The last month has been extremely tough on those Jews and Arabs in Israel committed to continuing to work toward dialogue between their communities.
Every Jewish and Arab educator and Jewish and Arab participant in Givat Haviva's ongoing dialogue projects have no doubt questioned themselves over and over as to where they stand with regard the hostilities in the south of Israel and Gaza and if indeed they, as individuals, still believe they can make a difference.
Possibly in doubt and in need of boost in moral, cyberspace has provided an injection of the latter with a few recently received messages from folks at home and abroad who have at some time visited Givat Haviva and also continue to believe in the chosen path of dialogue upon which all our programs rest.
JEFF BROWN from Los Angeles visited Givat Haviva with his son Aren last summer. Many years ago Jeff studied Ivrit in a kibbutz ulpan and served as a mechanic in the Israeli Air Force before returning to settle in LA with his Israeli wife Rachel.
During last summer's visit Jeff and Aren heard about the dialogue projects in Givat Haviva and also visited nearby communities in Wadi Ara together with Lydia Aisenberg from the International Department. During an exchange of emails – and with Lydia mentioning that Jewish and Arab teens were still coming to Through Others' Eyes and other programs during these most difficult times, Jeff replied:
"I think it's great that the Jewish and Arab kids are still showing up at Givat Haviva. They are the future and hopefully they'll understand that to make the changes that are necessary to be able to live peacefully together in the region only comes through understanding both sides regarding the issues that each side has which of course only comes through dialogue.
"Hopefully in time it will be possible to solve most of the major obstacles that both sides face and to arrive at a point in time in the future when each side can live in peace with the other.
"Keep up the good work!"
Aran and Jeff Brown visiting Umm el-Fahm with Givat Haviva, 2008
Gila Shapiro resides in the Galilean religious community of Hoshayah. Originally from the United States and a member of the Association of Americans and Canadians in Israel, Gila attended a 3 day seminar organized by the International Department last November.
During that seminar the 30 A.A.C.I. seniors met with members of the Arab communities in Wadi Ara in their own homes and participated in an in-depth tour of the region and attended workshops on campus.
Gila – who also participated in a similar seminar a few years ago - emailed a number of times to say how much she and her husband enjoyed the last Givat Haviva program on Jewish-Arab issues. In her last email, during the Gaza hostilities, Gila stated:
"I cannot help but think about the pertinence, ESPECIALLY NOW in these days, of the A.A.C.I. seminars and other seminars that you do, and of the great value of Givat Haviva to Israeli society specifically, and to Middle Eastern and world society, in general."
Thanks Gila and we look forward to your next visit to Givat Haviva.
From far away Australia an email from the heart … of a highly respected facilitator who for professional reasons will remain nameless!
"The Gaza situation has caused me huge angst – it is hard to get my head and heart around it when one has a deep commitment to peace and an understanding that it's hard if not impossible with those who are not. I have and followed a lot of different approaches and comments in the media, which in this country is not very supportive of Israel – we only hear mostly about Palestinian deaths and Israeli aggression."
She sends her "love and blessings for peace and calmness" – and the successful continuation of the vital work of Givat Haviva and other likewise organizations in Israel.
Dr. Eva Frojmovic, a lecturer at the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies, University of Leeds, who organized a meeting between members of the Leeds Jewish community and Lydia when she was recently in Britain emailed her thoughts, support and said that "with the present hostilities the work of Givat Haviva needs to be supported more than ever."
We are grateful to these folks and the many others who have emailed their support and continued interest in the projects of Givat Haviva and together hopefully we will be able to generate sufficient funding to continue with bringing together people from either side of the deep divides in Israeli society and with our regional neighbors.
January 2009
