sul'ha: Traditional Islamic form of third-party mediation in disputes and conflicts in order to make amends. Also, the Sulha Peace Project, a grassroots organization inspired by the indigenous process of mediation, aims to rebuild trust, restore dignity and move beyond the political agenda.
In the words of Rodef Shalom Eliyahu McLean:
Over 3,000 people attended the sixth annual 'On the Way to Sulha' gathering, which took place August 14-16 in the olive groves of the Latrun Trappist monastery, between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. After last summer’s Sulha gathering was canceled in the aftermath of the Lebanon war, this year’s event helped restore hope for many, inspiring thousands that perhaps peace in the Holy Land is possible.
Joining us were Israelis, Palestinians and internationals. We cooperated with Palestinian partner NGO's to bring over 300 Palestinians from East Jerusalem and the West Bank cities of Ramallah, Jenin, Nablus, Jericho, Bethlehem and Hebron. Israeli Jews, including many religious Jews and settlers, as well as Arabs from the Galilee and Bedouin from the Negev also joined us.
The gathering started on Tuesday morning the 14th with a two hour silent peace walk in the hills around the Latrun monastery. As we walked in to open the gathering, hundreds formed a large circle with opening blessings by Sulha Peace Project founder Gabriel Meyer and Muslim director Ihab Balha.
Each morning of the gathering we had hundreds of people break up into listening circles to begin the process of deep listening for people who may have never met someone from 'the other side'.
Over three days of ongoing activities were happening in each of these spaces:
-the Bereaved Families Tent: led by Ali Abu Awad, the Bereaved Families Forum brought pairs of an Israeli and a Palestinian to share about their journeys from the pain of the loss of their loved ones to working together towards reconciliation
- the Combatants for Peace Tent: testimony and discussion led by former Israeli combat soldiers and Palestinian fighters now working together to advocate a message of non-violence
- the Womens Tent: the Tent of Sarah and Hagar: a safe space for religious and secular, Jewish and Arab women to dialogue, pray and celebrate together
- the Children's Tent: ongoing art and games for the many Arab and Jewish children at the event
- the Youth Tent: group trust building exercises and listening circles for Israeli and Palestinian teenagers. This was organized by young leaders from the Sulhita (Sulha Peace Project) youth movement
- the kitchen: a cooperative effort of many volunteers to feed hundreds at each meal. We made an effort to make the kitchen fully kosher so that the many religious Jews who came could eat and feel welcome
-afternoon workshops: Bedouin culture, Sufi whirling dance, showing the film 'Encounter Point'
- the Prayer Tent: a tent where religious Jews, Muslims and Christians prayed in their own tradition and at the same time, side by side with believers from the other traditions. In the prayer tent we hosted panel discussions about "forgiveness" and "reconciliation in our tradition", with Jewish, Christian and Muslim religious leaders. Each day Sheikh Ghassan Manasra and I led inter-religious prayer circles with chanting in Hebrew and Arabic for peace.
Offering wisdom from outside the Holy Land were: Sheikh Fara Gaye from Senegal, Thebten Phelgye, a Tibetan monk from the Tibetan Parliament in Dharamsala, and Eshua Tioho, an Aboriginal teacher and didgeridoo player from Australia. On the third day, a delegation of top Muslim leaders from India came to tour and bless the gathering and join a Sufi 'zikr' in the prayer tent
There was alot of media coverage, including: Al-Jazeera, Arabic and Hebrew TV and newspapers, US and European networks, Reuters, ABC
Each night on the main stage there was music offered by top Israeli and Palestinian musicians.
On the first night our host, Father Paul and a group of monks from Latrun welcomed us, singing in Hebrew "hine mah tov". Knesset member Rabbi Michael Melchior offered a blessing, followed by Imam Yahya Hendi from the US and Rabbi Menachem Froman. Rabbi Tirzah Firestone offered peace songs. Arab hip hop artist DAM and Israeli musicians got the Palestinian and Israeli youth up and dancing.
On the second night we opened in front of the stage with a women's ceremony for Rosh Hodesh, the blessing of the new month. Hundreds of women were supported by a circle of men outside. Then Sheikh Abdel Qarim Al-Zurba, Imam of the Dome of the Rock, chanted verses from the Quran. The musical evening was for many a highlight, when David Broza and Yair Dalal jammed together, followed by Mosh Ben Ari. An Arabic Debka dance troupe from the Galilee closed out the evening, with hundreds joining in dance and celebration, followed by a drum circle through the night.
At the closing circle on Thursday afternoon, tears were flowing as hundreds of Israeli, Palestinian and international friends said goodbye. Many of us left with a new feeling of hope and inspiration to work even harder to make true peace and justice a reality for all of us, the Children of Abraham, who are destined to live in and share this Holy Land together.
