http://www.abrahamsvision.org/visionprogramweblogsummer2008/index.php Copyright 2008, No Author No Author SPHPBLOG 0.4.8 http://www.abrahamsvision.org/visionprogramweblogsummer2008/index.php?entry=entry081120-000942 "Settlers Who Long to Leave West Bank", and reflect on their own thoughts about this article.

The following is one reflection:

It might sound a little strange at first, but I feel like David Avidan’s struggle and transformation are analogous to my own. I never really felt Mr. Avidan’s strong desire to settle all of biblical Israel, but I have shared in the naiveté of the belief that a Jewish nation-state in the land of Israel is simply a good thing, and that’s that.

In the past year I have slowly but surely turned from a Wilsonian idealism – in the sense of seeing “national self-determination” as a laudable goal – to a more realist consideration of the consequences of nationalist politics. Had you asked me a year ago what I thought of nationalism, I probably would have told you that while I certainly condemn all nationalist violence and racism, every people needs to be free in its homeland. Were I to answer today, I would give my questioner three adjectives to describe my feelings about the ideology: xenophobic, exclusivist, destructive.

Of course, when I move from the academic level of considering nationalism generally to weighing the merits of my own people’s nationalism, my denunciation is not so categorical. I hold the same fears that so many Jews have, view our history through the same lens of persecution, and read the hate-filled threats of anti-Jewish violence reported in the newspaper with the same unease. And I subscribe to that same reverence for tradition, feel that same attachment to the land of our ancestors, and get that same sensation of awe when I stand in the Old City. And I love all my family members and friends in Israel with the same love that anybody feels for those close to them.

In the past, these thoughts, feelings, and emotions led me to see the creation and continued existence of a strong Jewish state in Eretz Yisrael as the best thing that could happen to the Jewish people. I just wanted a place for us to defend ourselves, and I wanted that place to be in our territorial home.

Yet just as Mr. Avidan’s desire to resettle all of the Land of Israel obscured the reality of acting on that dream, so have I come to realize that my desires for my people do not exist in a vacuum. And just as Mr. Avidan feels trapped in the settlement, so do I feel trapped, nudged in the claustrophobic mental space between wanting my people to be safe and free while being abhorred at the actions so many of us have committed from the time of the Jewish State’s founding until today, and, unfortunately, most likely tomorrow as well.

My feelings on the meaning of Israel being a Jewish state are still complicated and in flux, and will likely remain so for the foreseeable future, but I worry at the xenophobia, exclusivity, and destructiveness adopted by so many Jews who I am sure know better. I do not believe that we are no better than being satisfied with Israel as it is today, but I do believe that if we are to uphold the morals and values of Judaism then we need to take a cold, hard look at the current and past effects of Israel on the Palestinians. Zionism does not exist in a vacuum, and many people continue to pay the price for the mentality that treats it as if it does.

-Anonymous
]]> Student Postings http://www.abrahamsvision.org/visionprogramweblogsummer2008/index.php?entry=entry081120-000942 No Author Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:09:42 GMT http://www.abrahamsvision.org/visionprogramweblogsummer2008/index.php?entry=entry081119-111631
I remember it so vividly - riding in the program bus traversing the windy and mountainous terrain of the Balkans. I remember looking out the bus window, awe-struck by the natural, seamless beauty of green mountains and hills that persisted even when faced with jagged, man-made national borders. I remember asking myself, how could such a beautiful place backdrop so much violence and hatred? I still do not know the full answer to this question, but over the course of my month-long explorative learning in the region, I began to develop a consciousness for the many forces that lead to violent conflicts in the world.

During this month of travel, I directed all of my energy towards productive dialogue regarding peace in Israel-Palestine. The foreign landscape coupled with the multi-layered connections I quickly developed with my peers fostered an open space for dialogue. As I engaged in these conversations, I witnessed powerful changes within myself and other fellows. My approach to conflict evolved emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually. I developed a deeper understanding for the countless narratives involved in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. I saw the tears of my classmates as they recounted incidents of hatred and violence that hit very close to home. As a Palestinian, I stood in solidarity with Jews who also cried for peace and justice in Israel-Palestine. Through dialogue and travel in the Balkans, I was, and still am, fully inspired to continue being active in global peace-building processes.

