Jews and Palestinians "make Peace the story"
for a change
Monday, 14 May 2007
THE WEAVERS
We are the weavers
We are the web
We are the flow
We are the ebb
We are the hope that will not hide
We are the turning point of the tide
STORIES OF
CHANGE -- At http://traubman.igc.org/messages.htm are described many web
weavers, tide turners, change agents in over 500 stories of Palestinian-Jewish
and interfaith relationship building.
READ them and realize: "Things don't
change. People change."
"MAKE PEACE THE
STORY" was the banner over the column by Indian journalist, Aditi Bhaduri (
aditijan@gmail.com ) in Kolkata.
She was quoting even-handed Israeli columnist, Danny
Rubinstein, who reminds us that often "the media plays a negative role. "
"We look for blood, for sensation, for scandal.
"And war sells, whereas peace does not."
Rubinstein's conclusion: ". . .to give peace a chance, make peace the story."
READ it all at:
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/life/2007/05/11/stories/2007051100130400.htm
THE SULHA PEACE
PROJECT -- Over ninety Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Druze teenagers
gathered for three days of dialogue, prayer, workshops and celebration at the Shaharut desert retreat near Eilat.
The Feb. 27-Mar.2, 2007 sponsor was THE SULHA
PROJECT -- http://appricom.com/sulha/ .
This SULHITA YOUTH GATHERING included youth,
ages 14-16, from Jewish and Arab towns all over
They were joined by 15 Palestinian teenagers
and adults from the Gaza Strip, for most of whom this was the first time in
their lives to interact
with Israelis.
They divided into separate gender listening circles
during which the youth found common ground as young men or women.
The circle led by the Bereaved Parents Forum was
transformative for many of the young women and men.
Israeli and Palestinian parents shared their journeys,
from the deep pain of losing their loved ones to how they came to work together
for
reconciliation.
For many of the youth, this was their first time
hearing first hand the story of loss from a person on the "other
side."
A highlight was when each from the Palestinian
delegation shared a story from daily life in
Essam Shawa
broke down in tears when he shared how his young daughter Rula,
who despite being injured in her arm by shrapnel from an
Israeli missile, overcame her resistance and decided to come to the Sulhita gathering.
Another moving moment saw Hod,
an off duty Israeli soldier, come over to greet or embrace every member of the
group from
Elad Vazana
and Hetam Mrisat were the Jewish
and Arab co-coordinators of this 2007 Sulhita
youth gathering.
See the PHOTOS at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jerusalem_peacemakers/sets/72157600078487042/
PEACE CAMP
BOSTON 2007 -- http://bostonpeaceinitiative.org/ -- is the
newest of the dozen North American camps for the
Most of the other camp-like programs are described at http://traubman.igc.org/camps.htm
and http://traubman.igc.org/campconf.htm
.
INTERNET PEACE
AMBASSADORS -- http://peres-center.org/SectionProject.asp?cc=01120205
-- is expanding to bring more and more Israeli
high school pupils aged 16 to 18 years in contact with teenagers from Arab
countries via voice and messaging technologies.
Eleven Israeli schools have committed to the program,
and already over 100 youth from 5 schools have commenced this first cycle of
the 2-month program of activities.
SESAME
Sesame Stories - called Hikayat
Simsim in
Programs are based on universal stories about respect
and understanding,
The Los Angeles Times STORY is at http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-quick1.1may01,1,5057888.story?ctrack=1&cset=true
.
LISTEN to the NPR news report by Daniel Estrin of RADIO ALL FOR PEACE at http://www.here-now.org/shows/2007/05/20070515_13.asp
.
2007 FILMS INSPIRE,
INSTRUCT TO CHANGE PEOPLE AND RELATIONSHIPS -- Several new 2007 films
are powerful tools to model what it looks like when diverse youth and adults
come together and stay together to learn about each other.
THE WEAVERS
We are the weavers
We are the web
We are the flow
We are the ebb
We are the hope that will not hide
We are the turning point of the tide