Hope and other things

Hope

Last night I attended a benefit concert featuring a famous Israeli musician. The concert raised money for Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam ("Oasis of Peace"), a joint Jewish-Arab village between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The village has about 50 households -- half are Arab and half are Jewish. There is a school where Arab and Jewish children study together, and children are brought in from surrounding areas to attend the school as well. I visited the school and it was definitely very touching to see Arab and Jewish children studying together so happily.

Interestingly, after suggesting myself that people start respecting peace on a micro level, I did not find myself particularly optimistic after my visit to the village -- despite the fact that they are trying to spread peace from the grassroots level. Even after hearing about the educational and peace-building programs in which tens of thousands of people have participated, I felt more hopeless than ever about peace in this region. I couldn't put my finger on why, but that is the way I felt.

I felt the same way last night at the concert when the musician said he has hope for peace in the region. I guess I feel that you can change a few people's minds and lives, and that is a beautiful, amazing thing that has value in and of itself. But, generally speaking the conflict between Jews and Arabs is so ingrained in many of the people here -- I feel like it is in their blood. I once heard a woman (an American who had immigrated recently to Israel) say in a warning fashion, "There are Arabs living among us." I was stunned. And I didn't say anything. It's not like anything I could say would change her mind.

It made me think back the US's history with slavery. The United States is just over 200 years old, so slavery didn't have much time become indelibly marked in people's belief systems. In this region, the conflict stretches for thousands of years. How long and how much/what kind of effort will it take to change things?

Being Human
I was recently watching "Grey's Anatomy" -- one of my favorite shows ever -- and the main character was about to get involved with a new guy and was trying to act like she wasn't "scary and damaged." The more I learn about life and the more people I meet, the more I think that everyone has their own "scary and damaged" aspects. Isn't that what parents are supposed to do to us - mess us up so we can spend the rest of our lives trying to sort it out? :-) But, I think the point is:
--Handle this state of being with grace and humanity. Be gentle and forgiving with ourselves while striving to be better.
--Be compassionate and graceful in how we deal with everyone else since they also have their own issues.