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Middle Way - Compassionate Engagement in Society
Email: mail@middleway.org
Web: www.middleway.org
Personnel: Dr. Stephen Fulder, Founder
There are many who feel a deep urge to bring their spiritual values, insights and heartfulness into action within society. It is a wish to find ways to create a more compassionate world. It is a need to express our voices for peace and reconciliation.
We are living in difficult times. All the people of the region, Jews and Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians, must live, work and bring up their children within a climate of anger, hate, violence and despair. There is an urgency in the call to stop, to look at ourselves and where we are going, and to restore basic human values of respect and non-violence. Many share the understanding that the time for change is now. We need to find the appropriate ways that touch the heart and restore our humanity, and so make real tikkun possible.
This has led to some spontaneous programs in the past few years including the successful 'Transformation of Suffering' dialogue workshops between Israelis and Palestinians. The recent silent and mindful peace pilgrimages ("The Walks") have been extraordinarily successful, not only in empowering participants, but also in having a real impact and being widely reported in all the Israeli national media as well as abroad. It shows that there may be a dramatic new opportunity for new forms of action for peace. It shows that the timing is right. We have found some effective new forms. Now we need to build on them and bring them out into the world.
We would like to invite you to join with us in establishing a new Amuta, non-profit organization, which will support, promote, and extend these activities in the region and abroad. Named Shvil Zahav, the Middle Way, this organization stands for the middle ground of sane, and balanced action, to promote tikkun and healing, and the path of peace and reconciliation . It emphasizes that the way we do things is as important as our goals: we should not forget peacefulness while talking of peace.
The Amuta will do the kinds of jobs which are hard for a spontaneous group to manage. These include serious fund raising; organization and networking on a national level; supporting and establishing activities on a firm footing; maintaining records and information; public relations and media; gathering international support and recognition, and so on. In addition, the Amuta will belong to the Ruach HaShalom coalition, to make sure that it is co-ordinated with other peace groups and does not duplicate efforts.
Specific programs which may be supported and developed by Shvil Zahav include:
Expanding the silent peace walks throughout the country and abroad
Initiating dialogues and conflict resolution activities in association with the silent peace walks.
Programs to teach non-violence in communication and action to all kinds of groups and organizations including political and professional bodies.
Bringing teachers and arranging courses on spirituality in social action by international teachers such as Paula Green, Joanne Macy and Louise Diamond.
"The army that will defeat terrorism doesn't wear uniforms, or drive
Humvees, or calls in air-strikes. It doesn't have a high command, or
high security, or a high budget. The army that can defeat terrorism
does battle quietly, clearing minefields and vaccinating children. It
undermines military dictatorships and military lobbyists. It subverts
sweatshops and special interests.Where people feel powerless, it
helps them organize for change, and where people are powerful, it
reminds them of their responsibility." ~~~~ Author Unknown ~~~~
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