| Cyberspace at Your Service |
With the advent of email people keep in close touch from far distant places. For most people a visit to Israel opens up far more questions than answers found for the questions they had before they came!
For groups coming on seminars organised by Givat Haviva's International Department this definitely seems to be the case according to the emails received from many – and often weeks or months after they have returned to their own countries.
"It took me a while to understand what it was we heard, saw and shared when our group came to Givat Haviva. Now I really appreciate the opportunity that was offered through the visit. First hand knowledge that there are Jewish and Arab Israelis who do want to coexist, recognise but are trying to work out their deep differences was very comforting to feel part of even for a very short time," emailed a student from Britain.
"I really thought I had a handle on the situation in Israel until I visited Givat Haviva and heard so many sides to the same coin. I am not sure whether I should say thank you or not, as it was much easier to 'understand' before I came to your seminar and gained knowledge!" was the reaction of another young British visitor.
Through the organisation that dealt with the logistics of their 4-day visit to Israel, a group of ladies from Washington passed on a "heartfelt appreciation" of their more than short visit to Givat Haviva. Coming direct from the airport after a long flight and before jetlag took hold, the ladies were filled in on Givat Haviva's educational projects and on their way further north, received a guided tour of the Wadi Ara area.
Most of the ladies had been to Israel many times but none had stood before on top of the Mount Amir range and looked out over the country and out to sea on the one side and across a large belt of the West Bank with the turn of their heads on the other.
"The Washington women were overwhelmed by the staff's presentation, a great success as expected," emailed the Missions Manager responsible for the W.W.'s sojourn in Israel.
From Switzerland and Germany comments crept up on our computer screens after various groups came to the International Department to hear in-depth talks about the status of Israel's Arab population and their relationship with their people, the Palestinians, before venturing out on a tour of the region incorporating visits to Harish, Barta'a village, Katzir and other places in the area.
"The time spent in Givat Haviva was the highlight of my/our visit to Israel," was repeated a number of times.
A member of a group of Jewish and Christian British folk who undertook a study tour of Israel together wrote in the organisations magazine:
"In our tour of the Green Line and security fence we saw areas where the barrier is a fence and other areas where it is a wall. Seeing it for ourselves was very useful in interpreting the images thrown at us by the media and understanding the lives of those living in its proximity," one of them wrote.
Writing in the same magazine another group member noted:
"I particularly enjoyed the time we spent at Givat Haviva with one of the educators from the International Department. It was truly inspirational. We learned that this department also receives hundreds of teenage Jewish youth on their Israel Tour, which I see as so important.
"It may be the only time they have on a tour to Israel to consider the situation of the Palestinian Israelis and the various dichotomies and ironies that exist not only between the Palestinians and Israelis but in Israeli society as a whole.”
"What I appreciated so much about everyone we met was their honesty."
Another of the visiting groups, a synagogue congregation from California, also included a lot of information about their visit to Givat Haviva in a report they sent to their community in America when they returned home.
"We were fortunate enough to meet with a number of persons from different backgrounds. I do pray that the Givat Haviva Peace Centre's mission succeeds, and was impressed with the tenacity after all these years of war and terrorist bombings," one of the group wrote.
In an email to the International Department another of the participants wrote:
"Thank you for the time spent with my group, giving the opportunity to visit the Green Line and security fence in the area …and especially for the maps!"
Hopefully we here in the International Department of Givat Haviva will hear more from the scores who send mail, and we also hope that many will return again for yet another visit to our campus and area in the not too distant future.
|
|
|
|
|
