"You led us on a not easy road. There were moments when it was difficult to stay but in spite of everything I did. It was clear to me that I wanted to be acquainted with my neighbors. I also believe that every person will drip his drop (do his part) so that things will work out." (Jewish participant) "I want to thank you sincerely Efrat and Abed (facilitators) for your facilitation and what you offered us and the effort you invested with the other side on our behalf. I was very pleased to participate in this course and I hope we will stay together next year." (Arab participant) "To You Abed and Efrat (facilitators), many thanks and keep moving forward. May this step be the first of a long fruitful journey and I hope that there will be a follow up course next year. I loved this course very much especially its content and I hope future meetings will include additional activities such as trips and home visits" (Arab participant) "… In the future I hope we can talk about coexistence that will be based on parameters of Bedouin society and Kibbutz society… and serious preparation for encounters between our children." (Jewish participant) "The facilitation was great:-complementing each other, interesting, lively, human, and warm. The group was varied and not very homogenic." (Jewish participant) "I personally experienced a very deep process that on the surface was pessimistic but in the end the great discovery that coexistence is not possible as a quick and easy process, but a difficult process filled with codes and challenges and many complexities-but in the end there is progress." (Jewish participant) "The road is still long but it was good for us to be together in the meeting with hope for the future." (Jewish participant)

Female Jewish Teacher: For some ten years we lived in Rishon Lezion, where the only Arab I got to know “in depth” was the gardener who looked after the garden by the house. I also learned about Arabs through the media, usually in the context of problems with security, especially terrorist attacks. For me, “a good Arab was a dead Arab.” As the years went by my opinions became more moderate, but I was still afraid of them and full of prejudice. The first thing that occurred to me at the first session was that we were meeting as equals: professionals of the same age, and nothing in our outward appearances or behavior revealed that we belonged to two different ethnic groups. Female Arab Teacher: …During the first encounter, what struck me was the fearfulness evident in all that was said by the Jewish group, and I was trying to understand the significance of two groups facing each other - one of them angry and other feeling threatened. I realized that I too felt threatened. And it was this connection to the deep-rooted existential fear within me that opened up the possibility of a more sincere dialogue on a deeper level with the members of the Jewish group. Female Jewish Teacher: …The main insight I gained through the workshops points to the profound processes both sides must undergo in order to arrive at a shared definition, acceptable to both sides. I am pessimistic since I realize how deep this process must be, yet I am also optimistic and feel committed to participate in it, and this is due to my personal acquaintance with Arab society, acquired at the workshops Male Jewish Teacher: …When the workshop started, I was very tense. I felt intimidated by the Arabs, I didn’t want to talk to them, they frightened me somehow, especially when they spoke Arabic. After a few games to help us become acquainted, I already felt quite differently – it broke the ice. By the time there was a break, it had already become easy to approach them and start up a lovely conversation on any topic whatsoever. I realized that the Arabs were really just like us Jews, and although it was hard for me to accept, I understood that “the Arab” is not a fanatic who wants to murder me, but a person by age with a different identity. In the following sessions we spoke more about political issues. They know much more about them than we do. It was obvious that they felt hurt and discriminated against. They spoke about many things I didn’t know about, nor how to react to. I kept quite much of the time and just listened to what they had to say.

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