An Arab, a Jew, and a Truck — Roads to cooperation
31 August 2012
"You can't make peace with your enemy, without your enemy."
-- Reena Lazar
Director, Peace It Together, Canada
"People become the stories they hear and the stories they tell."
-- Elie Wiesel
Nobel Peace Laureate
An Arab, a Jew, and a Truck
A story from the USA
In 1977 Moustafa Soliman began writing his
novel of the needed citizen response to to brave government steps like
Anwar Sadat's border-crossing to the Israeli people.
This August, 2012, the inspired Egyptian-born
Muslim finally published his vision of how powerful, relevant person-to-person
relationships can begin not only in the Middle East but also in New York.
In the Bronx a religious odd couple is forced by
circumstances to live together.
But they become friends and business partners by
choice.
Ali, a devout Palestinian Muslim and David, an
American Orthodox Jew, learn to share a kosher kitchen and recognize their
shared humanity.
Their moving company truck's logo declares: "Moving
is our specialty! We've been doing it for centuries!"
Their business opens a window to ethnic,
religious, and political ironies that instruct and inspire readers.
An Arab, a Jew, and a Truck
by Moustafa Soliman
Infinity Publishing - August, 2012 - 237 pages
Author Moustafa Soliman asks: "Can a
moving truck carry hope and bring peace to the Middle East?"
Moustafa firmly believes that "the propagation of
such stories through creative collaboration will ultimately bring peace and
understanding to a region that was the source of our civilization."
He can be reached at his home in Washington, DC -- ArabJewTruck@gmail.com
Jews and Muslims Share a Sanctuary
Northern Virginia, USA
A few miles from Moustafa Soliman's
home, in everyday life Jews and Muslims share a place of prayer.
When Muslims around the world were gathering for
Friday prayers, in one neighbourhood in the US state of Virginia the
worshippers enter a building that could hardly be further from a traditional
mosque.
At a time when religious differences are sparking
conflict in the Middle East and beyond, increasing cooperation between the two
faiths is allowing this unique programme flourish.
The BBC's Katty Kay reports on how a Jewish community
opens its doors because the area's mosques cannot accommodate all of the
growing Muslim population.
US synagogue welcomes Muslims seeking a place to pray
BBC News -- 16 August 2012 -- 2 min video
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19289226
Break Dancing Across the
Green Line
Egypt, Israel, Palestine
Shared human experiences unify, and create
common meaning -- a basis for future conversations and relationships.
This Spring 2012, travelling U.S. musical ambassadors
-- cultural diplomats --.created such a foundation for future human engagement
and commonality in the Middle East -- Egypt, Palestine, Israel.
Hip-hop goes beyond race, religion or socioeconomic
class, according to Lorenzo Rennie Harris, hip-hop dancer and founder of
Rennie Harris Puremovement, Philadelphias famed hip-hop dance company.
Whether you are from Philly or Cairo, you can connect
with African-American arts, because they are about freedom.
His words were acid-tested by a month-long tour of the
Middle East by Harris and his company as part of DanceMotion USA, a diplomatic
initiative sponsored by the U.S. State Departments Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs and the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
READ MORE at:
Break Dancing Across the Green Line
Rennie Harris Brings Hip-Hop to Israel and West Bank
The Jewish Daily Forward -- April 26, 2012, issue of May 04, 2012.
http://forward.com/articles/155292/break-dancing-across-the-green-line/
VIEW VIDEO of the shared hip-hop art experiences:
Nablus , Palestine
3/12 min. video .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Qf2_nvKM1A
Israel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O43H1CSgTvM
Fibers, Egypt
2-1/2 min video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4GitUePuJ8
From Cairo to Alexandria, Egypt
3-min video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KA9_qvom_uE
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These and hundreds of other success stories are preserved at http://traubman.igc.org/messages.htm