Today's increased physical separation, isolation, and ignorance of one another have revived the worst stereotypes and fears among both Palestinians and Jews.
But some citizens move toward each other, not away -- overcoming walls, refusing to be "enemies."

---

     Saturday, 13 November 2004, on U.S. National Public Radio, a Palestinian man and a Jewish woman described how they were able to meet face-to-face through Sustained Dialogue. . .and change.
     Hear them describe it, by clicking on the speaker icon at:

http://weekendamerica.publicradio.org/programs/index_20041113.html#8

You and others can do the same where you live.  It can only help.
-- L&L

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     Now read about the youth -- supported by their courageous families -- who refuse to be "enemies," and thus become the adults of our times.

1.  VACATIONS FROM WAR: Steps toward the concrete utopia of a peaceful world
     2.  CROSSING BORDERS: Palestinian, Israeli, and Jordanian Youth learning to live together on equal terms
     3.  BUDOS FOR PEACE -- An Olympian ideal that works



======  1  ======    
 VACATIONS FROM WAR:
Steps toward the concrete utopia of a peaceful world

During three summer in 2002-2004, in VACATIONS FROM WAR, 370 young Palestinians and Jews, from Israel and the West Bank, met in summer camps in Germany for intense, painful and joyous times that changed them.
     Read about these young women and men at http://vacation-from-war.com/ .
They said "yes" and insisted on being with their "enemies:"

In spite of escalating violence.
In spite of skepticism on both sides.
In spite of people telling them "it's not the right time."
In spite of taking big risks of being denounced by peers as "collaborating with the enemy."
In spite of courageous, young Palestinians having to risk dangerous curfews and
travel obstacles in order to meet their occupiers.
In spite of Jews having to overcome huge fears of meeting their potential attackers.

     Their personal, brief writings of life-changing experiences -- 188 PLEAS FOR ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN DIALOGUE -- comprise the most intelligent, compelling written appeal for citizen, face-to-face relationships and the public peace process we have ever seen.
     Please take time to read their words, at http://vacation-from-war.com/docu/docu.html .
     Then you will know that our world can change sooner than we might imagine *if* we will meet the "other" and stay together.
    Then please show others everywhere these statements of Jewish and Palestinian youth -- leading the way, beacons of light.


======  2  ======
CROSSING BORDERS:
Palestinian, Israeli, and Jordanian Youth
learning to live together on equal terms

     The visible face of the 40 youth partners of CROSSING BORDERS -- http://www.crossingborder.org/ -- is a starkly-honest, beautiful regional bi-monthly youth magazine written for and by Israeli -- Jewish and Arab -- Jordanian, and Palestinian youth aged between 16 and 20.
These youth model and support dialogue among young people in the Middle East, and have sustained their work since 1999 in the face of surrounding violence and reasons for despair.
     By publishing, and by example, this handful of young women and men touch thousands of others.
     CROSSING BORDERS continues to:

-- Provide young Arabs and Israelis with a dynamic forum and space for self-expression.
-- Create a network of young people in the Middle East for contact, sharing of experience,
exchange of ideas and dialogue for mutual learning.
-- Train the youth in journalism and communication skills for self-empowerment.

You can subscribe to CROSSING BORDERS, their exquisite, sophisticated, down-to-earth magazine, read the editorial -- "We must learn to listen" -- and see more about the young participants and their border-crossing, bridge-building activities, at:
http://www.crossingborder.org/


======  3  ======
BUDOS FOR PEACE:
An Olympian ideal that works

     Six Israeli and six Palestinian youth from Jerusalem -- each sports-minded, with courageous parents -- decided in Summer 2004 to move beyond being "enemies." 
     They replayed the ancient "Olympic Truce," when warring parties would lay down their weapons and concentrate on peaceful competition and relationships together.
     In the safety of Greece, they relished in their newly-found friendships and shared interest -- martial arts.      
     They chose Delphi, where the oracle at the Temple of Apollo first advised warriors centuries ago to put their skills and efforts into athletic games rather than warfare.
     It was a little awkward at first -- not just unfamiliar faces, but unfamiliar faces from across the great divide.
     They emerged from the plane at Ben-Gurion Airport easy in each other's company, surprised at "how nice" the "others" were, how good at karate, how many shared concerns, interests, and hopes. Reunions are being planned.
     It took initiative from a new Australian immigrant to Israel, Jewish Danny Hakim, an independent-minded Palestinian Muslim counterpart, Abdel, complicated logistics, and outside sponsorship from the Washington-based Institute for World Affairs for this first-time "Budos for Peace" camp.  Amos Davidowitz ( ADavidowitz@iwa.org ), IWA's Executive Director, had initiated OlymPeace in 1991. 
See photos, and read more, at:

http://budoforpeace.org/

     David Horovitz, Editor of The Jerusalem Report, sent his son to the camp, and concludes that "these minor, modest, efforts at interaction, the kinds of small-scale, grass-roots dialogue we thought we had outgrown 20 years ago, are among the only means currently available to counter the trend."
     Be sure to read his full article.

An Olympian ideal -- By David Horovitz

Published by Israel21c -- August 22, 2004 at

http://www.israel21c.org/bin/en.jsp?enPage=BlankPage&enDisplay=view&enDispWhat=object&enDispWho=Views%5El145&enZone=Views&enVersion=0&