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Sulha Peace Project
is a grassroots organization inspired by the indigenous process of reconciliation (Sulha), it aims to rebuild trust, restore dignity and move beyond the political agenda.
Working primarily on the grassroots level, we are preparing people for peace "from below" and complementing peacemaking efforts that are undertaken at the governmental and diplomatic level.
Board of Directors: Melila Helner-Eshed, Orly Laufer, Elad Vazana, Ghassan Manasra, Eliyahu Mclean, Mahadi Sirhan, Maysa Baransa, Mindy Ivry, Shlomo Shivly.
Executive Board:
Ihab Balha, Gabriel Meyer.
Executive Director & Donor Liaison:
Sa'ar Shaked
saar@sulha.com
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Fifth Sulhita Youth Gathering
- April 3rd to 7th –
We've just come back from our fifth Sulhita Youth Gathering - at Chan Derech Habesamim - and I'd like to share with you a few moments and observations.
It was our largest gathering. We had one hundred and twenty 15 to 17 year old Israeli Jews, Israeli Palestinians and Palestinians from the West Bank, in a colorful mixture of Jews, Muslims, Druze, Christians, and Bedouins. Some of the participants were newcomers and some came back for their second and third Sulhita gathering.
The desert welcomed us in its quietness, its wide openness caressing us all. We somehow all felt more the same in the vast space, the sand and the large open skies.
We held many listening circles allowing for suspicion and fear to make way for trust, attentiveness, tears and laughter. We decided to deepen our encounters with each other by creating this time different tracks cultivating different modes of communication: music, theater, dance and eco - building, with wonderful teachers and artists to help us sprout our creativity.
We held Friday Muslim prayers together and learnt about them and shared a most magical Kabalat Shabbat on Friday evening against the backdrop of a most beautiful desert sunset and the kindling the flames of the peace and rest of Shabat that gives us sacred time to be all equal in the face of creation and God.
We listened to stories of members of the bereaved family forum, cried with them and drew great inspiration from their courage and hope to leave the path of violence and seek non-violent ways to settle the political conflict raging in this area affecting the lives of us all.
We hiked in the desert, slept under the stars, prepared food together,played soccer, held men and women's circles and had some incredible spontaneous musical jam sessions and rap improvisations with drums, guitars, iron pots, bottles and youthful energy and creativity.
All the adult group leaders were moved by the intensity of the gathering, the softening of hearts, the delicate budding of friendship.
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In the Song of Songs spring is portrayed as the time when buds are showing on the face of the earth and the song of birds resounds through the land.
We've shared days of budding friendship and songs of rage and hope, May you be blessed with the gifts of spring and our deep gratitude to you all for supporting this project into reality.
Dr Melila Hellner-Eshed
Photographer: Dafna Tal
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