for its financial support through its direct donation in 2015," reports Hautakoski. "Those funds were put towards travel expenses for medical needs of the boarders, which made it possible to take advantage of free consultations and procedures in Europe. Thank you to all our brothers and sisters in Sweden who put their hard-earned money to help us."

This year's collected funds will go towards the renovation of the rooms in the girl's dormitory, a project which is estimated to cost approximately $50,000 USD.

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