Following this summer’s enriching trip, I recently reunited with my peers for a Fall retreat in Ezekial’s Place in West Virginia. The retreat allowed me to re-connect with the many strong emotions I felt while traveling the Balkans. Also during this retreat, I was able to clearly observe the ways that AV has already impacted the fellows and I. Several of my peers have changed courses in their activism, are challenging views they once upheld, and are inspiring further productive dialogue all around them. This powerful ripple effect is inspiring! In fact, it has further motivated me in my relentless pursuit for peace. While at Ezekial’s Place, a Jewish fellow, Erika Cohn, and I created a partnership for peace. While coming from different academic and personal backgrounds, our common passion for justice has prompted us to design a sustainable youth, summer art workshop for children in the Palestinian territories. As a current medical student, I will be analyzing the children’s art in order to determine the mental health implications of military occupation and Erika Cohn, a filmmaker, will document this process through film. If funded, the film created during the summer of 2009 will target an American audience to promote peace and understanding regarding the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

-Hala Borno
]]> Student Postings http://www.abrahamsvision.org/visionprogramweblogsummer2008/index.php?entry=entry081119-111631 No Author Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:16:31 GMT http://www.abrahamsvision.org/visionprogramweblogsummer2008/index.php?entry=entry081030-180341
- Anonymous]]> Student Postings http://www.abrahamsvision.org/visionprogramweblogsummer2008/index.php?entry=entry081030-180341 No Author Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:03:41 GMT http://www.abrahamsvision.org/visionprogramweblogsummer2008/index.php?entry=entry080728-193543
Ahmad Amara (left) thanks the rest of the staff for the warm birthday wishes, while Huda Abu Arqoub pretends she had nothing to do with the birthday crepe.


The birthday crepe in question was mostly eaten by Gibran Bouayad. He says he considers it his birthday crepe as well since his birthday is two days later.


The rest of the staff reflect on a very successful program.

]]> Photos http://www.abrahamsvision.org/visionprogramweblogsummer2008/index.php?entry=entry080728-193543 No Author Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:35:43 GMT http://www.abrahamsvision.org/visionprogramweblogsummer2008/index.php?entry=entry080728-193311
Adrieh Abu Shchada expresses to everyone that she does not like to say goodbye.


Avi Smolen (left) and Shani Mintz (right) wait in line for their flight from Sarajevo to Belgrade, before connecting to their home cities.


Jennifer Mogannam looks back (I am sure dreading her long flight back to the Bay Area in California) while others wait in line.


Everyone says their last goodbyes.


And the last few hugs are shared.


]]> Photos http://www.abrahamsvision.org/visionprogramweblogsummer2008/index.php?entry=entry080728-193311 No Author Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:33:11 GMT http://www.abrahamsvision.org/visionprogramweblogsummer2008/index.php?entry=entry080728-190233
On the last day of the program participants engaged in a number of activities including one that allowed participants to express their opinions on aspects of the program through body position. Standing with arms up means excellent (and represents a tree), standing with arms tucked in means good (and represents a bush), while those aspects that needed to be improved were indicated by crouching (representing a seed).


Another activity, called "Rose and Thorn" encouraged the group to share their thoughts about one another. Participants presented a rose for something that was appreciated, and a thorn for something that was not appreciated. In this picture, Oren Kroll-Zeldin receives a rose.


After people voiced their feelings to the group, everyone was given the time to write personal messages to each person in the program and to put them in envelopes to be reviewed on the flight home (or once back home).


Envelopes patiently wait to be filled....


while students feverishly write to everyone.


Some of the students take advantage of the luxurious robes from the hotel.


Students take almost 2 hours to fill out the final program evaluation.


While students complete the program evaluation, co-facilitators Ahmad Amara and Amit Perelson put together a slide show for the farewell event later in the evening.


Students getting in last pictures while in Montenegro before the farewell event begins.


Some students like Jennifer Mogannam continue to write personal messages to people before the end of the trip. It seems that 2 hours were not enough!


Erin-Kate Escobar serves as the MC for the farewell event.


The crowd thoroughly appreciates the efforts of those kind enough to entertain the group.


Nida Atshan shows off the award she receives as part of the paper plate award show. She received the award for "Best Cliff Jumper". If only that were true...


Hala Borno (left), Erica Cohn (center) and Lea David (right) present to the audience interpretive modern dance. What it was interpreting, we are all still wondering.


The group shares their last meal together on the trip.


"Can you pass the ketchup please...."


As we all move inside to watch another slideshow, Samar Ahmad (left) Lea David (right) and the floating head of Gibran Bouayad pose for a picture.


As the group waits for the bus that will take us to the airport in Sarajevo, the farewell event continues in full-swing on the front steps of the hotel.


