2014 Year End - American Friends of Neve Shalom/Wahat al

Medical Supplies
Supplies Reach
Reach Al-Shifa
Al-Shifa Hospital
Hospital
Medical
This summer, in response to the war in Gaza, many residents of the village of Neve Shalom/Wahat
This summer, in response to the war in Gaza, many residents of the village of Neve Shalom/Wahat
al-Salam wanted
wanted to
to express
express their
their concern
concern and
and find
find aa way
way to
to help
help the
the
al-Salam
Palestinians living
living in
in Gaza.
Gaza. They
They held
held aa Village-wide
Village-wide meeting,
meeting, and
and together
together
Palestinians
decided to take up a collection to assist the wounded by contributing to the
decided to take up a collection to assist the wounded by contributing to the
Al-Shifa Hospital
Hospital in
in Gaza.
Gaza. They
They invited
invited friends
friends from
from around
around the
the world
world to
to
Al-Shifa
contribute to
to the
the fund,
fund, and
and jointly
jointly raised
raised more
more than
than $50,000.
$50,000. The
The money
money
contribute
raised allowed the Village, aided by NSWAS resident Dr. Raed Haj Yahya, to
raised allowed the Village, aided by NSWAS resident Dr. Raed Haj Yahya, to
get medical
medical supplies
supplies and
and equipment
equipment to
to the
the hospital.
hospital. Dr.
Dr. Haj
Haj Yahya
Yahya
get
coordinated the
the response
response and
and delivered
delivered surgical
surgical sets,
sets, ultrasonic
ultrasonic cleaners,
cleaners,
coordinated
emergency kits for ambulances, stainless steel and emergency trolleys, and
emergency kits for ambulances, stainless steel and emergency trolleys, and
hospital beds.
beds. Dr.
Dr. Haj
Haj Yahya
Yahya arranged
arranged the
the delivery
delivery and
and continues
continues to
to volunteer
volunteer at
at Al-Shifa
Al-Shifa with
with Physicians
Physicians
hospital
for Human
Human Rights.
Rights.
for
The Humanitarian Assistance Project, which includes both first and second generation Villagers,
The Humanitarian Assistance Project, which includes both first and second generation Villagers,
plans
plans to
to continue
continue its
its work,
work, first
first by
by continuing
continuing to
to work
work with
with Al-Shifa
Al-Shifa and
and other
other hospitals
hospitals and
and helping
helping get
get
needed
needed equipment,
equipment, and
and then,
then, by
by assisting
assisting needy
needy families
families in
in Gaza
Gaza find
find needed
needed treatment
treatment in
in Israel
Israel for
for their
their
family members.
family members.
Rita Boulos, Village member and HAP participant says, "There is always time for pain and time for
Rita Boulos, Village member and HAP participant says, "There is always time for pain and time for
healing,, we
we hope
hope the
the time
time for
for pain
pain has
has passed
passed …
… NSWAS
NSWAS and
and our
our international
international friends
friends extend
extend our
our support
support
healing
to the
the people
people in
in Gaza
Gaza to
to help
help heal
heal their
their wounds
wounds and
and burns
burns from
from the
the recent
recent war
war.”
.”
to
2014 Year
End
2014
Year End
Thirty-two years
years ago,
ago, David
David Matz
Matz volunteered
volunteered to
to serve
serve on
on the
the fledgling
fledgling board
board of
of direcdirecThirty-two
tors of AFNSWAS and has continued his high-energy service whether on the Executive
tors of AFNSWAS and has continued his high-energy service whether on the Executive
Committee or
or as
as president,
president, treasurer
treasurer or
or vice
vice president.
president. Since
Since volunteering
volunteering with
with the
the
Committee
Peace Corps
Corps and
and co-founding
co-founding the
the Law
Law School
School at
at the
the University
University of
of Liberia,
Liberia, David
David Matz
Matz
Peace
engaged in a lifetime of work in mediation, dispute resolution and conflict transformaengaged in a lifetime of work in mediation, dispute resolution and conflict transformation. As
As part
part of
of this
this work,
work, David
David has
has designed
designed and
and developed
developed mediation
mediation and
and negotiation
negotiation
tion.
