Parents Circle - Families Forum

I would establish a Transformation & Testimonial project that reflects over 30 years of work of the Parents Circle Families Forum, bereaved Palestinian and Israelis who have all lost an immediate family member to the conflict. The testimonials would be created by short 7 minute clips illustrating the personal story and the road to the understanding of non violence and reconciliation. This transformation library reflecting the possibility for change will be made available for Universities, libraries, other organizations that deal with conflict resolution globally and museums that relate to conflicts.  The possibility to watch transformation can create a change in attitudes of people who believe that it is not possible to reconcile, by creating an emotional breakthrough.

I was born in South Africa and immigrated to Israel in 1967 as a volunteer. My son, David, was killed by a Palestinian sniper in 2002 while he was guarding a checkpoint near a settlement during his army reserve service. Since my son David was killed, the Palestinian sniper has been caught and I have embarked on a path of reconciliation with the man who killed my son. 

I am the Israeli spokesperson and an active member of the Parents Circle Families Forum (www.theparentscircle.org) , a group of 600 Israeli and Palestinian families who have lost close family members and who work together for reconciliation, non violence and a just resolution to the conflict.  I speak with a Palestinian partner in venues throughout Israel, the Palestinian Territories, as well as internationally - including The House of Lords, House of Commons, the Canadian Parliament, the Spanish Parliament, the House of Congress, and many international conferences, such as the Nobel Women’s Initiative, the United Nations Media, J Street, AIPAC, TELOS, and Q Evangelical Conference - to spread messages of reconciliation, mutual understanding, and humanization of the other through the power of my personal narrative and the work of the Parents Circle.  

THE PARENTS CIRCLE – FAMILIES FORUM is a unique, grassroots organization made up of more than 600 Israeli and Palestinian families, who have lost an immediate family member to the conflict. Our long-term vision is to have a reconciliation process as an integral part of any future peace agreement. We can no longer be satisfied with political agreements, which bring temporary ceasefires. We want a permanent, sustainable peace. By creating understanding and humanizing the “other side”, we lay the foundation for reconciliation. We educate the general public and our leaders to understand that reconciliation is possible and essential to stop the bloodshed, prevent future bereavement and achieve a lasting peace.  Our work takes place not only on the ground in Israel and Palestinian - our messages are international, therefore we also travel extensively around the world and speak in diverse venues. Much of our work can be adapted globally where polarization and conflict are a part of daily life.  Our personal stories create a platform for emotional breakthroughs.  We are probably the only organization working in an ongoing conflict.

The PCFF created projects not normally used in conflict resolution:

International Women’s Day; had 140 Palestinian and Israeli bereaved women marching in Tel-Aviv, handing out flowers to the public with a slogan; “we would rather give you a flower, than put one on a grave”.  A previous year we had 240 Israeli and Palestinian women building a wall in the West Bank, then breaking it down, symbolizing the need to build bridges and not walls.

“Taking Steps in the Path for Peace”; Palestinian women created a hand embroidered bird on a sports shoe. It was launched in the EU Parliament, the Bundestag, and the US Congress. A side benefit was to increment the income of the Palestinian women. 

“Jam Session”; a book of stories and recipes, sold by the thousands.

“Offering Reconciliation”; 135 Palestinian and Israeli artists created large ceramic bowls.  They were displayed in Israel, Chicago, at the UN, the World Bank. 

“Peace Mural”; created during the 2014 Gaza war, was made half in Palestine and half in Israel. It was displayed at the UN, and now hangs in the NY UNESCO office.

"Cartooning in Conflict"; an exhibition of world renowned cartoonists, displayed globally. 

The Parents Circle has made emotional breakthroughs in the general public by using personal stories.  Even the hardest of hearts cannot help but be moved, when hearing the stories of loss, which have led to a transformation and a quest for peace.  A Palestinian and an Israeli going into a classroom where a child has never met "the other", creates a situation where children are exposed to the humanity of the so-called "enemy".  It is unique as they have probably never before been exposed to this humanity. Going into houses in the West Bank has the same effect, as Palestinians have never met an Israeli who is not in uniform or who is not a settler. Why would they believe that there is a whole different nation across the divide?  We also have an adult "Parallel Narrative" program ("History Through the Human Eye"). This program has reached more than 1,000 people and has imbued in them the possibility to listen with empathy even if they don't agree, and to respect that another narrative exists.