"To suffer for peace is much better than to suffer for war."
~Hussein Ibrahim Issa, founder of the Hope Flowers School
What does a statement like this convey? Optimism for the future? An ideology to excuse current realities? Does it empower, assuage, both?
With the Kivunim students having departed Monday for Spain and Turkey, I stayed behind in Jerusalem preparing materials and events for their return, but with significantly more free time. Eager for an experience that I wouldn't regret pursuing without the students I arrived at Encounter. This organization arranges for American Jewish leadership, delegates, etc. to visit the West Bank and witness for themselves the current situation. Encounter organizes panels and meetings with representatives from a variety of groups, so that participants can observe the diverse opinions held by residents. Encounter doesn't have a political opinion, and doesn't agree or disagree with the speakers, but finds it crucial that these people be heard. With Kivunim abroad, I decided to continue my studies of the Conflict, boarding a bus with other young American Jewish leaders on Thursday morning for two days and one night in Bethlehem.
Pictures of Encounter trip to Bethlehem