"Breaking the Ice" --
Spreading the spirit to Chile
Tonight, Saturday, 31 January 2004, 10:40
pm, you would have wanted to be at the Santiago, Chile Airport.
The historic, returning "Breaking the
Ice" expedition team of Israeli and Palestinian women and men, having
navigated Drake Passage back from 30 days in Antarctica, flew from Punto Arenas
to Santiago's Aeropuerto Arturo Merina Bentez. . .into the open arms of
Palestinian and Jewish residents of that city who are rallying themselves
as never before around the travelers and their high purpose.
Beginning only days ago with the
seed of an idea -- and from a place of interest, but doubts, fears, and
mistrusts -- a handful of Santiago's Jews and Palestinians, navigating their
own way through some misunderstandings and temporary reversals, stayed faithful
to one another and to hosting the expedition team.
Throughout the process of planning to receive the
travelers -- like "Breaking the Ice" itself -- the Chilean Arabs and
Jews never gave up. And they have begun to transform their distanced lack
of relationships to a partnership, growing hour by hour.
Even while the Jews withdrew to be faithful to their
ages-old Sabbath day, their new Palestinian partners re-doubled their own
planning efforts to make sure all travel, hotel, and reception plans were
secure and excellent.
Tonight -- 1:30 in the morning
Santiago time -- Rabbi Roberto Feldmann phoned from Chile. Out of
enthusiasm and fulfillment, he described the airport reception scene.
"It was so wonderful -- every second and
moment," he said of airport welcoming, relating, and press interviews.
Rabbi Feldmann was accompanied by Carol Unger and
Alberto Stern, who photographed and videofilmed every moment. The
Palestinian hosts were Mario and Jaime Nazal, and journalist Pato
Abusleme.
"They were so warm and kind," said the
rabbi.
"Mario spoke so nicely from his heart, and hosted
in a fine room in the beautiful, flowing Palestinian way."
Journalists at the airport were very sensitive and
thoughtful, in respect for the high purpose and huge accomplishments of the
Middle Eastern partners.
"It was the first time we had been at the same
table -- Jews and Palestinians," said the rabbi with a sense of authentic
delight and real gratitude. "It was a very balanced, loving moment."
"We agreed we needed to get together more -- and
not just us adults, but definitely our youth!"
Roberto also said that Alberto Stern made a beautiful
video of all of it. And lots of photos were taken.
They all agreed that "something is happening in
Chile now."
They agreed that a Monday public hotel presentation
will be arranged for yet others in their communities, to also better allow for
reporters and TV crews to be invited by both "sides," when the
"Breaking the Ice" team sits down to tell their stories.
"We, heads of communities, had never comet
together. Mario and I made a pledge to stay together. My heart is
expanded."
"It was energies meeting and become synergy."
The hosts drove the full team of 15 to the fine hotel
with its eight rooms provided by both communities, equally, in the spirit of
Dialogue itself.
And Palestinian Pato Abusleme
(pabuslem@puc.cl), matching Feldmann in excited sleeplessness, wrote at 2:55 AM
about the Israelis and Palestinian team:
"It was amazing to see them all and perceive the
tight relationship they developed with one another. It was a real privilege to
meet them all.
"It was also a huge privilege to meet in person
Rabbi Feldmann, Carol Unger and Alberto Stern. It was great to see people from
our local Palestinian and Jewish communities sitting on the same table.
"That's one of the first achievements made by the
Breaking the Ice expedition: to bring Jews and Palestinians a little more
together here in Chile. I hope that we were not the only case, but that the
example given by Mr. Nathaniel and his unique crew will help millions of
Palestinians and Jews around the world to sail together on the same boat, as
they just did, to the common goal of peace."
They are sleeping now, and
tomorrow, Sunday, they have been provided a van to relax and do as they wish
before Monday's full telling to more Jews and Palestinians, and to broadcast
and press reporters, of their profound adventures on stormy seas and the peak
of "their" Mountain of Israeli-Palestinian Friendship.
Knowing the power of story, Monday promises to be
another peak experience..
With full hearts and hope tonight, Libby and Len