Noor A’wad and Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger may have come to the question of how Palestinians and Israelis can co-exist on land that they both claim as sacred from different perspectives, but through their work with Roots, the Palestinian Israeli Grassroots Initiative for Understanding, Nonviolence and Transformation, they are figuring out a way to share the land while respecting both communities’ claims on it.
In this first episode of 2022, the Make Meaning Podcast looks at one of the world’s greatest global concerns and begins to make sense of it by speaking to two inspiring leaders in the quest for reconciliation. Noor A’wad is a Palestinian whose family moved to Palestine after the Oslo Accords were signed in the hope that it would be a new opportunity for their family. Growing up in that shattered dream, Noor became a voice for co-existence and understanding.
In this episode, Lynne, Noor and Hanan discuss:
- The importance of using the right terminology (it’s not a “conflict” – given the differences in power)
- The “hubris of exclusivity”
- How media on both sides (and around the world) are part of the problem
- That identity is the core of the conflict
- That today’s situation dates back to 1948
- Why a two-state solution is ideal, but not the two-state solution that most people think of
- The importance of accepting each other’s legitimacy
- That self-definition and self-determination are essential for lasting peace
Links and Resources;
- Roots
- The Oslo Accords (History.com)
- The Oslo Accords (U.S. government site)
- The Second Intifada
- The West Bank
- A Land for All
Find Roots:
Website
Facebook
Facebook (Noor)
Facebook (Hanan)
Instagram (Roots)
Instagram (Noor)
LinkedIn (Hanan)
Coming up next on the Make Meaning Podcast:
Lynne interviews Stephanie Steinberg, founder of the Detroit Writing Room and a former journalist, about the power of story to create legacy.
If you enjoyed this episode, you’ll like these other Make Meaning podcast episodes:
- Episode 82 – Jessica McCormick – Envisioning a new type of Jewish community
- Episode 68 – M. L. Liebler – How to use writing & performance to be an activist
- Episode 64 – Communicating Faith with Rev. Dr. Maidstone Mulenga
- Episode 58 – Being Grateful: A special Thanksgiving episode with Kristi Nelson and Nedal Al-Hayek
- Episode 39 – Rabbis Who Rock
- Episode 12 – Finding Purpose in Community with Sherrie Singer
