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October 2003 Pnina writes:
Thank you so much for your condolences. In the difficult time of bloodshed of the innocent, your words and friendship are points of a human lighthouse.
The news, all over the globe, is always referring to the handle of the cannon and the sight of the gun. But, there are many points of light, that relatively, are lighting like a small candle flame, but it is a flame of strength, of vigorousness, and I believe that it will turn out, in due time to be a huge flame of peace. I would like to write about two of these flames, both are "Oases of Peace". I would like to tell you today, about one called Neve Shalom / Wahat al-Salam (Hebrew and Arabic - Oasis of Peace).
Neve Shalom / Wahat al-Salam is a cooperative village, not far from Jerusalem, its inhabitants are about 40 families of Israeli Jews and Arabs. It was founded, on nobel ideals of co-existence, equality, mutual acceptance, respect, sharing two cultures, and at the same time each keeping its own identity.
It has a very unique educational framework, that starts from the nursery and kindergarden. The teachers, Jewish and Arabs speak to the children, each in his own language, and from the begining children understand and are aware of their identity, culture and tradition. That framework is creating an atmosphere of openness and tolerance, and the children learn to appreciate and respect the differences.
All administration and educational work are done equaly by Arab and Jewish teachers, and is aimed at enabling the children close contact between themselves. It is recognized by the Israeli Ministry of Education as a model school that will be applicable for other schools with a mixed population.
Neve Shalom / Wahat al-Salam, has founded a school for peace, which is operating on the same priciples that are the village guidance.
Some of the topics are:
Encounter workshops on the conflict, for both Jewish and Palestinian
youth in Israel, Seminars for adult groups, including teachers,
lawyers, social workers and university students. Courses for empowerment of Arab and Jewish women, and even for people from abroad.
All the above are directed by Jewish and Palestinian staff, who have special training to work with conflict groups. More than 25.000 young people participated in that school for Peace. The school has won local and international recognition for its achievements. Its methods are written in English, Arabic, and Hebrew.
I will finish the story with some citations from visitors to Neve Shalom / Wahat al-Salam:
Shimon Peres, former Prime Minister, and a real peace-lover: "An island of peace, that will create a continent of peace"
Anton Shamas, Palestinian writer: "It is always risky to be lured by metaphors, especialy in the Middle East, but those who live in this "Oasis of Peace" have managed to achieve the impossible. We who are still wandering in the desert, envy them".
That is my hope for us, that instead of hate and bloodshed, the school of peace will prevail, That was my prayers for our 'Yom Kippur', and I wanted to share it with you, all my Soroptimist Chat Liner friends.
Love and Thanks, Pnina
With all the outrage and turbulence around us, there are people, in Israel, Arabs and Jews, whot don't give up, and are not surrendering to the hate and bloodshed. They are constantly searching for ways to change the situation between the 2 people, to find ways of understanding one another's culture. It is a sisyphean work, that demands a lot of energy, but they are convinced that their commitment and working with the children of both sides is the only hope for a better future.
The PEACE CHILD - ISRAEL was established 15 years ago, using theater and the arts as a tool for a dialogue. It is a year long project each time, and the participants are Arab and Jewish children of high school age. They have 20 meetings during the school year, the meetings take place in both schools, and are based on group dynamics. At the end of the year the children prepare a theatre show, that they write themselves (one of them was called "Alice in the Holy Land").
The song that is the anthem of PEACE CHILD - ISRAEL, is composed and based on Arabic and Hebrew texts. It is called "WE Brought Peace Upon Us". Umaima, from one of the Arab schools wrote: "If we have succeeded in preparing a theatre show together, the day is not far, that we the young, will establish together the future peace."
Inbal, from a Hebrew school wrote: "Things that seemed clear 2 years ago, are not clear anymore.
I was cynical when I joined, doubting if we'd become friends - our culture and behavior are so different. But in the end
we all laughed at the same things, ate together, worked together as
partners. You learn so much from just listening to a wider point of view than what you hear in the news." (The comments were quoted in the Jerusalem Post).
Another project that I will refer to only very briefly is a very successful one done by Neve Shalom/Wahat Al-Salam: Children preparing a visual exhibition about the 3 religions' holidays, RAMADAN, HANNUKAH, and CHRISTMAS.
In the darkness of war, there are still points of light, my hope and the hope of many others from both sides is that they will prevail!
Pnina Evental
SI Givatayim Club
Governor, Israeli Union
Recently the Threshhold Foundation recognised the Ethiopian Project started by Pnina and adopted as Project by the Israeli Union of Soroptimist International, for exemplary commitment to justice, peace and integrity of creation. The Ethiopian Project, a large exhibition of photographs by Pnina, shown throughout Israel plus lectures to improve the local integration of Ethiopians in cities and villages, help to decrease the social and cultural distance between immigrants and the population in Israel.
