Sowing
seeds of coexistence, skilled communication
10 March 2016
"Have we not
come to such an impasse in the modern world that
we must love our
enemies -- or else?
The chain reaction
of evil -- hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars -- must be broken,
or else we shall
be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation."
~ Martin Luther
King, Jr. (1929-1968)
In the dark of the
moon,
in flying snow,
~ ~
in the dead of
winter,
war spreading,
~ ~
families dying,
the world in
danger,
~ ~
I walk the rocky
hillside,
sowing clover.
~ Wendell Berry
The rocky
hillside of
(in)human separation and dismissal is starkly described by March 2016 Pew
social science research -- http://www.pewforum.org/2016/03/08/israels-religiously-divided-society/
Clover to urgently sow is in many forms -- stories of reunion,
communication skills, human support, life-giving art forms that awaken the best
in us.
This clover is Love.
= = 1 = =
Sowing Clover as
Middle East Engagement
Hand in
Hand Arab-Jewish School -- http://www.handinhandk12.org -- began its Haifa activity
four years ago as a small private day care center.
They are now a preschool with almost 90 children, and elementary school
is the natural next step.
SEE the video, to meet some of Hand in Hand's local parents and
activists filmed by local high school students last year when the parents
were still advocating for municipal recognition.
Hand
in Hand Bilingual Preschool in Haifa
9-min video -- 28 December
2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJ_z9ZosA3M&feature=youtu.be
To celebrate
the 2016 New Year, the Mayor of Haifa, Yona Yahav, visited the Hand in Hand Haifa Preschool to show his
support and meet with local community members.
This followed his historic decision to provide municipal support to open an
official integrated bilingual 1st grade in a public school in Haifa in
2016-2017.
"I've always thought that Jews and Arabs should speak each other's languages
and be able to flow easily between Hebrew and Arabic.
I am excited to announce the opening of the bilingual 1st grade - an important
track to have in our education system in Haifa."
VIEW and HEAR more older students on the Jerusalem campus:
Hand
in Hand Bilingual School in Jerusalem
Channel 2 News (Israel) -
Sunday evening, 31 January 2016
13-min video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4PK7tnYzfw
Hand in Hand's Project
Harmony Israel is the English-language Jerusalem summer day-camp program
for the Palestinian-Israeli and Jewish youth.
They are now seeking local and international volunteer staff -- https://www.facebook.com/projectharmonyisrael/
= = 2 = =
Clover is Instructional
Story from Norway
In 2016,
newly published in Norway is a 6-page article of Palestinians and Israelis
in real-life communication -- what works, what doesn't.
Listening:
An underestimated tool for peace
Norway -- 2016
http://traubman.igc.org/listennorway.pdf
The Norwegian
friends remind us:
"Education alone is not enough.
We must see each other as human beings."
"Listening is not just usual listening, it's about listening to hear
to honor and respect the one who talks and let the message sink in before
responding."
"Some argue that there should not be any contact between Israelis and
Palestinians 'until the occupation is ceased' because the activity would act as
a normalization of the situation and thus perceived as an acceptance of the
conditions.
This is a devastating barricade to the goal."
= = 3 = =
Clover is Music
from Palestinian and Israeli Youth
Seeds of
Peace -- http://www.seedsofpeace.org -- helps Israeli and
Palestinian youth develop leadership skills, become closer, and illustrate
living coexistence,
Their relationships continue leading to unprecedented creativity.
Their example inspires, and their music powers itself around Earth awaken other
bridge builders.
They sing and shout out:
"I was a new seed, once
upon a time,
Building bridges between your
side and mine.
I was frightened by this
great divide,
But you taught me to never
run and hide.
Your story changed me, that
was just the start.
Communication opened up my
heart.
Roots run deep for you and
me.
The tallest tree was once a
seed."
VIEW VIDEO:
WAGIN'
PEACE
Seeds of Peace Middle East
youth-leaders
5-min video
ALL THE
LYRICS are
at http://traubman.igc.org/music2011.htm#wagin
-= = 4 = =
Clover is Muslim-Jewish
Meal-sharing of New Jersey Women
New Jersey,
USA, Jewish and Muslim women continue together, finding that what unites them
is greater than what divides them.
They share stories and traditional dinners featuring specialties of
their Middle Eastern, Pakistani, and Indian cultures.
We came here in the interest of tolerance and peace and to learn about each others religion and culture, said Zakiya
Kathawala.
During their February, 2016, gathering at Temple Rodeph
Torah, the Jewish women left the sanctuary to prepare for dinner.
The Muslims stayed behind to lay out mats for their evening prayers facing the
ark, which points in the direction of both Jerusalem and Mecca.
They group formed after Rabbi Shira Stern met Fatima Masood, the principal of the Islamic Center of the Bridge
Academy.
In the community there was no effort to get to know each other, so someone
needed to take that first step, said Masood.
The determined women are forming their own chapter of the Sisterhood of Salaam
Shalom -- http://sosspeace.org
SEE PHOTOS:
Muslims,
Jews break bread at shul event
New Jersey Jewish News -- 07
March 2016
http://njjewishnews.com/article/30112/muslims-jews-break-bread-at-shul-event#.VuCJBkA8rgy
-
- -
This message is on the Web at http://traubman.igc.org/messages/694.htm
Hundreds of other success stories are preserved at http://traubman.igc.org/messages.htm