Bringing together Israelis and Palestinians

originally published on June 6, 2015

I just returned from Adas Israel Synagogue (a Conservative synagogue in D.C., where President Obama recently spoke), where about 200 people heard presentations from a religious West Bank settler and a Palestinian activist (who had spent time in an Israeli prison during the Intifada) who live in adjoining towns, but who, until recently, had never seen each other -- both literally and figuratively.

They are part of a group called Friends of Roots. They presented compelling cases for the truth as seen by religious Settlers and the truth as seen by Palestinians. They discovered that both truths have merit, and that the only way to lay the groundwork for any kind of peace with justice over time is for Israeli Settlers and Palestinians to actually see each other as human beings, and to understand each other's truth. (I have not done them justice in this short description. This article about their recent visit to Los Angeles gives some more flavor.)

They have no set preconceptions as to what kind of political arrangements should ultimately be made in Israel/Palestine (although they do have some ideas). They are not happy with either the Israeli or PA governments. Their main effort is to lay the kind of groundwork that could ultimately result in peace with justice for everyone, understanding both sides' truths.

I am impressed.