Visit this link to view lots of great pictures from all 3 days of the gathering:
www.flickr.com/photos/jer...akers/sets/
Listen to a live podcast recorded at the gathering at this link:
israelseen.com/2007/08/28...o-the-sulha
See the short report that appeared on ABC News:
abcnews.go.com/search
To support the Sulha Peace Project, contact Executive Director Saar Shaked: saar (at) sulha (dot) com
Shalom, Salaam,
Eliyahu McLean,
Sulha Peace Project, Inter-religious advisor
Jerusalem Peacemakers
www.sulha.com
In the words of Rodef Shalom Eliyahu McLean:
Over 3,000 people attended the sixth annual 'On the Way to Sulha' gathering, which took place August 14-16 in the olive groves of the Latrun Trappist monastery, between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. After last summer’s Sulha gathering was canceled in the aftermath of the Lebanon war, this year’s event helped restore hope for many, inspiring thousands that perhaps peace in the Holy Land is possible.
Joining us were Israelis, Palestinians and internationals. We cooperated with Palestinian partner NGO's to bring over 300 Palestinians from East Jerusalem and the West Bank cities of Ramallah, Jenin, Nablus, Jericho, Bethlehem and Hebron. Israeli Jews, including many religious Jews and settlers, as well as Arabs from the Galilee and Bedouin from the Negev also joined us.
The gathering started on Tuesday morning the 14th with a two hour silent peace walk in the hills around the Latrun monastery. As we walked in to open the gathering, hundreds formed a large circle with opening blessings by Sulha Peace Project founder Gabriel Meyer and Muslim director Ihab Balha.
Each morning of the gathering we had hundreds of people break up into listening circles to begin the process of deep listening for people who may have never met someone from 'the other side'.
Over three days of ongoing activities were happening in each of these spaces:
-the Bereaved Families Tent: led by Ali Abu Awad, the Bereaved Families Forum brought pairs of an Israeli and a Palestinian to share about their journeys from the pain of the loss of their loved ones to working together towards reconciliation
- the Combatants for Peace Tent: testimony and discussion led by former Israeli combat soldiers and Palestinian fighters now working together to advocate a message of non-violence
- the Womens Tent: the Tent of Sarah and Hagar: a safe space for religious and secular, Jewish and Arab women to dialogue, pray and celebrate together
- the Children's Tent: ongoing art and games for the many Arab and Jewish children at the event
- the Youth Tent: group trust building exercises and listening circles for Israeli and Palestinian teenagers. This was organized by young leaders from the Sulhita (Sulha Peace Project) youth movement
- the kitchen: a cooperative effort of many volunteers to feed hundreds at each meal. We made an effort to make the kitchen fully kosher so that the many religious Jews who came could eat and feel welcome
-afternoon workshops: Bedouin culture, Sufi whirling dance, showing the film 'Encounter Point'
- the Prayer Tent: a tent where religious Jews, Muslims and Christians prayed in their own tradition and at the same time, side by side with believers from the other traditions. In the prayer tent we hosted panel discussions about "forgiveness" and "reconciliation in our tradition", with Jewish, Christian and Muslim religious leaders. Each day Sheikh Ghassan Manasra and I led inter-religious prayer circles with chanting in Hebrew and Arabic for peace.
Offering wisdom from outside the Holy Land were: Sheikh Fara Gaye from Senegal, Thebten Phelgye, a Tibetan monk from the Tibetan Parliament in Dharamsala, and Eshua Tioho, an Aboriginal teacher and didgeridoo player from Australia. On the third day, a delegation of top Muslim leaders from India came to tour and bless the gathering and join a Sufi 'zikr' in the prayer tent
There was alot of media coverage, including: Al-Jazeera, Arabic and Hebrew TV and newspapers, US and European networks, Reuters, ABC
Each night on the main stage there was music offered by top Israeli and Palestinian musicians.
On the first night our host, Father Paul and a group of monks from Latrun welcomed us, singing in Hebrew "hine mah tov". Knesset member Rabbi Michael Melchior offered a blessing, followed by Imam Yahya Hendi from the US and Rabbi Menachem Froman. Rabbi Tirzah Firestone offered peace songs. Arab hip hop artist DAM and Israeli musicians got the Palestinian and Israeli youth up and dancing.
On the second night we opened in front of the stage with a women's ceremony for Rosh Hodesh, the blessing of the new month. Hundreds of women were supported by a circle of men outside. Then Sheikh Abdel Qarim Al-Zurba, Imam of the Dome of the Rock, chanted verses from the Quran. The musical evening was for many a highlight, when David Broza and Yair Dalal jammed together, followed by Mosh Ben Ari. An Arabic Debka dance troupe from the Galilee closed out the evening, with hundreds joining in dance and celebration, followed by a drum circle through the night.
At the closing circle on Thursday afternoon, tears were flowing as hundreds of Israeli, Palestinian and international friends said goodbye. Many of us left with a new feeling of hope and inspiration to work even harder to make true peace and justice a reality for all of us, the Children of Abraham, who are destined to live in and share this Holy Land together.
Visit this link to view lots of great pictures from all 3 days of the gathering:
www.flickr.com/photos/jer...akers/sets/
Listen to a live podcast recorded at the gathering at this link:
israelseen.com/2007/08/28...o-the-sulha
See the short report that appeared on ABC News:
abcnews.go.com/search
To support the Sulha Peace Project, contact Executive Director Saar Shaked: saar (at) sulha (dot) com
Shalom, Salaam,
Eliyahu McLean,
Sulha Peace Project, Inter-religious advisor
Jerusalem Peacemakers
www.sulha.com
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