There is a Sulha festival going on in the beautiful Galilee this week. I don't know how many people are going but probably a few thousand will be there! I wish I could have gone, but I've already had my holiday and can't ask for any more (safely that is). They're having a live web broadcast of events. I think those festivals are very inspirational. The Galilee itself has a peaceful charm to it. I think people are cashing in on this peaceful energy coming from there as many spas have opened up recently and hundreds of wooden cabin/jacuzzi bed and breakfast places have sprouted.
We had our monthly interfaith meeting last night. We could hardly fit into the room, it was so crowded. I was thrilled that our group is growing. I did my visions workshop and everyone wrote down how they pictured their family/government/city/schools - would be like in times of peace - or, rather, how would it look and what actions can we do NOW so that it looks like this in the future. I think the response was overwhelmingly positive about this type of workshop. We usually read texts - which I don't find terribly exciting or we pick a theme (usually religious) and discuss it. But since we're trying to find a commonality through the 3 religions living in the Holy Land, why not just get to the point for once. We all wrote down what we all felt and what we wanted and wished and hoped for were basically the same. It didn't matter what religion you were. There was an interesting new fellow there who was originally American and called himself a "Hidden Jew". His family were Conversos and they came from the New Mexico/Texas area. Conversos are people who were forced to convert to Catholicism in Spain in 1492 - either that or be victims of the Inquisition. So his family converted and practiced aspects of Judaism in secret. He discovered his dad printing in Hebrew, using an old method of printing, once and figured Cathecism isn't for him. But it was tough finding his place within US Jewry. He is more comfortable among the Spanish-Portuguese congregants in Jerusalem - some of whom are also from Converso families and some who never converted, just originated from there but were able to escape 500 years ago. Absolutely fascinating stuff.
Tuesday, August 17, 2004
The Sulha Way
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I am an American whose family, according to a vanished geneology website, was forced to convert to Christianity during the Crusades. It is the only explanation of our family name I have heard that makes sense, since it originates in many parts of Europe in the 12th century. Sadly, I can't post my name because I fear being googled. However, it is Latin for "Blessed", and was apparently chosen by many forced converts.
Before my father had even learned this, he always celebrated Passover each year and sporadically some other Jewish traditions. I also have a memory of being introduced to the Jewish beliefs and practices by a family friend, although my parents don't remember this. The story of our possible Jewish roots was temporarily lost if it had been past down, since my second fraternal great grandfather never knew his father, and my grandfather was apparently an atheist. Technically, I think Jewish blood needs to be passed down matrilineally anyway.
It would be fascinating if my father had some how intuitively sensed our Jewish roots. Sadly, the website we found which discussed the conversion of our family is now missing! Who knows if it was true anyway!?
To add weirdness to an already confusing family religious heritage, I became a Muslim about five years ago, after considering converting to Judaism. That is indeed a long story I won't get into.
Do please know that I don't consider Jews spiritually inferior to Muslims or anyone else. A soul is desperate in its need to connect with its source, and different things work for different people. We need to take whatever the most effective help is! So as long as people's outward religion helps the inner purpose of religion, they're fine. There is no God but The God, so we're all going to the same destination and may as well get used to each other!
Thanks for a fascinating look at Jerusalem/Al Quds!
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