Letters From the Crisis

By
Angelica Edna Calò Livne

Yesterday (few days ago), we got an email from coordinator of a project with Jordanian and Palestinian groups. She asked each of us to send her a few lines about our assessment of the current situation in regard to our project: Partnership of Regional Leadership.

Dear all, these are difficult days, I’m worried and desperate for my family for the destruction and the pain of Gaza’s citizens and for the death of our soldiers. All that breaks my heart. I gather all my energies to continue to work, to go ahead in my life as usual! The only consolation is my friends beyond the barrier with whom I have built a relationship of affection, trust and respect. I am very sad and mortified because I feel that my friends, some of you, are suffering and you are angry also with me. In spite of all the pain I feel this is the time to get up, take the youngsters from the two peoples and show a new way to build together the future that we dreamed in our meetings. They deserve that and we were chosen to do that. More and more people ask me if they can take part in, if they can help. Every person to whom I tell about our meetings is moved and is filled with true light!
There is people who do not believe that our friendship can be true, and some think I’m losing time… but most are happy to hear about our collaboration.
I think this is our big test, a mission for us who are educators, people with a vision. This is the time to talk in a civil way and share how we feel, what we have in our heart and in our soul. Now is the time to implement all the beautiful things that we’ve planned and written about mediation, bridges, dialogue, war and peace! Hope that we’ll come back soon to be friends. We can’t forget who we are and what we built together!

Edna

I was afraid that our colleagues there would not respond. The situation between our two countries was worsening day by day and finally A. B. (This is a fictive name for security reasons) sent his message.

Dear All,

Thanks for raising these key questions. I would like to describe to you the context I am writing you the answers.
At the time I am writing you this letter, my house is surrounded by IDF and there are clashes. The tear gas is all around my house. I feel sad to see the tears in the eyes of my kids. Kindly see below my responses to the questions.
I do believe in a peaceful settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian dilemma. This is my dogma. Though what is going on have not at changed my perception, but it is depressing to see the tone of war and the voice of guns is louder than the voices of peace. It is hard to see that people are supporting the killing of kids and women. It is hard to see that the language of retaliation and revenge is the common language of our two peoples. Having spent my past 20 years in educating our people how to curb violence, how to coexist, how to live together, how to diminish barriers… it is so depressing to see that we have another source of education which is the reality that advocates for hatred, killing, murder.
No one can deny that what is going on and the current war has a remarkable effect on our works and on our audiences. The picture they see of killing and house demolitions in Gaza and the loss of some of their relatives or friends have left a great effect on a number of our stakeholders. This is obvious in their different calls and queries.
The project concept is great and we need to continue working on it. We need this project at this time more than any other time. These concepts are direly needed in times of war more than any other time. Though we encounter some hindrances and difficulties but I do believe this is the right time to instil these values and concepts, to implement the themes of peace, peer leadership and peer mediation in a non-violent context at a single identity level, to do healing activities like drama, songs, and drawing, key note speakers at our schools
We are a wonderful team that need to sustain it work and pursuit for combatting violence and hatred and to pursue its work to achieve peace.
Best Regards to all of you,
A. B. Ramallah- Palestine

Dear A. B. Thank you so much for being you.
Your words have the power of healing… Hoping that the ceasefire will continue, that our governments will speak, speak, speak and dialogue! That everybody will understand the pain of the other.
Hope to see your beautiful children’s eyes smiling and to see my children at home!

*Edna Angelica Calò Livne is one the founders of Beresheet Lashalom Foundation. The Foundation is dedicated to the creation and perseverance of dialogue between children across diverse groups.