Israelis, Palestinians plant trees together

+  U.K. Muslims, Jews talk, listen, learn

Sunday, 04 February 2007

 

    We are between two worlds -- an old world that is dying but not yet dead, and a new world that is conceived but not yet born.
     Headlines of traditional news sources prefer human failures of old thinking and acting.
     Yet, there also very different stories of people birthing the new world.
    
     LISTEN to new life at the days-old, inspiring RADIO SALAAM SHALOM in the U.K., at:
                http://salaamshalom.org.uk/
     HEAR one of the first songs they broadcast -- "Spring Has Come. . .a new beginning" at:
                http://odeo.com/audio/3166373/view
     READ how a U.K. Jewish school welcomes Muslim students to learn together, while honoring the faith tradition and identities of each.

Published The Independent (U.K.) -- Thursday, 04 February 2007

The Jewish school where half the pupils are Muslim

http://education.independent.co.uk/schools/article2201860.ece

     In the Holy Land, citizens are also crossing physical and emotional borders to meet and cooperate.
     150 Israelis with 150 Palestinians.
     Planting over 1,000 trees.
     Seeding relationships and authentic hope.
     Respecting Earth and each other.
     In the Spring of new relationships.
     Creating new stories for the new world being born this very moment.

                        - L&L
    


Published in Ha'aretz -- Saturday, 03 February 2007
Hundreds take part in joint Israeli-Palestinian tree planting
By Eli Asheknazi, Haaretz Correspondent
http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/821309.html
 
     Over 150 Israelis and 150 Palestinians planted nearly 1,200 olive trees on Friday next to the West Bank village of Salam, near Nablus.
     The ceremony took part under the slogan, "planting solidarity between Israeli and Palestinian farmers." The trees were planted in an area where hundreds of trees had been uprooted or cut down in recent years, many of them by Israeli settlers living nearby.
     The plantings were carried out by initiative of the kibbutz movement under the leadership of Yoel Marshak. According to organizers, "In honor of the Jewish holiday of Tu Bishvat we want to send a message of solidarity between Israeli and Palestinian farmers, and to emphasize the importance of the rule of law."
     MK Michael Melchior (Labor) took part in the planting, as did members of the New Israel Fund and members of the Rabbis for Human Rights movement.
     "There was no political or partisan nature to this initiative," Marshak said. "Our message is that from farmer to farmer, wherever a man goes hungry, we will be there," he added.
     On Sunday, the kibbutz movement will launch a cooperative endeavor at the textile cooperative area in Mitzpe Ramon. Area youths performing national service will take part in the operation.