Libby and Len Traubman's Page

Boko Haram has declared a unilateral cease-fire.  Will this stop the attacks on Christians in northern Nigeria?  Who is in dialogue with Boko Haram?  The central Nigerian Government or Christian leaders?

Would he be interested in catering for either an ecumenical seder or Feast of Eid celebration?  A location would have to volunteer for people to dine at.  I have been to an ecumenical seder with Protestant denominations, who do not believe in the consumption of alcohol, so grape juice was substituted.  The same would half to apply to Muslims.  At a Feast of Eid celebration, Jews would be able to consume everything there, and I knew somebody who made a fantastic Koffee Arabitun.  A text is not recited at a Feast of Eid celebration, but the Haggadah is recited at the seder.  Haggadah in Hebrew means "telling," because it is telling the story of Pesach, and seder means "order," because the foods are served in order.

You are mentioned in "The Washington Post" article on the Middle Eastern food peace truck.  I did a comment on that article, because I have attended Feast of Eid celebrations, and I directed Iraqi Muslim Kurdish refugees to kosher food, because halal food was difficult to obtain.

If you go into the discussions, I have been the one so far who has initiated them, and participating in them.  So if you wish to participate, feel free to join.  Because interesting feedback has been coming out of them.

I just wanted to say hi to two of my favorite change agents!
I hope both of you are well!

A True Story By Faisal Al-kateep
I am a Palestinian Arab from Hizmeh, a village between Jerusalem and Ramallah. When I was 15 years old I fought against the Israeli Occupation in search of freedom. At that time I thought every Jewish person, whether soldier or citizen, man or woman, young or old, should be killed. I rejected the right for any Jew to live and every Jew was a target. I was just a kid, believe me, and I didn’t understand anything about politics or the Arab-Israeli conflict. I was arrested and sat in jail for 12 years. This was during the first intifada from 1987. At that time nobody talked about peace but only of violence. I matured during my time in jail. I started studying and reading books on politics, literature, poetry, and about the Madrid Conference.

It gave me hope to live in peace and dignity. I learned that violence only breeds violence and that peace is the only solution for the two nations, the only way for both to have a respectful and beautiful future. We live on the same land. We are neighbors. We drink the same water and both pray to a monotheistic God. We must live in peace on the basis of religion for God and land for everyone.

Hey guys! Any chance of you coming down the Southern California way? I think I migh ttry to talk Steve into taking me on a trip up north to the city--I love SF. Air fare has gotten jcheap. I fwe do, we willd call!

Love you guys ,

Allison and Steve

Dear L&L,
Nice to meet you here!
We have been writing to each other some years ago and met once in San Francisco. (a reminder: I am an Israeli, and I am a co-counselor in RC - Reevaluation Counseling). I am also on your mailing list.
I appreciate what you are doing for so many yeas, telling about peace activities and meetings between Jews and Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians. Things of this kind are rarely mentioned by the media.
So, welcome to mepeace.
With love and appreciation,

Rami

The ‘Big Hug’ and the future of Jerusalem

The sting of all problems between Israeli and Palestinians lays in the Old City of Jerusalem. Her status has to be solved in such a way, that all parties fighting for control over her can agree upon.

On June 24, the ‘Big Hug’ will be hold in Jerusalem. Light workers from Israel, Palestine and from all over the world, ‘Lovers of Jerusalem’, will come together to bring warmth and energy to this city, embracing holding hands the Old City. If we bundle all our positive energies and bring these to Jerusalem, we can create peace to this exceptional place.

We are organizing the Big Hug to make the people aware –especially the Israeli and Palestinian inhabitants of Jerusalem- that there is a very shaped perspective for the city of Jerusalem as a city of peace: a new, undivided Jerusalem, as the capital of Palestine, Israel and at large.

Let go of the conflict concerning her command and dedicate the city to the Omnipresent. The Old City as a whole is His Temple. To give the walled Old City free to God, as a "Status Apart”, as an independent city, will be the most feasible way to come out the current impasse.

The Old City of Jerusalem must become an open city; a House of Prayer for all the Peoples. This perspective is written down in the Holy Books, this is the perspective we, as ‘Lovers of Jerusalem’ embrace as well as solution. But how many people does already notice this hopeful point of view?

What I saw in Jerusalem and also everywhere else where I meet Islamic and Jewish people is, that not so many persons really think about a future for Jerusalem. Most of the time, they stick with old ideas that the Old City of Jerusalem will always remain a part of Israel, or in opposite, that it will be absolutely a part of a new Palestinian state, as stolen land that has to be given back. With these visions, a future Jerusalem will be a divided city with an East Palestinian and West Israeli part, with barbed wire and checkpoints in between, like the situation of the city from 1948-1967. Or, coming closer to an agreement, people suggest -like proposed in the “Geneva Accord” in 2003- to make a complicated dividing of the Old City in a Israeli and Palestinian part. That will mean that the small alleys will be split by walls and barriers too. The idea that a future Jerusalem will become a divided city, is something that we have to prevent.

There are living about 250.000 Palestinian and 500.000 Israeli rather close together in one city. Do they want to make a separation of Jerusalem in parts or do they choose, deep in their hearts, for unity? So my best friends, it is our task to inform the whole city that there is an alternative for the Jerusalem of today.

All lovers of a united Jerusalem will come together to encircle and embrace the Old City of Jerusalem with love and devotion. We have to encourage all inhabitants of Jerusalem to join the coming Big Hug, with the idea of a New Jerusalem that might be realized with their support.

Rob Schrama Phone:0031-646608660 www.loversofjerusalem.org