In June, I visited my daughter in Israel. I made this trip with some trepidation.
Those who know me, or have read my views, know that I do not support the current Israeli government approach to “the wall,” and I went with a lot of pessimism about the current “matzav” (situation).
My daughter lives, like many Israelis, a comfortable life in which she does not look at the situation of the Palestinians just kilometers away from her. She goes to school, goes out with her friends, does not fear to walk the streets of Tel Aviv or drive north to her kibbutz in the Galilee. Yet I sit here in America and see a different picture than she.
Gratefully, at least, my daughter does hear me. She knows and understands my concerns. And so, when she was notified that “Shvil Zahav” (the Middle Way) was having a walk, she said, “Let’s go!”
Shvil Zahav is a two-year-old group that has been bringing Arabs and Jews together to walk peacefully in silence and to build bridges between communities.
We gathered at 9 a.m. at the central bus station in Acco. About 40 of us — perhaps two-thirds Jews and one-third Arabs — came from all over Israel.
We each received a white sash to identify us. Then we started by gathering in a circle and focusing our intention on bringing peace.
Our leader then led us single file, in silence, through the streets of Acco. We began in the new part of the city, walking along commercial streets and through neighborhoods.
We headed towards the old city of Acco, where people live in buildings centuries old.
For several hours we walked. Some people handed out pamphlets to passers by, describing the purpose of the walk.
About half way through, we found ourselves in an ancient courtyard in the old city of Acco. A huge pile of watermelons awaited us there. What a wonderful respite from the heat.
Circle discussions
Then we broke into small groups of about eight people and invited “the matzav” to join us in our discussion. In the method of “circle discussions,” we each were given a chance to tell how the matzav affects us.
One of the most moving exchanges occurred when a young woman, recently returned from India and her post-army travels, said, “I don’t know any Arabs. That is why I came today.
“I returned to Israel and began to realize that there is so much I don’t know about. When there is a bombing, I worry about my friends and call everyone on my cell phone. I know there are Arabs also affected by this, but I don’t know any.”
A young man, who had been taking photos of the events of the day, came over to join our group. Good looking, wearing jeans and a ponytail, he looked like an Iraqi or possibly Morrocan Jew.
He sat down next to this young woman, put out his hand and said, “My name is Mahmoud. Now you know an Arab. Be my friend. I will give you my phone number, and I will take yours, and we will call each other and check on each other when there is any bombing.”
I felt a surge of hope. Walls come down when bridges are built. It becomes much harder to fight each other when we know each other as friends.
An Arab woman who was a kindergarten teacher in Acco told me about her experience coming to America to learn co-counseling, a listening technique taught around the world. She expressed her wish to have a gan (kindergarten) where Jewish and Arab children might learn together.
A Jewish kindergarten teacher from Kiryat Tivon, a village outside Haifa, expressed the same wish. Let our children develop friendships and they will not be enemies.
And then it was my turn to speak. At first I thought I would not say anything; I am an outsider, an observer. But I was so moved by what others said, I felt permission to add my own thoughts.
Arabs and Jews have lived together in Israel for many years. They live in a democracy and, despite the inequities that do exist, they prosper.
The situation in the territories and in Gaza is different. There the Palestinians live in real poverty, with 80 percent unemployment and no hope. Has Shvil Zahav been there? How is that different?
I heard about how Shvil Zahav has walked from Israel to the territories. At times they have been stopped at a checkpoint and not allowed to cross. Those who have walked to that point, Arabs and Jews, have then sat down and had their discussions just outside the checkpoint.
Other times, they have been allowed through. And they have had Palestinians from the territories join them.
The discussions have not been easy, but they have occurred. People spoke and listened. They learned to see each other as individuals and not as enemies.
I was filled with hope. Perhaps not in this generation, but hopefully by the next. When children will go to gan together, and school together, and learn about each other and from each other. When ordinary individuals will reach out to one another and say, “We are brothers.”
And so I pray, as we approach this season of forgiveness and redemption, that we may all learn to listen to each other, to forgive each other, and to build a world where all can live in peace and freedom.
Gigi Pomerantz is a Milwaukee peace activist and member of Americans for Peace Now.
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