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Dr. Levin with professors at the Arab American University, Jenin
Sis Levin: An internationally known peace educator and certified professional mediator attracted international attention in connection with her successful nonviolent effort to create conditions which provided her hostage husband, CNN journalist Jerry Levin, with an opportunity to escape from captivity. She shared that experience in the best-selling Beirut Diary and consulted in the making of the ABC-TV version: Held Hostage.
OUR MISSION: The Children of Abraham -- a project of ECAPC: Every Church A Peace Church (www.ecapc.org) and World Peacemakers (www.worldpeacemakers.org/) -- is dedicated to supporting Christian communities in the Holy Land in their efforts to promote peaceful coexistence with Jews and Muslims. We work primarily through systemic, comprehensive nonviolence peace education in Israeli and Palestinian schools and communities. Our support is through financial contributions, sponsorship of delegations, and interpretation of the shared vision of educators to foster greater understanding of issues related to Christians, Muslims, and Jews striving to live together in peace in the Holy Land.
Mary J. Wade, Executive Director
1411 Smolian Place
Birmingham, AL 35205
Phone: 205.939.0362
E-mail: maryjwade@bham.rr.com
Pictured here are a selected group of upper level students and their professors at the Arab American University at Jenin, Occupied West Bank, who participated in a weeklong campus workshop that they named "Active Nonviolence: the Key to the True Palestinian Personality!" AAUJ (the Arab American University at Jenin) is the only institution of its kind in Occupied Palestine.
The innovative set of lectures, interactive exercises and films provided by the Holy Land Trust staff and Resource Center in Bethlehem produced gratifying evaluations, including plans to continue this course for credit and the students' creation of local and national Active Noviolent Service Learning projects. The seminar will be summarized in a presentation for the entire faculty and administration of Bethlehem University sponsored by the distinguished Dean of Education there: Dr. Jacquelin Sfeir.
Dr. Sis Levin (seated in center in white shirt) reported that this exciting workshop/retreat in Jenin also fits perfectly into the current initiative with sixteen requesting Kindergarden teachers in Bethlehem. She said, "By learning together with the littlest ones as well as those graduating into life in Palestine, we are getting comprehensive and systemic pedagogical coverage and experience together. It is a great honor to be a part of this work with the Holy Land Trust."
Levin is continuing to meet and consult with Christian, Muslim and Jewish colleagues committed to interfaith educational programs focused on peace with justice arrived at through active nonviolence. Several colleagues are actively working with The Children of Abraham Team, specialists in the field such as Jewish scholars Dr. Katy Barak and Dorah Rosen who will come from California to join Dr. Levin for an extended work visit in Israel/Palestine in September.
A Palestinian Student View
Palestinian Reaction Against Opression
by Mai
Spring 2003
Palestinians react to oppression in different ways including acquiescence, violent resistance and nonviolent resistance. I will talk about acquiescence and violence. Then I will give my opinion.
The majority of the Palestinian community prefers to deal with oppression through acquiescence. They prefer to remain away from the problem. They prefer not to interfere in this situation. In their view acquiescence is the only way to live in peace without any problem. A few of our Palestinian community deal with oppression with violence. They prefer violence because it brings fast and positive results, and they think they could return Palestinian land by this way.
As I have mentioned the ways that some are dealing with oppression, I want to give my opinion. In my opinion using these two methods do not achieve anything for the oppressed people. In contrast, it will keep the oppressed people under control and it will not achieve a positive peace. That will not be achieved until the two sides (Israel and the Palestinian government) sit together and understand what are the needs of each side. Also, I think that violence is not the way. It creates a more complicated situation because violence aims at humiliating people and prevents people from reaching their goals. It destroys all signs of life. For example, we see the evidence in our land. The Israeli government practices harmful attitudes and humiliating systems against Palestinians. Palestinians respond to this violence with more violence so some Palestinians make bombs in Israel and this causes more damage and destruction on each side. Each side will continue without stopping because this method in dealing with oppression has no use. It builds on hatred rather than love so the end will be harmful.
Aquiescence and violent resistance are two ways that oppressed people react to their oppressors. In my opinion both ways are killing us.
