One interesting highlight was a film I saw about interfaith work in Los Angeles. The name of the film was based on a billboard made after 9-11 "God and Allah Need to Talk". Of course God and Allah are the same, but because PEOPLE think they are different - thus the name of the documentary. After 9-11 Moslems in the US were targets of hate, with everyone lumping them into the Taliban/Al Qaida category. Even Sikhs I´ve spoken with said they were targets because of their turbans - just that Osama has his turban twisted the wrong way, doesn´t mean everyone else does. So the Islamic Center of Southern California decided to do something about all this hate directed towards their community and began to do interfaith work with the Beth Tikvah Congregation inviting them to each other´s celebrations. It was encouraging to see this finally happening.
The evening brought a gathering of people by regions. We met our Middle East contingent, which included delegates from Jordan, Egypt and Morocco. Ibrahim was in my group and after I told my story, he ended with his - and to sum up - he began with the fact that he is a man without a country. To explain further, he and his family, though they haven´t immigrated from other countries like I have and have been living in the land for hundreds of years - are not citizens of Israel (because he is an Arab Jerusalemite) and therefore, are officially homeless, so to speak. I felt so touched, I wanted to reach into my bag and hand him my Israeli passport and say - "Here sweetie, take mine. Belong here. Belong to the land. It´s a cinch for me to get a passport yet I´m only in this country for 9 years. But you, who have been here for centuries, truly deserve a passport even before I do. You have earned it and it should have been your right." I am feeling so sorry for Ibrahim. I wish I had more clout to do something. I am praying that we will see equality very soon.
Monday, July 12, 2004
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6 comments:
Things dosen't happen always happen the way we think it should...no body in this world wud wish for bad things to happen...its just the continuation of the mistakes done in past and deals fixed in the present to cover up for the future
Your posts nearly always inspire me - to read about interfaith meetings and "dialogue" happening all over the world. In even some of my grad level courses, we seem to be pitted against each other - whether by race, gender, or politics - and it's disheartening. Especially since we're all about to become educators out there, and we can't even build bridges between each other. At least a few of us have made the effort.
Sitting here in Canada I am always impressed with the level of insight and personal feeling that you put into your posts. I have to admit that I have learned a lot about Middle East politics from your posts. The skewed picture of the situation the Canadian media presents doesn't really leave one with much hope. You leave me feeling that someday there will be hope for a unified and peaceful world.
I totally hear what you're saying about the inequality that makes no sense. It really frustrates me how generations of hatred can make people treat each other as if they were less than human (on both sides). And I'm all for people of different "rivaling" faiths coming together to talk and share their lives, but I do have to disagree with one comment you made. I am a Christian and I worship God, but the God that I worship is not Allah. I do not believe that they are one in the same. If they are, then how can they both be worshiped so differently? That doesn't make sense to me.
Have to agree with all Michal said here. My God always punished people who had no care of their children (sacrificing them to a god of stone on a burning altar)....using them to carry weapons and bombs is not a caring thing to do! I simply cannot imagine ANY MOTHER allowing such...though I do understand that perhaps many of them also abhor what is happening. Appreciate your candor in sharing your thoughts and am enjoying learning about life in Israel. Hubby's dearest hope is for us to live in Israel at some point. You give plenty to think about!
I saw a film of (failed) Palestinian suicide bombers in jail and one talked about how Israelis enjoy restaurants and nightclubs and can leave the country whenever they want and how he had nothing, could do nothing. It was heartbreaking. I sat watching with a (right wing) Israeli who said that she felt bad for him but did not see how Israel had any hand in his plight, just blamed other Arab nations and the Palestinian leadership. How do we show people like her, who have the power to vote, that we ALL share the responsibility and someone has to take the high road, stop the blame game and move forward with the situation as is stands now, which is that they NEED a safe home and a true identity and full rights.
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