training for
for attorneys,
attorneys, health
health care
care professionals,
professionals, prison
prison superintendents,
superintendents, Palestinian
Palestinian
training
judges and attorneys, and mediators in Israel. He has served as consultant on Alternajudges and attorneys, and mediators in Israel. He has served as consultant on Alternative Dispute
Dispute resolution
resolution for
for the
the Ministry
Ministry of
of Justice
Justice and
and the
the High
High Court
Court of
of Israel
Israel while
while his
his
tive
parallel commitment
commitment has
has taken
taken him
him to
to Neve
Neve Shalom/Wahat
Shalom/Wahat al-Salam
al-Salam more
more times
times than
than we
we can
can count.
count.
parallel
David is currently working on nurturing the development of the Peace College at Neve Shalom/Wahat alDavid is currently working on nurturing the development of the Peace College at Neve Shalom/Wahat alSalam and
and its
its new
new MA
MA program
program in
in partnership
partnership with
with Graduate
Graduate Program
Program in
in Dispute
Dispute Resolution
Resolution of,
of, which
which he
he
Salam
serves as
as Director,
Director, in
in the
the Department
Department of
of Conflict
Conflict Resolution,
Resolution, Human
Human Security
Security and
and Global
Global Governance
Governance at
at
serves
the University of Massachusetts, Boston. His work in mediation — whether helping to improve communithe University of Massachusetts, Boston. His work in mediation — whether helping to improve communication, eliminating
eliminating conflicts
conflicts based
based on
on misunderstandings
misunderstandings or
or helping
helping the
the parties
parties break
break out
out of
of tunnel
tunnel vision
vision
cation,
— is
is an
an integral
integral part
part of
of preventing
preventing the
the escalation
escalation or
or expansion
expansion of
of aa conflict,
conflict, an
an outcome
outcome that
that moves
moves things
things
—
in the right direction and gives participants a reason to hope.
in the right direction and gives participants a reason to hope.
David now
now brings
brings his
his talents
talents and
and focus
focus to
to the
the new
new Peace
Peace College
College precisely
precisely because
because it
it will
will prepare
prepare profesprofesDavid
sionals in
in all
all areas
areas of
of work,
work, using
using all
all of
of the
the educational
educational opportunities
opportunities at
at the
the Village
Village as
as aa living
living laboratory.
laboratory.
sionals
“My work with Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salaam is now in its 33rd year. The Villagers are my heroes because
“My work with Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salaam is now in its 33rd year. The Villagers are my heroes because
they do
do the
the extremely
extremely difficult,
difficult, even
even painful,
painful, day-to-day
day-to-day work
work of
of making
making peace.
peace. They
They may
may struggle
struggle endendthey
lessly, but
but they
they don't
don't quit.”
quit.”
lessly,
For David Matz, his work on behalf of the American Friends of NSWAS is the best way he has found to
For David Matz, his work on behalf of the American Friends of NSWAS is the best way he has found to
help these
these peace-builders
peace-builders do
do their
their work.
work.
help
Peace is Still Possible
David Matz,
Matz, Supporter
Supporter and
and Board
Board Member
Member since
since 1982
1982
David
229 N. Central Ave, Ste. 401
Glendale, CA 91203-3541
The Nadi: Where Youth Are Leading the Way
Primary School: Deep Roots Are Growing
Stronger
PSCC: Healing Wounds
Inside this issue:
School for Peace: Taking Action
The Nadi: Where Youth Are Leading the Way
Primary
School:
Deep Roots Are Growing
Profile: David
Matz
Stronger
Medical
Supplies
for Gaza Update
PSCC: Healing
Wounds
School for Peace: Taking Action
Letter from the President of AFNSWAS
Profile: David Matz
Dear Friends,
Medical Supplies for Gaza Update
What an incredible year it has been at the Village of NSWAS — despite
Letter from
the President of AFNSWAS
what is going on in the larger Israel/Palestine area. The people in the Vil-
Board President Judy Dubin with friend Rami
Manaa, whom she met when he was in the Primary
School.
Board President Judy Dubin with friend Rami
Manaa, whom she met when he was in the Primary
School.
Looking Ahead to a City Near You!
Between January 26 and February 13, 2015, members of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam will
be visiting New York City, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco and we may be able to
arrange a stop in the Washington, DC area. Stay tuned for more information.
