New Reconciliation Stories

Transforming Our Future

08 August 2016

 

"History teaches us that

enmities between nations, as between individuals,

do not last forever.

However fixed our likes and dislikes may seem,

the tide of time and events will often bring

surprising changes in the

relations between nations and neighbors.

So let us persevere.

Peace need not be impractical.

And war need not be inevitable."

            ~ President John F. Kennedy

              American University - June 10, 1963

              https://youtu.be/bZsG4qbw_tY

"To lead into re-humanization while living in the midst of fragmentation

we must envision the life school of wholeness that permits us to be fully human with each other (not apart),

even with those we fear, while we seek the creative strategies that

transcend division and violence found in our shared journey and future."

            ~ John Paul Lederach

 

TODAY
1.  First, Curiosity and Wonder
2.  Stories
3.  Two New Films
4.  Videos


= = 1 = =
First, CURIOSITY and WONDER

PEOPLE ASK: "In what do you have faith, when despair and crises seem unsolvable?" 

WE REPLY: Yes, We are surrounded by what and whom we do not see and do not yet understand.
Yet we are born into this supremely intelligent creation with discoverable answers and people simply waiting to be understood.
THIS VIDEO
reminds us.

Hidden miracles of the world

7-min video

http://www.youtube.com/embed/FiZqn6fV-4Y

 

Cultivating gratitude helps, too.
AppreciatING that we have this lifetime to discover solutions together -- always together.

Gratitude

10-min video

https://youtu.be/gXDMoiEkyuQ

= = 2 = =
STORIES

"Stories transform the future!

They go ahead of societal change in order

to open space for new attitudes to take root and grow."

~ Paulette Stevens

250 Israelis and 250 Palestinians
Meet Thoughtfully in Tel Aviv
Friday, 22 July 2016, about 500 Israelis & Palestinians sat facing one another, negotiating  peace in a central open public place in Tel Aviv amidst many more public observers.
The creative, citizen-driven day was a bold, responsible initiative of Minds of Peace -- http://mindsofpeace.org

Hundreds of young Palestinians -- with increasing numbers of Muslim women -- traveled from the West Bank to Tel Aviv to meet diverse Jews to carry on negotiations about their shared future. 
Under open-air tents on Rothschild Boulevard, the Jewish, Muslim, and Christian women and men respectfully sat heart-to-heart around tables.

For many, it was a first-time for meeting the "other," as they created and deepened relationships.
By Fall 2016, a bigger "Public Negotiating Congress" is envisioned for 1000 Palestinians and Israelis to negotiate mind-to-mind, heart-to-heart.
The citizen-initiators envision "a major Israeli-Palestinian Public Negotiating Congress with political power the Congress off the People.
SEE VIDEOS and REPORTS:

 

Minds of Peace

https://www.facebook.com/Minds-of-Peace-186081194106

500 Israelis and Palestians Gather to Consider Their Common Future

TV News Broadcast (Hebrew)

Friday, 28 July 2016 - 5-1/2 min video

https://youtu.be/VThmf_UJtlg
Arabic

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4lmcuc_%D8%A5%D8%B3%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%8A%D9%84-%D8%AD%D9%84%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%AA%D9%81%D8%A7%D9%88%D8%B6-%D9%85%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B4%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%86-%D9%82%D9%88%D9%89-%D8%B4%D8%B9%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A5%D8%B3%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%8A%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%88%D9%81%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B7%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A9_news

Chinese

http://big5.cctv.com/gate/big5/tv.cctv.com/2016/07/24/VIDEUPmqPrKvpXGGYfXGExwh160724.shtml

 

Israeli-Palestinian Civilian Peace Initiatives

Mideast Focus  (English)

28 July 2016 -- 16-min video

https://youtu.be/yHsL0eCxS5c

 

 

Palestinians and Israelis Who
Work Together in Hospitals
In a world of conflict, confrontation, deadlocks, and dead ends, few crises are as protracted as the Israeli-Palestinian impasse.
But however inauspicious a situation, pockets of humanity can always be found.

 

The Israelis and Palestinians who work together in peace

In hospitals, schools and businesses, Israeli Arabs, Jews and Palestinians are working side by side to forge a better future

The Guardian -- 11 July 2016

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/11/israel-jews-arabs-palestinians-work-together-peace

Jerusalem Jews, Muslims, Christians
Constructing Shared House of Prayer
In an attempt to turn away from polarization and politics, a group of Jews, Muslims, and Christians will be setting up a joint house of worship in Jerusalem.
The prayer hall will be open to the public between September 5th to the 11th.

Jews, Muslims and Christians to build a joint house of worship in Jerusalem

The Media Line and YNet News -- 28 June 2016

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4821236,00.html

= = 3 = =
TWO NEW FILMS of
Listening, Humanizing, and
Understanding A Whole Story

DISTURBING THE PEACE (2016) -- http://disturbingthepeacefilm.com -- is about transcending alienation modeled in real life by Combatants for Peace.
They are Israeli soldiers and Palestinian fighters who are choosing reject violent means and build strong relationships.
They meet and listen to the narratives of "enemies," thus humanizing one another then expanding their circle -- creating a new story for a cooperating world.

Producer-director Stephen Apkon's realizes that "if you were born where they were born and you were taught what they were taught, you'd believe what they believe."
He pleads to not respond to hate with hate, but by engaging and exploring the other human being.

 

Human relationships are disarming

Traverse City Film Festival Awards

30 July 2016

4-min video

https://www.facebook.com/dtpfilm/videos/277183415988127/

WRESTLING JERUSALEM (2016) -- http://www.wrestlingjerusalem.com -- is a film, play, and book with the transcript.
From the mouth of one person -- actor-writer Aaron Davidman --  emerge the powerful narratives of 17 different Jews and Palestinians locally and in the Middle East into whose skin Davidman places himself to give voice and dignity to their many, sometimes seriously conflicting life experiences and world views

What further distinguishes Davidmans notability is his own courage and dedication to launch his life of Dialogue to seek out, engage and listen to learn from the lips of the real, diverse women and men he then portrays.
Davidmans life is a living example of citizens everywhere can get out, work externally, engage and connect.
Listening and hearing, not humiliating and negating one another, external relationship building can be the antidote, providing opportunities to unite with others about our shared vision of an improved future that works for all.


= = 4 = =
VIDEOS

Celebrating the humanizing, unifying power of arts and music education, this music video was premiered at the White House as a signature program of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities.

 

EVERYDAY PEOPLE: Playing For Change

3-min video - May 2016

https://playingforchange.com/videos/everyday-people-song-across-america-artsforchange/

To love a nation is to love all the people.
Professional wrestler champion John Cena takes a break between dropping body slams to drop some truth that patriotism is more than pride of country or a few kinds of people.

It's love beyond labels.
The Love Has No Labels campaign -- http://lovehasnolabels.com -- challenges us to open our eyes to our implicit, or unconscious biases and correct it in ourselves, our families, our friends, and our colleagues.
 
Wherever we live on Earth, let us rethink our biases.
Consider our allegiance to one another, to Earth.

 

LOVE HAS NO LABELS

John Cena - Professional Wrestler

July 4th, 2016

3-1/2 min video

https://youtu.be/0MdK8hBkR3s


 - - -
This message is on the Web at http://traubman.igc.org/messages/698.htm
Hundreds of other success stories are preserved at http://traubman.igc.org/messages.htm