Why know each other? What's good for all is good for us.
29 June 2017
"We have lived our lives by the assumption
that
what was good for us would be good for the world.
We have been wrong.
We must change our lives so that
it will be possible to live by the contrary
assumption, that
what is good for the world will be good for us.
And that requires that we make the effort to
know the world and learn what is good for
it."
~ Wendell Berry
There are exemplary, diverse citizens
among us.
Exerting unusual efforts to know their world and one another, becoming
familiar.
Living and excelling together.
Lives worth emulating, through:
1. Entrepreneurship
2. Science
3. Community
4. Sports
5. Education
plus Videos
= = 1 = =
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Our Generation Speaks (OGS) -- http://www.ogspeaks.com -- identifies emerging change agents among Palestinian
and Israeli women and men who look to build shared prosperity for the region.
This visionary training program based at Brandeis University is
"building shared prosperity, values, and trust through
entrepreneurship."
Sinan AbuShanab, a
Palestinian from Bethlehem, is the Program Manager, and Ohad
Elhelo, from Ashdod, Israel, is the Founder and
Executive Director.
They get e-mail at Admissions@ogspeaks.com
Could a cluster of startups incubate peace in the
Mideast?
The Boston Globe - 19 May 2017
= = 2 = =
SCIENCE
Sesame -- http://www.sesame.org.jo -- is cooperating scientists being a spark of light
in years of darkness.
They are physicists from several countries that rarely talk to one another
Cyprus, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Turkey and Pakistan and also from the
Palestinian Authority -- who are determined to collaborate.
This is the story of an impossible dream, a journey to what one of the
scientists calls a parallel universe of peace and cooperation in the Middle
East.
Their goal is to make light dance and emit powerful beams -- synchrotron
light -- to learn more about materials ranging from semiconductors to
viruses.
They call their shared endeavor "the light at the end of the
tunnel."
A Light for Science, and Cooperation, in the
Middle East
The New York Times -- 08 May 2017
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/08/science/sesame-institute-jordan-synchrotron.html
= = 3 = =
COMMUNITY
The Interfaith Encounter
Association -- http://interfaith-encounter.org
-- facilitated12 Jewish students from Amit Bar
Ilan religious school in Givat
Shmuel who traveled to Al-Qasemi
school in the Arab town of Baqa al-Gharbiyye, where they were welcomed by 22 host Arab
students for a three-hour, face-to-face introductory meeting.
The group was accompanied by four teachers from both schools.
At the end, in a powerful circle the students shared stigmas attributed to
the "other" that they surrendered during the day.
"Before the meeting, I thought that that religious Jews don't want to
meet and know Muslims, and that all Jewes have a
dog."
"I imagined that that Arabs put less emphasis on education, and that all
Muslims are called Muhammad and every Arab has a hookah."
Many of the students said how good the meeting was, and that in these
circles more people could correct fear and prejudices quickly.
Arab and Jewish students meet, break stigmas in a
short time
http://www.interfaith-encounter.org/170625IEAWeeklyProgressReport.pdf
= = 4 = =
SPORTS
One Team United for Peace and
Development Society -- http://www.oneteamunited.ca -- is supported
together by Canadians Adri Hamael,
a Palestinian Muslim from Ramallah, and Jewish Bernie Simpson
Their theme is "One World, One Team, One Game," as they provide
"tools for creating awareness" and "the power to change the
world."
Through "inclusion, equality, respect, they are modeling human
participation for "promoting global peace and social change."
Hamael, the Founder, says: "...we believe that soccer
has an incredible power which can be used to build bridges between
cultures, strengthen communities, create long-lasting friendships and bring our
global community closer together."
Soccer unites people
Jewish Independent - 19 May 2017
http://www.jewishindependent.ca/soccer-unites-people/
= = 5 = =
EDUCATION
Hand in Hand Schools -- http://www.handinhandk12.org -- make space for both Palestinian Arab and Jewish
communities to express and recognize the sorrows and hopes of each side,
creating a foundation of trust for building a shared future. "
This exemplary empathy is bravely practiced every year between March and May,
when Jewish Israelis mark the National Days of Holocaust Day, Memorial Day, and
Independence Day, while Arab Citizens/Palestinians mark Land Day and Nakba (Catastrophe) Day.
Grieving and Aspiring Together in the Holy Land
http://www.handinhandk12.org/news/national-days-hand-hand-days-pain-and-hope
= = VIDEOS = =
We are all on the same team, the
same side.
Earth has but one surface.
Let us rise to the occasion and be kinder
to each other.
By being together and helping each other, each supportive act makes this world
a hopeful place.
Eat Together
So much good happens when we do.
"What the world needs now is love, sweet love."
2-1/2 min video
https://youtu.be/vDuA9OPyp6I
Eating Twinkies with God
Being kinder to each other
March 2017
2-1/2 min video
A "bomb violence with
mercy" anti-terror ad has gone viral in Middle East.
The video by Kuwaiti telecom firm, Zain, aired during
Ramadan.
As expected in our times, public opinion was divided by this bold
prescription of Islam to love in response to ignorance and vengeance.
Bomb Violence with Mercy
Zain - Kuwait
- 29 May 2017
1-1/2 min video
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This message is on the Web at http://traubman.igc.org/messages/705.htm
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