HAFLA 'Peace meal' for U.K. Muslims & Jews provides

taste of Middle East harmony

Friday, 25 July 2008

Kosher or Hallal... 'peace' meal for City workers." said the photo caption in the news report from England.
COOKING FROM THE HEART happened in London this July month, wrote supportive relationship builder and participant, Gavin Langford ( GavinLangford@hotmail.com ).
The host was HAFLA - http://hafla.org - "a London-based organisation creating cultural events, celebrating a vision of peace and prosperity in the Middle East.
     "We bring together Israelis and Palestinians, Muslims, Arabs and Jews and all people who are committed to creating peace in this part of the world."
     HAFLA describes itself further:

Our Name: The word 'HAFLA' is common to both Arabic and Hebrew and means 'celebration' or 'party'. It has a particular connotation as being the third stage of a reconciliation process that comes after the stages of truce and forgivness. As a group HAFLA asks you to imagine such a celebration.

Our Vision: We have a vision of the Middle East where each of the many and extraordinary cultures present there acknowledge, love and respect each other, as much for the many obvious similarities as well as the differences. We therefore focus on creating events that provide a platform for artists from many disciplines to express their vision of life in this part of the world, and we ask our audiences to share in this cultural feast!

     Co-sponsors were:

FERTILE GROUND

A growing network of prominent business, sports, education and arts people, organisations and community leaders drawn from across the cultural and religious spectrum who support Israeli-Palestinian initiatives.

http://iblf.org/regions/middle_east/fertile_ground.jsp

PsychoSemitic

http://psychosemitic.com/

VIEW HAFLA's touching 2-minute video at http://hafla.org .
     And re-VIEW the 4-minute video and story from Tennessee, USA -  "Muslim and Jewish Students Break Bread Together" - linked to:

http://traubman.igc.org/messages/552.htm

     This British news arrives this same weekend that the North American Interfaith Network (NAIN) - http://nain.org/ - is convening it's annual conference here in San Francisco.
"Embracing an Interfaith Future" could not be more contemporary.
     It's surely time on Earth to embrace this life.

                        L&L     




Published in the East London Advertiser - 10 July 2008
http://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/content/towerhamlets/advertiser/news/story.aspx?brand=ELAOnline&category=news&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newsela&itemid=WeED10%20Jul%202008%2022%3A56%3A33%3A423
'Peace meal' measure provides taste of Middle East harmony
by Mike Brooks

     OFFICE workers in the City of London had a feast of both Kosher and Halal food after work in a blend of culture from across Muslim, Jewish and Middle Eastern traditions.
     A cultural food event was staged at St Ethelburgas in Bishopsgate, the centre opened by Prince Charles five years ago with its Bedouin tent and peace garden in the heart of the ancient Square Mile.
     The recipes being used had been passed down through generations from mothers to daughters, grandmothers and great-grandmothers, which were shared among guests in an evening of food, stories and song.
     The Cooking from the Heart event included a three course meal, live music from the Middle East performed by Merit Stephanos and Abdul Kheir and a chance to meet people from various cultures.
     Now the organisers, the London-based Hafla - http://hafla.org - charity promoting cultural events for peace in the Middle East, are getting requests for more Cooking from the Heart in both in Britain and Israel.
    St Ethelburgas Peace centre opened by Prince Charles in 2003 is housed in a former medieval church now devoted to exploring relationships between faith and conflictit was badly damaged in an IRA bombing in the 1990s.
     Its aim today is providing a tranquil space right in the hub of the busy Square Mile to bring together people of different faiths.