Healing and More

We are winding down now and every moment is precious. The threat of imminent loss hangs in the air, so there is lots of hugging and gratitude.

As we give equal compassion to the Israeli and Palestinian side, we realize the need to separate personal bias from triggers and judgment due to old wounds or stories. Do we ask more questions of the Israelis, expect more of them, because they hold more power in this situation? I personally feel that with power, military and economic, comes responsibility, but everything is mixed up in the crazy land and each issue is very complex. One thing is clear, everyone is suffering from this conflict and there can be no comparison about the level of suffering. It is also clear that it is our human task to move beyond suffering to come to a place of compassion and acceptance. People are in varied places along the spectrum of that process and everyone deserves compassion, wherever they are at.

We had a final listening in our group session. We shared goodbyes for the amazing Susan who has enriched the trip so much. We listened to Shiri Barr, an Israeli peace worker who has been with us for much of the trip. She shared that, to be a peacemaker, you have to be ‘multipartial’, not impartial. For peace to come here, there has to be an acceptance that both peoples really belong here, both peoples have a connection to the land, both spiritual and historical. Many people don’t hold those beliefs.  To be a peacemaker takes being willing to see the whole picture, what am I doing wrong, what have I done right, what do I need to do now? Sherri is trying to start a Peace Ministry in the Israeli Government. The Ministry of Peace would be a tool; the issue is more to create a culture of peace. When asked if she had support within the government for the idea, she responded “Not yet” When asked if there was any interest at all she responded, “ Not yet”. I loved that. Someone else pounding a head against the wall the conflict has built. Shiri is a quiet powerful force.

We heard from Julia, our Palestinian American participant who has been transformed by the trip. She has let go so much. She shared that all her life she has struggled for acknowledgement and acceptance of the Palestinian story. Now she recognizes that Palestinians need, for their own healing and growth, to let go of the Naqba and the pain and bitterness that they live with. Her radiant, loving face is full of hope now.

On Sunday we met with Dahlia Landau, about whom the book, The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan, was written. She shared what has happened to Bashir, the Palestinian in the book. He is living in Ramallah, his children are in college, one at Harvard, and he is still politically active. She said that the party he belongs to has participated in terror. Her friendship with Bashir is based on 40 years of connection and transcends the difference in their political views. She can accept the person without accepting all of the behavior.  She feels that it is legitimate to disagree about your visions for the land; it is not legitimate to promote your vision with violence. She cannot support a one state solution, because she, similarly to Esther Golan, another Holocaust survivor who we met with, feels that it would be suicide for Jews. Jews need a state of their own for security and need an active military to maintain that state.  She recognizes that the exclusion of Arabs is discriminatory; she sees it as a positive discrimination, based on the model of affirmative action. For her this holy land holds symbols for humanity and a visit here is bound to be an inner journey and not just about politics. What happens here has symbolic significance.

Dahlia is a humanitarian and a lover of people and culture. She smuggles herself into the West Bank to enjoy the Palestinian people. She recognizes the danger in this and it is her great grief that she is legally separated from a whole part of this land and some of its people.

With the blessings of both families (her Jewish refugee family from Bulgaria who lived in the home and Bashir’s Arab family who built the home and were expelled during the war of 1948,) Dahlia opened Open House in the home in 1991. “The house, the town, the country have given birth to both of us, like a root going down, it can be transformed into a destiny.” The house is now a daycare center for Arab children and a center for Palestinian and Israeli co-existence. There currently are 30 children in the program, which provides important economic benefits to women who must work to improve their condition.  Dahlia’s work with this center is so inspiring and so important.  We all dug deep into our pockets to give. www.friendsofopenhouse.org

Dahlia was our final listening session, and what a note to close on.  A very thoughtful person, she had many insights into the conflict and life in Israel.  She said, “ Any decision a person makes after reflection, which represents a real choice, is a decision that can be respected.” She would like the State of Israel to be a place that generates love and intelligent insight.  She is a person of great love and great insight.  She represents great hope for Israel.

My trip home was blessed with grace. Traveling to the airport with Phil and Amy, Diane, Linda, Laurie and Maggie was a sweet extension of our trip. Some of my favorite times had been the after hours celebration with this group and a few others in the bar, out on the patio, or wherever we could share wine and lots of laughter. Traveling on the flight with Diane and Patti was a real gift. To have some understanding as we began reentry saved me.  I watched Mama Mia on both legs of my trip and that was such a perfect counter point to the delegation- a celebration of love and life in song and dance!  Coming home to a sunny day in Seattle and finding my friend on the ferry was serendipitous. It’s not easy to shift gears and reenter the Land of Mundania. Thanks again to all who have supported me on my journey.  I think that we, as a delegation, gave a lot of support to peacemakers. I hope that all of us can shine the light of love out into the world, whatever our opportunities.

This blog has many omissions and many inaccuracies for which I apologize.  I am hopeful that you the reader can get a feel for our delegation.  It was a very full time, so rich! I am so grateful to you for reading my story and hope you have enjoyed it.

love,

Maria