The American Friends of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam is a not-for-profit
organization with 501(c)(3) status under the Internal Revenue Service Code.
The American Friends of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam
229 N. Central Ave Ste. 401
Glendale, CA 91203-3541
Phone:(818) 662-8883
Email: afnswas@oasisofpeace.org
Donate: www.oasisofpeace.org/donate
Inside this issue:
Please Support
Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam by
Making a Donation!
Dear
Friends,
lage are
moving ahead with their lives, working for peace and showing
What
an incredible
year itthe
has
been at
Village
of NSWAS
— despite
the world
how — despite
conflict
— the
people
can live
together.
what
going
onwith
in the
Israel/Palestine
area.
Thetrip
people
in the
VilI wantisto
share
yoularger
my impressions
of my
recent
to the
Village.
lage
are
moving
ahead
with
their
lives,
working
for
peace
and
showing
Whenever I go to Israel, the Village is my home-base (actually, it feels like
the world how — despite the conflict — people can live together.
my second home). It was exciting to be back in Neve Shalom/Wahat alI want to share with you my impressions of my recent trip to the Village.
Salam after eight years. It felt familiar and it felt safe.
Whenever I go to Israel, the Village is my home-base (actually, it feels like
my
second
home).
It was
exciting
to beofback
Neve Shalom/Wahat
alI went
for the
Annual
General
Meeting
the in
International
Friends AssoSalam
after
eight
years.
It
felt
familiar
and
it
felt
safe.
ciation of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam groups, which includes dozens of
I went
for the
General
Meeting
of the International
Friends
Assorepresentatives from throughout
Europe
andAnnual
the United
States.
The meeting
is an intensive
three-day
of Neve
Shalom/Wahat
al-Salam
groups,
which includes
dozensthe
of
briefing and up-date on Villageciation
activities,
including
reports from
the various
educational
institutions:
representatives
from
throughout
Europe
and
the
United
States.
The
meeting
is
an
intensive
three-day
Primary School, the School for Peace, the Pluralistic Spiritual Community Center, the Spiritual Center’s
briefing
and up-date
on Village
reports
the various
educational
institutions:
the
Peace Museum
and Gallery,
andactivities,
the Nadiincluding
Afterschool
Youthfrom
Leadership
Development
Program.
Included
Primary School, the School for Peace, the Pluralistic Spiritual Community Center, the Spiritual Center’s
in the Annual General Meeting was a report on the increasing use of and need for the Village’s Fred
Peace Museum and Gallery, and the Nadi Afterschool Youth Leadership Development Program. Included
Segal
Library,
andMeeting
the developing
Peace College.
Another highlight
was need
hearing
Golan, one
of
in
thePeace
Annual
General
was a report
on the increasing
use of and
forGalia
the Village’s
Fred
my
Israeli
heroes
and
a
board
member
of
the
Peace
College
(expected
to
open
in
the
Fall
of
2015),
deSegal Peace Library, and the developing Peace College. Another highlight was hearing Galia Golan, one of
scribe
plans
for itsand
future.
my
Israeli
heroes
a board member of the Peace College (expected to open in the Fall of 2015), describe plans for its future.
As I walked around the Village and listened to its dedicated leaders, I thought about my investment
As
I walked
themoney.
Village I and
listened
to its friends.
dedicated
I thought
about my investment
there,
both inaround
time and
hugged
my special
I satleaders,
with a few
of the kindergartners
in their
there,
both
in
time
and
money.
I
hugged
my
special
friends.
I
sat
with
a
few
of
the
kindergartners
theirI
classroom and watched them pick out their names in Arabic and Hebrew and thought about howinlucky
classroom and watched them pick out their names in Arabic and Hebrew and thought about how lucky I
am to be connected to this place of sanity and wisdom and to be able to support it. I will return.
am to be connected to this place of sanity and wisdom and to be able to support it. I will return.
The following
following pages
pages include
include reports
reports from
from the
the educational
educational programs
programs that
that the
the American
American Friends
Friends of
of NSWAS
NSWAS
The
supports in
in the
the Village.
Village. They
They describe
describe where
where your
your donations
donations go
go and
and the
the impact
impact of
of your
your donation
donation on
on that
that
supports
work. I thank you for your continuing support and commitment, and for being a part of this journey.
