Peacemaking in Israel & Palestine
Donation protected
In less than a week, from March 5th to the 14th, a group of students and I will be traveling to Israel/Palestine. Led by the Telos Group (http://www.telosgroup.org/) whose vision statement is "security, freedom, and dignity for every human being in the Holy Land", we hope to become deeply informed about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and learn and live with both Israelis, Palestinians, Muslims, Christians, Jews, politicians, human rights activists, former soldiers, professors, young nonviolent leaders, and religious laypeople, all of whom feel the land is their home.
Because of my Christian faith I feel a deep and historic connection with the Holy Land of Israel/Palestine.
Greatly saddened by the tragic conflict currently consuming the land I feel compelled to become an educated peacemaker. Being a member of a global peacemaking movement means seeking to support all peoples who feel misunderstood, unrecognized, or unheard. I've learned that being a part of a global peacemaking movement requires one to both avoid taking sides and abandoning the "it's their fault" reasoning while recognizing that both sides have compelling reasons to think and believe as they do. Realizing this I have learned that the best way to love a broken people is to lament with them and be with them in sorrow while helping to instill hope for the future.
A few weeks ago, while discussing our trip, a teammate of mine said to me, "Peacemakers are more needed than ever by this generation—showing us the way out of the cycles of violence; teaching us that revenge is futile; committing us to nonviolent action; drawing direct lines between justice, peace and security; and modeling respect for universal human dignity."
A few weeks ago, while discussing our trip, a teammate of mine said to me, "Peacemakers are more needed than ever by this generation—showing us the way out of the cycles of violence; teaching us that revenge is futile; committing us to nonviolent action; drawing direct lines between justice, peace and security; and modeling respect for universal human dignity."
Organizer
Jonathan Gross
Organizer
Wheaton, IL
