Blessings, Toni Sar'h The last four days have been filled with much good.
Picture this: A single file of men, women and children walking in silence from Haifa to the Galilee. Five days meandering through Jewish and Arab villages. During the walk there is silence. No speaking. All shapes, sizes, Jewish and Arab - all wearing a simple white ribbon - silently and slowly weaving their way through the Galillee, beginning in Haifa, ending in Magd al Kurum and then Amirim for an annual Sulkha (spiritual reconciliation gathering attended by Sheikhs of Moslem and Druze faith, Rabbi, Priest and Sister and the spiritually committed. No arms, no weaponry. We arrived to the Peace School in Magd Al Kurum in the evening and placed our sleeping bags on the roof where we were invited to sleep. I spoke with the son of the school principal - Bahir. Bahir is in the 11th grade. His favorite subjects are computers and electronics. When asked what he loves most about it - his answer: "Using when you build something - you begin with physical material that already exists. You are limited by your physical resources. With electronics and computers - you have nothing physical to start with - only your mind and your thoughts. But with your mind and your thoughts you can create anything, an entire new world. This is what I love about it." Basma, a mother from the Arab village of Tamra in the Galillee explained that for the last six years she has dressed in black, seen only black and blood. She has wondered why she is alive and what will change to give her hope in the dreams that she secretly had to participate with others in something bigger and better than the violence and unending terror which plagues the middle east. She said that when she saw the silent group pass her window - her heart stopped. She felt compelled to join them. Her daughter warned her of danger and repercussion for betraying the cause of her people. Refusing to listen, Basma walked to the door, opened it, and joined the group in silence. Cynics amongst you may wonder "these are a few peace fanatics, what difference can a few people make?" This was the thought of one woman - a extremist from one of the settlements who decided to come on the walk out of curiosity. At the parting discussion she admitted to judging the peaceniks and rejecting their ways as impractical when she daily experiences the horrors of terror on both sides of the line in her settlement town. She wondered whether the peaceniks would be as open to hearing and meeting with those in the Jewish settlements to allow for dialogue amongst Jew and Jew on opposite ends of the spectrum. She also admitted that since walking the five days, her attitude and willingness to listen opened tremendously. It was courageous of her to speak her truth - it was courageous of the group to listen and accept. At the Sulkha a Jewish father whose son had been killed last week in a terrorist bombing decided that he would use his son's murder to avenge terror with peace. It was very difficult for him to sit through the discussions and circles of Arabs and Jews expressing their fears their hurt, their varying reality. The miracle of the last five days is that there were people from ALL persuasions. A prominent Zulu chief who, along with Nelson Mandela had been instrumental in the peaceful resistance and ultimate resolve of the archaic South African system of conflict between black and white arrived from South Africa to provide hope and inspiration. The day ended with a feast - Druze Debka dancing and a musical concert, which lasted long into the evening. If there is a heaven - this was close to it. Just prior to Itzhak Rabin's assassination, I wondered why we don't take to the streets so as they did in India with Ghandi. I thought that this would be so simple a solution. My hopes were crushed with Rabin's murder - but I have refused to give in. This week my dreams are being fulfilled. We will continue the walks - one silent little step at a time. Eyal - an Israeli Jew expressed it simply and poignantly: "There is always violence. There is always murder. These come from fear. There will always be fear. There is always peace. There is always love. They all exist at the same time. It is a matter of choice". Each ONE of US makes a difference. I share my good with you so that it may strengthen in all our hearts and minds... for the highest good of all. What is your choice? Please forward this to everyone who would be uplifted and inspired by it. Thank you. Eliana Gilad Founder, Voices of Eden www.voicesofeden.com
