Oasis of Peace is Wellspring of Mideast Hope

By: ARLENE FINE Staff Reporter
Attending a bilingual and bicultural school at Neve Shalom provided a solid
basis of friendship and understanding between sabra Adi Frish, left, and
Palestinian Laila Najjar.

If the entire Middle East could get along the way Laila Najjar, 21, a
Palestinian, and Adi Frish, 21, a sabra, do, peace would not be such an
elusive quality in that strife-torn corner of the world. It would be a
given. Both young women are products of a grand experiment that began in the
small
village of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salaam, "Oasis of Peace," in 1972.

Neve Shalom was founded by Father Bruno Hussar, whose goal was to start a
cooperative community based on mutual acceptance, respect and cooperation
that would bring together people of the monotheistic religions of Israel.
Located midway between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, this community of 50
families, half Palestinian and half Jewish, is a working model that proves
Jews and Arabs, given the right attitude and education, can coexist together
as equals.

As goodwill ambassadors and spokespersons for Neve Shalom, Adi and Laila
recently visited Cleveland on a seven-city tour of the States. They were
born in Neve Shalom, attended the same primary school, visit each other's
homes, and celebrate their respective religious holidays together.
"The reason we are like sisters is that we attended a bilingual and
bicultural primary school where we learned Hebrew and Arabic and about the
history and significance of each other's cultures," says Adi. "Once you
understand another person's religion and way of life, it is much easier to
get along and develop lifetime friendships like ours. When you segregate
people, then you create fear and distrust, and that leads to trouble."
Both young women agree that the Neve Shalom model will take time to catch on
in the larger community, but it seems to be the only hope for peace. "We
know that Israelis and Arabs must take little steps to arrive at peace, but
our village proves it can be done," says Laila. "And many people are willing
to give it a try."

In keeping with the original mission to conduct outreach educational work,
Neve Shalom is home to the internationally recognized School for Peace
(SFP), founded in 1979. To date, over 35,000 youth and adults have attended
SFP sessions led jointly by a Jewish-Palestinian staff.
Courses offered by SFP include: conflict encounter workshops designed for
students, teachers, journalists, lawyers and social workers; workshops for
empowerment of Arab and Jewish women; seminars to raise awareness of
intergroup conflicts within the Arab and Jewish societies; and yearly
graduate courses in cooperation with four Israeli universities.
The small but significant success of Neve Shalom has not gone unnoticed. The
Swedish parliament nominated the village for five consecutive years to
receive the Nobel Peace Prize, and the number of awards it has received over
its 32-year history is equally impressive.

The primary school in Neve Shalom (grades K-7) is so popular that 300
students are on a waiting list. It has become such a powerful prototype for
bicultural and bilingual study that many educators from around the world
visit the school. After he toured Neve Shalom, Anton Shammas, a noted
Palestinian journalist, wrote, "It is always risky to be lured by metaphors,
especially in the Middle East, but those who live in this 'Oasis of Peace,'
have managed to achieve the impossible: By refusing to be lured, they have
concretized a metaphor. We, who are still wandering in the desert, envy
them."

Laila, an art student studying in Jerusalem, says as a Palestinian she faces
discrimination daily. "When I am riding a public bus to school and begin to
speak Arabic to a friend, people around me move away," she says. "And at the
airport I am always pulled over and my luggage is checked. This does not
happen to my Israeli friends. I'm getting used to this, but I realize how
angry it can make Palestinians feel to be treated this way."

Both young women say they plan to live in Neve Shalom and raise their
families there. They smile as they recall their parents' excellent cooking.
"Adi's mother makes the best matzo balls for Shabbat," says Laila. And Adi
adds with a wide grin, "Laila's father makes outstanding manaish (homemade
pita seasoned with olive oil and spices) that we eat with labneh (white
cream cheese)."

Currently the community is on a fund-raising campaign to purchase buses for
the village. Ninety percent of the 300 students enrolled in the primary
school come from 26 different villages, and the transportation budget has
been seriously cut.

"This is a problem, but we will work together to find a solution," says Adi.
"Once you experience the joy of living in a peaceful community, you will do
everything possible to have it continue, and share that with others."

For more information visit the Web site, www.oasisofpeace.org.