5759
Jewish-Palestinian Living Room Dialogue Group
Reflecting on the past year
In July, our Jewish-Palestinian Living Room Dialogue Group on the San
Francisco Peninsula, wanting the best for both peoples, will be 7 years old.
In a way, our 7th year has seemed to us less full of visible,
collective activities. It could be characterized by the familiar words:
"Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you
a holy day, a Sabbath of complete rest..."
Well, we have not taken a holiday, either. Here, then, is one way of
describing our movement -- within and outwardly. In the past 12 months, we
collectively and individually:
had our 84th meeting.
visited two high school classes to help them study Palestinian-Jewish
conflicts and the value of dialogue in the public peace
process.
mailed our requested dialogue guidelines and relationship-building ideas
to 264 individuals in 182 institutions, covering 155 cities, 33 states, and
21 countries.
screened films and encouraged their producers, including the Promises
Film Project; the North American premier of Benny Brunner and Alexandra
Jansse's AL NAKBA; and the new "Returning" film project, to be based on
in-depth exploration of the life stories of Palestinians and Israelis, as
experienced by American Jews and Arabs travelling overseas together with
the Compassionate Listening Project.
assisted the San Francisco Jewish Festival with audience development.
presented a workshop, "At the Heart of Communication," to a teen
conference of "Future Leaders of the Jewish Community."
provided a program for "Lunch and Learn" of the Montefiore Senior Center
of the JCC, with an article published in the Jewish Bulletin of Northern
California.
presented an educational table to help support the annual "Palestine Day"
in San Francisco.
published a newspaper opinion editorial, "A Missing Step in the Peace
Process."
provided advice and printed materials on Jewish-Palestinian relationship
for the Israel '98 Expo in Lakeland, Florida.
visited, and brought balanced historical perspective to, a local book club.
assisted Congregation Bet Haverim's Friday evening they called "Building
Bridges for Peace" -- Jewish-Palestinian dinner, Shabbos services,
exhibits, and panel presentation. An article was published in the local
Jewish press and in Reform Judaism magaziine, reaching 300,000 households.
collectively wrote and signed a letter to President Clinton encouraging
the Administration to participate proactively in the peace process.
helped launch three new dialogue groups in the San Francisco Bay Area.
assisted YES! Magazine prepare an article about our process and
activities for their Fall, 1998 issue.
co-sponsored with the World Affairs Council a public presentation for 350
by M.K. Dr. Yossi Beilin and Palestinian leader Faisal al-Husseini.
sponsored and facilitated the First All-Bay-Area Meeting of
Jewish-Palestinian Living Room Dialogue Groups.
encouraged and advised the courageous new exhibit, "Beyond Borders," at
the Washington, DC Jewish Community Center.
assisted in the first stages of the Middle East activity of "Schools
Online," to bring classroom computers and the Internet to Palestinian and
Israeli youth, and to bring them into relationship with the world and each
other.
helped with hosting for the National Interfaith Convocation for Peace in
the Middle East, in Washington, DC.
initiated a broad-based mail survey to explore the possibilities for
another large, impactful Jewish-Palestinian event which we would sponsor.
collecively signed and mailed a letter of welcome to the new King
Abdullah of Jordan.
hosted a Middle East Peace Quilt-making workshop for Canadian visitor,
Elizabeth Shefrin, who teaches "Stitching for Social Change: The use of
fabric to make a better world."
through a Web site and e-mail, continued to encourage creative
Palestinian-Jewish relationship building, and to be a conduit for people to
meet one another and to work for the good of both peoples, equally.
Personally, this has been a year of unusual individual need for many
of us. Within our collective, we have experienced and shared more than the
usual number of deeper life experiences - death of a father, mothers,
son-in-law, sister, and cousins. Three participants had heart attacks,
another shoulder surgery. Some took long trips. The Salems opened their
beautiful restaurant, David Leventhal began in a new business, and Sandra
Kahn opened a new orthodontic office. Two daughters were married, and Nazih
Malak announced his engagement to Hanna.
We will surely make this a year of unprecedented creativity,
compassion, and courage. Together, we can!
Libby and Len Traubman
1448 Cedarwood Drive, San Mateo, CA 94403
Phone: 650-574-8303 Fax: 650-573-1217
E-mail: LTRAUBMAN@igc.org http://www.igc.org/traubman/
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change
the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead
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