Arab–Israeli peace projects
This page discusses the many projects that work to create a peaceful and productive co-existence between Israelis and Arabs.
Neve Shalom Humanitarian Aid Project
The Israeli Jewish-Arab Village of Neve Shalom-Wahat al Salam provides a remarkable model of coexistence. They organize humanitarian projects, including providing medical assistance for Palestinians in need of help.
Hamidrasha Jewish-Arab Beit Midrash
Hamidrasha, a center for study and fellowship, works to address alienation, estrangement, and mutual ignorance between Jews and Arabs. Hamidrasha is establishing an inter-cultural Beit Midrash (Hebrew, "House of study"), which will serve as a basis for mutual personal and communal encounters, and for the study of cultural narratives and modern texts of both peoples. Jewish, Muslim and Christian men and women will engage in a true inter-cultural learning experience, with the goal of making a significant contribution to the ongoing dialogue between Jews and Arabs, and strengthening their reciprocal ties.
Ir Shalem co-existence program
In many ways the city of Jerusalem has been at the center of the conflict. The Israeli political movement Peace Now in [1994]] has created an initiative called Ir Shalem, the goal of which is to build a peaceful equitable and inspiring future for this city, with Jewish and Arab citizens working together to find solutions based on equity and justice. This program brings together volunteer architects, planners, lawyers and other professionals to analyze problems, and offer solutions. Among other efforst, Ir Shalem is developing the first-ever planning model for East Jerusalem that will equitably meet the needs of the Palestinian community.
Seeds of Peace
Seeds of Peace was founded in 1993 by John Wallach after the first terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City. He created the Seeds of Peace International Camp in Otisfield, Maine, USA, and brought togther several dozen Israelis, Palestinian and Egyptian teens. The goal of his organization was to create a new generation of leadership in the middle-east, one in which both Arabs and Israelies would no longer accept outdated and harmful sterotypes about each other; this would occur by bringing together people to literally put a human face on those who were previously perceived as an enemy. Since that time Arab children from Morocco, Jordan and Tunisia have joined. Seeds of Peace camps now operate programs in the Middle East as well. Seeds of Peace has also branched out into bringing teenagers together to help solve the Balkans conflict, the Greek and Turkish dispute over Cyprus, and the Indian-Pakistani dispute.
Jewish-Muslim dialogue
The American Jewish Committee
While forcefully speaking out against Islamic anti-Semitism and anti-Israeli rhetoric, the American Jewish Committee (AJC) has worked since 1985 to enhancing relations between Jews and Muslims. The AJC encourages and engages in dialogue on many levels with like-minded groups committed to fostering tolerance and cooperation. The AJC has issued many public statements over the years condemning those who scapegoat all Arabs for the sins of a few; the AJC has repeatedly issued warnings about the potential breaching of civil liberties of Arab-Americans, and speaks against attacks on Muslims within the U.S. The AJC worked to lobby America to intervene on behalf on Muslims in Bosnia. In 1993 the AJC sponsored the first national conference on "Muslims and Jews in North America: Past, Present and Future" with the Institute for Islamic-Judaic Studies at the University of Denver in October. In 1999 the AJC helped aid Muslims in Kosovo. In 2001 the AJC initiated a new project designed to advance understanding between Muslims and Jews by publishing two books:
Children of Abraham: An Introduction to Judaism for Muslims, by Professor Reuven Firestone, a scholar of Islam at Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles, was written to describe Judaism to Muslims; Children of Abraham: An Introduction to Islam for Jews, by professor Khalid Duran, was written to describe Judaism for Muslims.
Feisal Abdul Rauf, imam of Masjid al-Farah in New York City and founder of the American Sufi Muslim Association (ASMA) Society
A Call to bridge the Abrahamic faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Islam
American Muslim leaders
Feisal Abdul Rauf, imam of Masjid al-Farah in New York City and founder of the American Sufi Muslim Association (ASMA) Society PBS interview with Rauf A Call to bridge the Abrahamic faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Islam
Khalid Abou El Fadl, UCLA law professor, works with Jewish and Christian groups to promote inter-faith cooperation and dialogue.
El Fadly condemns terrorist attacks as not being true Jihad, and calles them Hirabah, terrorism
See also: Religious pluralism, Peace process