Many of the performances were captured for posterity, and I am sure for future blackmail attempts as well....


Appreciative applause and laughter is showered upon those who take the stage (or in this case, the hotel entrance).


The audience enjoys the performances while waiting for the bus.


Yasmeen Zamamiri performs an encore performance of her song that "pays tribute" to all those who participated this year.
]]> Photos http://www.abrahamsvision.org/visionprogramweblogsummer2008/index.php?entry=entry080728-190233 No Author Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:02:33 GMT http://www.abrahamsvision.org/visionprogramweblogsummer2008/index.php?entry=entry080728-190029
For me, the most interesting part of the closing activities was hearing fellow students begin to question their own indoctrination. I may have not used the word indoctrination at a different time but seeing how strongly people advocated for causes that they were not truly convinced by, assured me that may actually be the right word for how many Jews, Israelis, Muslims and Palestinians are taught about the conflict. This became particularly obvious in questioning the need for and legitimacy of a Jewish democratic state. While some Jews held on closely to the idea of a Jewish state, others recognized the undemocratic and oppressive aspects of such a structure. Discussions like this and other similar ones lead me to question the significance and relevance of religious claims to a land in a geo-political conflict. Is it really acceptable to use the discourse of a 'promised land' in an international arena? To what extent does this discourse exclude secular and different religious groups? Finally, as one staff member asked, do historical or religious rights to a land take preference over demographic rights? This question is not only relevant and important to consider when thinking about Israel and Palestine but also in looking at the emergence of Kosovo as an independent state with an Albanian majority and a Serbian minority.

- Adrieh Abu Shchada
]]> Student Postings http://www.abrahamsvision.org/visionprogramweblogsummer2008/index.php?entry=entry080728-190029 No Author Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:00:29 GMT http://www.abrahamsvision.org/visionprogramweblogsummer2008/index.php?entry=entry080728-185959
One of the most powerful puzzle pieces of today was the questing that we took on. While we did not even talk about the questions, we brought up the listing of confusions and unanswered pieces of cross conflict comparisons and analysis. This turned out to be about 5 or 6 pages of questions that ranged from our still fuzzy grasp of what violence and non-violence mean, to breaking down the complexities of balkinization, leadership, nationalism, ethnicity, religion, and philosophy. It was participants and facilitators alike sharing in a conversation of questions.

- Erin-Kate Escobar
]]> Student Postings http://www.abrahamsvision.org/visionprogramweblogsummer2008/index.php?entry=entry080728-185959 No Author Mon, 28 Jul 2008 23:59:59 GMT http://www.abrahamsvision.org/visionprogramweblogsummer2008/index.php?entry=entry080728-185615
Co-Facilitator Amit Perelson gets some much needed rest on the bus ride to Dubrovnik.


The crystal clear waters of Croatia as seen through the window of the bus.


Samar Ahmad tries to capture the beauty that speeds past us on our journey to Dubrovnik, the sight of another siege and shelling during the 1990's.


Our guide Roberto tells us about the history of the city. He regales us with stories from history back before the Ottoman Empire, all the way to today's extremely expensive housing market within the walls of the city.


Roberto shows the group an example of the oldest graffiti in the city, etched into the walls. This one complains about the street noise from games people used to play.


The narrow alleyways with the towering building are reminiscent of other old medieval cities such as the beautiful old city of Fes, Morocco.


Another amazingly beautiful architectural monument found in Dubrovnik.
]]> Photos http://www.abrahamsvision.org/visionprogramweblogsummer2008/index.php?entry=entry080728-185615 No Author Mon, 28 Jul 2008 23:56:15 GMT http://www.abrahamsvision.org/visionprogramweblogsummer2008/index.php?entry=entry080728-184606
One of the buildings in Mostar that have not yet been earmarked for repairs. It stands as a testament to the ferocity of the fighting along the demarcation line between Bosnian and Croatian Forces during the conflict.


The whole group sits patiently (albeit very animatedly) for dinner to be served.


These tombstones found at a mosque in Mostar are like many found throughout Sarajevo, in parks and other public spaces, commemorating those who died. With very little time or safe space to bury those killed during the siege, many public spaces became, and continue to be, the resting place of hundreds of people throughout the city.]]> Photos http://www.abrahamsvision.org/visionprogramweblogsummer2008/index.php?entry=entry080728-184606 No Author Mon, 28 Jul 2008 23:46:06 GMT