Jewish-Palestinian Dialogue: Turning enemies into partners
an article by Libby & Len Traubman

We are part of a 10-year-old Jewish-Palestinian Living Room Dialogue Group here on the San Francisco Peninsula -- 30 women and men; young and old; Holocaust survivors and 20th generation Palestinians -- preparing for our 134th meeting, learning to change strangers into friends, "enemies" into partners, while initiating concrete projects that help people and invigorate the public peace process, here and overseas. Now there are 10 dialogue groups in our area, and the idea is moving into new towns and campuses nationwide.

We find that the "action" of Dialogue is citizen-to-citizen, face-to-face relationship building, beginning with compassionate listening. People hear each other's stories, begin to see one another as human and equal, and finally start to want the best for each other. This has been dearly missing in life. The next "action" is to expand the depth and numbers of those circles of women, men, and youth. Dialogue is not about taking "sides" and political "positions." It is about listening to everyone and excluding no one.

Hoping to extend the dialogue process, we can mail to interested readers our 25-page printed "Reconciliation Resource" booklet, as well as two shorter pamphlets, "Building Relationship: Basis for Change" and "Jewish-Palestinian Dialogue." A 10-minute VHS or PAL format videotape of recent MSNBC coverage of the Dialogue here is also available. You can view this on our webpage at http://traubman.igc.org/global.htm.

We urge you to do what you can and encourage others to "be for both people's equally" and try not to "take sides." As Einstein once said, "We cannot solve today's problems with the same kind of thinking that produced them."

DISCUSSION

Question(s) related to this article:

Jewish-Palestinian dialogue
How is dialogue different from conversation, discussion, or debate?

As a reader, you are invited to join in the discussion of this article based on any of the above question(s): just click on the question, read the previous comments and add a new reply. You may also enter a new discussion topic on this article - see bottom of this page.

Thematic forum(s) in which this article is being discussed:

MIDEAST PEACE

Latest reader comment:

Len and Libby Traubman have sent in the following important addition to their year-end review of the public peace process for Palestiinian-Jewish dialogue.

NEW INITIATIVE OF PROMINENT AMERICAN RELIGIOUS LEADERS FOR MIDDLE EAST PEACE

    In December, 2003, a delegation of 33 of America's most prominent Jewish, Christian and Muslim religious leaders met in Washington, DC to announce their new, unprecedented, collaborative effort -- The National Interreligious Leadership Initiative for Peace in the Middle East.

    These citizen-leaders of their faiths, and their plans, are described at:
                       http://www.walktheroadtopeace.org

    They will continue working within their communities and together "to mobilize broad public support for active, determined and effective U.S. leadership in pursuit of peace between Israel, the Palestinians and Arab states."

    They insist on a viable, independent, democratic Palestinian state alongside the existing state of Israel with enduring peace and security for both sides, thus amplifying the voices of increasing numbers of courageous Arabs and Jews of goodwill.

    The Washington convergence was initiated by A Different Future (http://www.adifferentfuture.org), the U.S. Interreligious Committee for Peace in the Middle East
(http://www.usicpme.org), and the United Religions Initiative (http://www.uri.org) with initial financial support from the Nathan Cummings Foundation.

This report was posted on June 6, 2003. The moderator is David.

If you wish to start a new discussion topic on this article, please copy the title of this article which is Jewish-Palestinian Dialogue: Turning enemies into partners and its number which is 58 and enter this information along with your discussion question and a brief text on the new topic form.

A few stories are retained on the main listings if they are considered by readers to be a priority. If you have not already done so, please take the time to check a box below: should this article be considered as a priority?