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Nurturing The Seeds Of Peace

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mpathy. Webster's defines it
quite simply: "Intellectual
or emotional identification
with another." Yet its
absence has been a primary obstacle to
peacemaking between Israel and its
neighbors.
Israel Prime Minister Ehud Barak's
jump-starting of the meandering Mid-
dle East peace process, literally hours
after raking office last week, is rooted
in the understanding that both Israelis
N
and Palestinians have suffered over the
years. By acknowledging the mutual
pain, Barak has suddenly put a human
face on the enemy.
Similar pronouncements from Yass-
er Arafat, the chairman of the Pales-
tinian Authority, are also needed to
achieve the "peace of the brave" to
which they both refer.
Empathy.
Thousands of miles away from
their homes, Israeli and Arab
teenagers, mostly Palestinians, are
learning and living the language of
understanding. At a camp in Maine,
outside of Portland, Seeds of Peace is
providing these teens with a glimpse
of the future — one that their genera-
tion will help shape.
A group of 165, including a delega-
language of the camp is English.
tion of Turkish and Greek Cypriots,
A group from Detroit, headed by
are currently completing a three-and-
Seeds
national board member Joel
a-half-week session that has changed
Jacob
and
including U.S. Rep. Joseph
them from enemies to friends. And it
Knollenberg,
an important Seeds sup-
all started with getting beyond their
porter
on
Capitol
Hill, visited the
respective "facts" and fears while feel-
camp last week. What they saw were
ing the other person's pain.
the possibilities when fear and suspi-
Seeds of Peace is the brainchild of
cion
are overcome.
veteran Hearst newsman John Wal-
The
teens stroll the campgrounds in
lach. Since its inception in 1993, more
identical, standard-issue
than 1,000 "seeds" have gradu-
green
T-shirts. Girls are arm-
ated from the camp, returning
in-arm
with other girls. Boys
to their countries and commu-
throw
their
arms around
nities as beacons of conflict
other boys. Only after meet-
resolution. Seeds of Peace is
ing them do you realize that
the only people-to-people pro-
these are Jewish girls holding
gram that has the blessing of
hands
with Palestinian girls;
the Israeli, Palestinian, Egypt-
Palestinian
boys throwing
ian, Jordanian and Moroccan
their
arms
around
Jew-
governments.
ish
boys.
More than 4,000 teens are
ARTHUR M.
When this group of
nominated each year by their
HORWITZ
campers
arrived at the
governments to be among the
Publisher
camp
less
than three
300-350 "seeds" who attend
weeks
ago,
they were
one of the camp's two sessions.
armed
with
anger, fear
The camping experience is similar to
and
their
own
set
of
"facts."
Also,
many others on the one hand ... pris-
N
many
came
following
a
final
ori-
, tine lake, sports, arts and crafts and
entation
from
their
host
govern-
bug juice.
ments meant to reinforce their
On the other hand, it has daily
feelings of injustice.
conflict resolution sessions facilitated
"Freedom fighters" or "terror-
by trained staff and carefully planned
ists?"
Six-million Holocaust vic-
integration of sports teams, bunks and
tims
or
10,000? "You mean I have
other camp activities. The universal

/-

/—

\ -

/-

,/-

to sleep in the same bunk with my
enemy?"
Within a week, however, the
campers begin to listen. And with lis-
tening comes empathy and humanity.
A bomb in a market is not merely a
strike against the Zionist entity. It is
the maiming of the friend of a Jewish
"seed" who was only looking to buy
some food to feed her family.
A vigorous search by a soldier at a

Above: Seeds of Peace campers join
hands and hearts in song before lunch.

Below: Joel Jacob and US Re. Joe
Knollenberg tour the Seeds of Peace
Camp in Maine.

border crossing is not just a safety net
for catching terrorists, but the humili-
ation of the grandmother of a Pales-
tinian "seed."
By sharing and hearing each other's
fears, the young people develop a
remarkable bond. While the campers
still engage in heated arguments about
the final status of Jerusalem or the
return of Palestinians from refugee
camps, they disagree without being
disagreeable and they remain friends.
The model created by Seeds of
Peace provides a glimpse of how far
the peace process can go. In his inau-
gural address la$t week, Israel's Barak
said he is "not only cognizant of the
sufferings of my own people, but I
also recognize the sufferings of the
Palestinian people."
It all starts with empathy. ❑

A segment about Seeds of Peace, pre-
pared by "60 Minutes" anchor Morley
Safer, is scheduled to air at 7 p.m.
Sunday, July 18, on CBS-TV (Chan-
nel 62).

To leave a message for Arthur
Horwitz, please call (248) 354-
6060, ext. 238, or e-mail
ahorwitz@thejevvishnews.com

7/16
1999

Detroit Jewish News

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