For more about the Ethiopian Project (will open in a new Window)
Some introduction
The breaking point in the history of the Jewish people's lives was the Holocaust. After that era, the necessity to gather the people that were rescued from perdition , as well as to ingather at least some of the people that were scattered in many places around the globe became pressing, It was necessary as well to give them an anchor on a piece of land, that will be a basis for rehabilitation and continuation. Israel the ancient historical homeland was given to them by the UN.
I think that the moral and lesson of that story, can be a good example to our goal of "Goodwill and Understanding" as Soroptimists, and show that it can change so much in people's lives.
The story
It started with a special man. His name is Emil Shophany. He is a Christian-Arab cleric, the head of the Orthodox Church in Nazareth, as well as the head of a primary and high school there.
He wrote his vision of how to end the bitter Jews / Arab conflict.
He was looking for ways to build a contact with the Jewish people, a human contact, not a political one. He was searching another attitude to that contact, and his idea was to do it through the sources of the Jewish PAIN.
Emil Shophany found a partner in the Jewish society, Ruth Bar-Shalev, the daughter of one of the past Israeli Chiefs-of-Army, and an Organizations Adviser. Others have joined as well, two of the others I have met: Ilan Talnir and Hyam Tanus.
Hyam Tanus is a Christian-Israeli Arab woman, who is also the head of a committee of "International Cultural Bridges". ( Hyam Tanus received an award from the Haifa SOROPTIMIST clubs for her work!!)
It took some time to overcome opposition to the idea from both sides, especially the Arab side that claimed that there is an Arab Pain as well. The Israeli side claimed that the Holocaust is a Jewish pain, and there is no need to bring Arabs into it.
Emil Shophany contended that there is no need to balance the pains. He wanted to concentrate on the Jewish one, and said it is important to understand the fears that are part of the Jewish/ Israeli identity.
The project has started: The Group that traveled to Auschwitz consisted of about 500 people, 150 Jews, with survivors from the Holocaust, 150 Israeli Arabs and the rest from France and Belgium, Arab Imams (Moslem clergies), Christians and Jews.
In Israel the mixed groups met twice, to get to know each other, and to participate in a Seminar about the Holocaust.
What happened in Auschwitz is a mixture of both Ilan and Hyam's experience. The situation was a strongly moving one. There, all of them understood that they are the same human beings, and many of the differences were broken. People were opened to the Jewish suffering, and understood the fears that accompany the Jewish existence. A Holocaust survivor, read a poem written to her father who did not survive, Hyam told me that it was a breaking point and she and many others wept. Three religious people, a Rabbi, an Imam and a Cleric stood TOGETHER and prayed for the dead. Each of them from his own religious books.
Another very moving event was when 6 people from the 3 religions (2 of each) stood together, reading NAMES of those who did not survive. Hyam told me that she felt that the whole Auschwitz with the people's striped clothes were standing on her shoulders.
Another moment was, when they came to see the children's huts, and an Israeli Arab singer started singing in Hebrew a well known song called " Child, guard the world ! "
That is the story. The Israeli citizens from both sides are maintaining contact, and are thinking of ways to continue to the Arab's pain as well, and how to spread the message. Emil Shophany received an UNESCO award.
Pnina Evental
SI Givatayim Club
Governor, Israeli Union
As a result of Israel’s vulnerability to terror attacks against its population on the one hand, and on the other, the sacredness of human life - a central theme in Israel’s culture and religion, special solutions to deal with the problems which arise as of that reality were created.
I would like to tell you about one of these solutions, that I call - ZAKA Meshi Zahav (or in English: ZAKA SilkGold) as it is such a unique human project.
Yehuda Meshi Zahav is the founder of ZAKA.
ZAKA and Meshi Zahav is one functioning unity. ZAKA is the acronym in Hebrew of "Identification of Disaster Victims." Meshi Zahav (SilkGold) is a very unusual family name (even in Hebrew), but it perfectly fits the man who carries it. Meshi or Silk, (part of his name) is as well a metaphor to the process of thinking metamorphosis that Yehuda was passing through.
From a childhood education of a very orthodox family, 11th generation in Israel, who did not believe in Israel and Zionism, whose idea about Israel’s existence was a very negative one, to a broad understanding of the unity of destiny of Israeli human beings, religious as well as secular. From a sharp angle dimension, to a round humanistic one.
The real part of that metamorphosis, was happening after, and it is believable, the first terrorist bus explosion, on its way to Jerusalem in 1989. The event of which he was a close witness, as he ran to try and give help to its victims, was the turning point that changed the course of his whole life, thoughts and action.