Judy
Judy Dubin,
Dubin, President
President of
of the
the Board
Board
Please Support Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam by Making a Donation
Please Support Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam by Making a Donation
The American Friends of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam encourages, supports, and publicizes the projects of
The American
Friendsal-Salam,
of Neve the
Shalom/Wahat
al-Salam
supports,
and publicizes
the
projects of
Neve
Shalom/Wahat
“Oasis of Peace.”
Forencourages,
more than 30
years, NSWAS
has been
dedicated
to
Neve
Shalom/Wahat
al-Salam,
the “Oasis
Peace.”
For more
thanArabs
30 years,
NSWAS
has been dedicated
to
dialogue,
cooperation,
and a genuine
and of
durable
peace
between
and Jews,
Palestinians
and Israelis.
dialogue, cooperation,
a genuine
peacethe
between
Arabs
and Jews, Palestinians and Israelis.
Learn about and
the many
waysand
youdurable
can support
programs
at www.oasisofpeace.org.
Learn about the many ways you can support the programs at www.oasisofpeace.org.
Most recently, 38 youth participants (half Bedouin and half Jewish) from southern communities close to
Gaza kicked off their year of volunteer service work at the PSCC with the Arab-Jewish Center for Equality,
Empowerment and Cooperation (AJEEC), where facilitated meetings, art, storytelling and nature workshops helped to solidify strong relations for the coming year.
In the near future, and in collaboration with “Open House Ramle” and the Kehilat Birkat Shalom Congregation, the PSCC is planning a four-month long program for 16 to 20 women in the area of Ramle-Lydda
with the goal of creating lasting bonds among women.
— Carmella Ferber, Principal
In order to create bonds of reconciliation between different worlds, says PSCC Director, Dafna Swartz,
“We need to create new tools and a fresh concept of self as it relates to the other. How do we conduct
ourselves in separation? How attuned are we to unity? And to what degree can power relations of ‘me
or you’ make room for ‘me AND you’?”
What’s next? The principal plans to involve parents in issues of Arab-Jewish relations and to hold seminars on issues of coexistence for parents and teachers together. She is also excited about a multi-year
study and evaluation of the student’s language acquisition and skills that will begin in collaboration with
Dr. Ora Mor, a bilingualism specialist from Haifa University.
School for Peace: Taking Action at Home and Branching Out Globally
ing
drais
Programs 82.1%
How Our Money Was Allocated
in the Last 5 years
.9%
rt 5
$1,244,299*
%
10.6
Library and
Research
Center
po
7.3
School For Peace
Su
p
%
Where Your Donations Go: AFNSWAS Report
$514,846
*Amount of funds raised includes
money from the USAID Grant
Primary School
$1,050,445
g
aisin
un d r
Peace College
ral
ist
ic S
$2
pir
3,5
itu
63
al
C
%
19.5
*F
$71,653
Plu
n Aid
Humanitaria
1,544
Project $1
Please make sure you have our new address!
229 N. Central Ave Ste 401
Glendale, CA 91203-3541
With that commitment, the 40 members of the youth
group called “Massa-Massar” decided to form two
groups, one for 10th-graders and another for 18-to-24
year-olds. The PSCC will continue its connection with
“Open House Ramle” and create a series of 12 weekly
encounters, including a two-day encounter for the 10thgraders of the Jewish Givat Brener High School and the
Arab Orthodox School in the town of Ramle. The 18-to24 year-olds will take part in two-day workshops taking place once every five weeks.
“ With the recent war, increasing evidence of intolerance and lack of recognition of multiculturalism in Israeli society, the Primary School’s role has become more important, and its mission to develop curricula that can contribute to an accepting, respectful society more relevant.”
Fun
We’ve Moved!
The staff at the Pluralistic Spiritual Community Center
(PSCC) faced many challenges this year due to the Gaza
conflict. However, the message is clear that when those
who believe in peace are determined to come together,
they will — no matter what the circumstances!
Just as the students strengthen their language learning and social integration skills by learning in two languages and two narratives, the teachers also receive in-service training, focusing on issues of coexistence, identity and working together. Their training also takes place in two languages with two narratives. As the new School Principal said recently,
rt
— Karin Guggenheim-Shbeta, 17 yrs
This year, the students at the Nadi are developing a plan for the Primary School to prepare the younger
students for unexpected social barriers they are likely to meet. The students have also arranged to work
with the principal of the regional high school to reduce racism and the sense of conflict. They are working with individual teachers there to develop classroom strategies for addressing racism when it occurs.
