Palestinian and Jewish college and high school students are
returning to their campuses. This is for them, about:
1. THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA students --
"Salaam-Shalom"
2..HELPING STUDENTS NETWORK for Palestinian-Jewish
Dialogue
We hope it helps. --L&
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THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, Berkeley, is not unlike
other campuses.
Some of its Jewish and Palestinian students cling to
old ways that do not and cannot work -- sign wars, flag-waving, fist-shaking,
finger-pointing. Taking sides. Being more "right."
Staying apart.
Like war itself, people trying to tell each other
something -- an abject failure of communication.
----------------
But at Cal, like other universities last semester,
some courageous students created something new. At Berkeley these Jews
and Arabs call themselves "Salaam-Shalom." They have e-mail at
They sit down together. Listen. Discover
equal humanity, common ground, authentic hope.
----------------
Last Thursday evening, August 29, 2002, with the new
school year reconvened "Salaam-Shalom." Jewish participant Jackie
Bliss (jackinmb@hotmail.com) could not have felt more hopeful.
"Salaam Shalom had its first official meeting of
the year yesterday and it seemed like everyone was up to really amazing things
this past summer."
Jackie, majoring in Peace and Conflict Studies,
recalled: "I remember how hearing everyone else's stories, especially from
Palestinians Nora Khouri and Sawson Zarour, really made an impact on our
relationships."
She continued: "Well, you should hear some
of the stories from the people in this group. It put tears in my eyes,
hearing about all of the amazing things that they accomplished this summer towards
peace."
"We all came in with so much enthusiasm and
excitement for the year to come."
The students intend to bring the Award-winning film
PROMISES to the campus community. More about PROMISES is at:
http://www.promisesproject.org
On their agenda are ideas about
University funding, and creating a rural "family camp" setting for
in-depth relationship-building in a safe place away from everyday life and
pressures.
They also want to sit down with other Palestinian and
Jewish Dialogue participants, to grasp skills and not waste precious time
strengthening their relationships and helping more and more students to include
themselves in a good campus peace process.
===============
HELPING UNIVERSITY & HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS NETWORK
is a project of Sarah Davidson -- U.C. Santa Cruz -- working across-country
with Shana Kirsch -- New York University.
These two visionary students were recently awarded one
of 15 small grants worldwide for "Connecting youth to create change"
-- a global initiative of the International Youth Foundation and Nokia.
You can read more about Shana and Sarah's ideas at:
http://www.youthactionnet.org/awards/
===> Please WRITE TO SARAH AND SHANA about your
college or high school Dialogue plans:
Sarah Davidson -- UrbanMermaid@hotmail.com
University of California, Santa Cruz
Shana Kirsch -- slk228@nyu.edu
New York University