We have committed ourselves to generating positive change, through sharing our personal narratives and transformation from revenge to reconciliation. One of our goals is to prepare the ground for a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We believe that more attention should be directed towards the enemy images people have of each other, and the consequences of such relationships. This enmity has accumulated over generations and decades of wars is a serious obstacle for a shared future in the Middle East. The need to break the enemy image that both societies have of each other is essential for a lasting peace.
We know first-hand the injuries caused by conflict and have paid the highest price for it. At the same time, we know the healing that results from working towards peace. We have shared our personal narratives of transformation from extremism to non-violence and peace-building with thousands of people all over the world. Through our work, we hope to build new bridges between Jews, Muslims and Christians and inspire less polarized perspectives in relationship to the conflict in Israel and Palestine as well as Islam and the West.
We are in a time of politicization of religion; some Rabbis, Ministers and Imams are capturing the minds and hearts of our youth through empty slogans and extreme interpretation of religious books that lead to hatred, violence and destruction.
We together present an example of two extremes that met in the middle with hope and vision for a peaceful Palestine and Israel. Our experiences have taught us that all sides must stop embracing radicalism in order to achieve a real peace.
Our aim is to present the complex elements of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and also to use our analysis and experience to present ways and tools that can heal existing wounds, grow and evolve both societies in a positive direction.
We also hope to bridge the divide by fostering new ways of thinking accompanied by alternative new behaviors. Together, we strive to demonstrate that partnerships across the divide of entrenched conflicts, when based on dialogue and mutual respect, can help to build new ways of being together in community.