It started after that act of terror. His thought was that after 50 years it is time to live together, religious and secular, and each one of them has to donate to the country and its people the best of his ability. He understood that disasters and terror are not making any distinction between the different types of Israeli people. The outcome was his founding the ZAKA group.
It was not easy, the religious community was against that linkage, but he was firm in his mind and way.
What is ZAKA ?
Nowadays it is a huge volunteer group (1000 members). Most of them are orthodox Jews, but Secular Jews, Israeli Arabs and Bedouins are as well a part of that group, and they are scattered all over the country.
Their role is the most difficult one I know exists, and needs special spiritual strength to deal with, as their first role was to come to those places and collect (and how terrible it is) the remains of human bodies, and bring them to be buried in a respectable manner.
It was the beginning. Nowadays they are dealing with all kinds of unnatural deaths, like especially terror acts, road accidents, homicide, and other disasters that human being are subject to.
Two years ago, the man has expanded the group activity to what is called "A fast rescue". A fleet of motorbikes, with qualified men, communication devices, and life saving gear, are ready 24 hours, 7 days a week, to give first aid in order to extricate and save life in danger. (Including Saturdays, that are so holy to Orthodox Jews, but their holiness is "postponed" when human life is at risk)
Another project that is taking place nowadays is what he calls "A friendship stand for life". In every crowded center, like central bus stations, train stations and many others, there is a life saving stand with all the necessary gear needed for a fast life rescue.
ZAKA has transferred, from Jerusalem to The Hague, the last exploded burned bus, so people will be able to see and understand the full implication of what a terror act means, what the tragedies are that are hidden behind the number of dead and wounded.
In 2001 ZAKA was elected by the UN as THE volunteer organization in Israel.
Gold is the second part of his family name.
Love, and long healthy life to all of you,
Pnina
The world's TVs broadcast images, not of terrorists but of armed Israelis responding to terrorism. The media usually omit to add that the Israelis are responding, thus managing to transmogrify Israeli self-defence as aggression.
Surely, if any other country were bleeding from terrorism as Israel is today, there would be no question of its right to defend itself. But Israel's efforts merely to protect its own citizens are routinely portrayed as incursion.
A double standard of criticism is often directed at Israel, while other countries, with worse records, are spared comparable criticism. The bigotry of the international community when it comes to Israel is sad and distressing.
I, as a non-Jew, perceive definite bias against the state of Israel - highlighted by results of a recent opinion survey in Europe that Israel is considered the biggest threat to world peace!
The prejudiced accusations against Israel are numerous and completely ludicrous. Israel, the only country of the Middle East with free speech, free press, or free courts, and a country where women are not mistreated, is relegated to second-class status at the United Nations!
Israel is the only member state that is deprived of equal participatory rights at The Human Rights Commission. Representatives and experts from Israel are disqualified or blackballed and excluded from the Committee on the Rights of the Child, World Intellectual Property Organization, International Labour Organization's Governing Body, The World Health Organization and the Commission on the Status of Women! Israel has been accused of everything from racism and apartheid to crimes against humanity and genocide.
Successive Israeli governments desperately tried to stop the terrorism and carnage with new and more concessions. But that only convinced the Palestinians that the Jews were in retreat, and that hitting them harder would yield even greater rewards.
The cycle of violence and rewards reached its pinnacle in September 2000, after former Prime Minister Ehud Barak made his unprecedented offer at Camp David: a full-fledged Palestinian state, shared control of Jerusalem, the evacuation of nearly every Jewish settlement - even Arab sovereignty over the Temple Mount. Arafat not only rejected the offer but launched the horrific wave of suicide bombings that have killed nearly 1,000 Israelis.
If the idea of Land for Peace is taken to mean that Israel must turn over more land until peace is achieved and Arab belligerence ended, the incurious may be left with the conclusion that the lack of peace must be the result of Israel's failure to yield sufficient land. Nothing could be further from the truth. There have been thousands of terrorist attacks since the second intifada began, three years ago. The only way Israel has been able to reduce the number of suicide bombers is eliminating their sanctuary by controlling the West Bank through occupation and sealing off Gaza.
But the problem is not one of occupation of the West Bank by Israel. If the term "occupation" had any relevance at all, it was lost three years ago with Arafat's rejection of Barak's proposal for a Palestinian state. The issue is Palestinian refusal to grant Israel the right to exist as a Jewish state.
I'm grateful to Pnina for sharing with us the "Unknown Israeli Face"
that we never see or hear in the media. Israel needs and deserves more Friends and more Goodwill and Understanding. I can only hope with Pnina that THE SCHOOL OF PEACE will prevail.
Hendré Falkson.MBChB MD
References:
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