The students and teachers at this high school are watching the students from Neve Shalom/Wahat alSalam, learning from them, and slowly changing their minds about many of their prejudices. The influence of these teens from the Nadi at Neve Shalom/Wahat al Salam is spreading, slowly and surely, one
student, one teacher, one school, at a time.
Pluralistic Spiritual Community Center: Healing Wounds
The Primary School is significantly deepening its focus this
year, creating more opportunities in the School’s physical
environment. Surrounded by fields, open space and groves
of trees, it is truly an oasis. Learning from that environment
by connecting the children to local agriculture — whether by
making oil from olives or juice from grapes, or by planting
edible gardens or building a greenhouse together— helps
connect the children and their families more deeply to the
land, and in turn to the people around them. The school
playground is also integral to both language learning and
social integration, so formal plans are being developed and
revised to integrate the environmental curriculum with a fully accessible expanded range of play spaces
and activities.
po
In Israel, schools are segregated according to whether you are Jewish or Arab. But after attending the
Primary School at NSWAS, Arab children are allowed to attend a regional high school that welcomes students from Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam. There, both the Jewish and Arab children from the Village encounter a different world, a world where, following the war
in Gaza, anti-Arab racism is ever-present and openly accepted. The pressure on Jewish students to join with the
dominant culture or be ostracized themselves, or on the
Arab students to continue as successful students while enduring racial slurs and threats, is enormous.
All secondary schools in Israel also have youth centers, either Jewish or Arab – but the Village has a youth center that
welcomes BOTH Arab and Jewish students, because that is
who are our students. In the Village, the Nadi is the space
where the youth who live in the Village, most of them
graduates of the Primary School, can come together, find their friends, and find mentors who prepare
them for dealing pro-actively with the challenges confronting them. At the Nadi they can become mentors to other youth and can model the type of change they want to see in themselves and others. Many
of the youth consider the NADI Youth Center a second home, a relaxed and safe place to hang out and
reflect on the conflict around them. They come to support one another, to participate in Youth Leadership programs, to study, and to be normal teenagers together in a region that wants them to be separate.
“We sat on the grass and started by asking what the Village wants for us ... Did they understand
how important it was for their kids to have strong character for leadership?”
The Primary School’s Deep Roots Are Growing Stronger
Su
p
The Nadi: Where Youth Are Leading the Way
Programs 74.6%
With the goal of influencing those with influence, the SFP is continuing its “Change Agents” courses
which are directed at key social sectors. It has also created workshops for youth, teachers and parents
of NSWAS Primary School. SFP Director Nava Sonnenschein is also excited to announce plans for a Global
Peace Initiative for 24 women from Turkey, Palestine, Israel, India, and South Africa.
en
ter
How Your Donations
Supported the Village in
the Last 5 Years
The School for Peace (SFP) has been hard at work this year, expanding its partnerships and creating new
programs in an effort to counteract negative repercussions from the most recent conflict in Gaza. It has
added new courses with the Arab Student Unions, which provide tools to deal with the racism and hostility in today’s society. It has also increased the number of courses at Ben Gurion University in the
Negev. The SFP has developed a strategic planning committee with Israel’s pro-peace parties, human
rights NGOs and its partners in Palestine, and has been hosting meetings and planning on-the-ground
activities. The first meeting resulted in a very successful demonstration in the Arab town of Tira, which
hundreds of Jews and Arabs attended. In addition to hearing from key figures in the pro-peace community in Israel, the demonstration included speeches by members of the Knesset Muhammed Barcha and
Dov Hanin.
How Our Money Was
Allocated For 2013-2014
*We are investing in growing the development
arm of AFNSWAS
In order to ensure steady growth of the SFP and its networks, the SFP held regional forums and meetings
for past graduates in Nazareth, Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem. The SFP will focus next on projects that include
working with young Arab women as they transition from village to university life, and empowering Arab
student unions. The SFP is expanding partnerships with the Arab-Jewish Center for Equality, Empowerment and Cooperation (AJEEC), Tawasul, and the Arab Center for Alternative Planning in the Galilee.