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Poetry to heal a split society
`Look into the mirror / Look into my eyes`

POETRY TO HEAL A SPLIT SOCIETY

A Tri-Lingual Presentation and Workshop Event

A public reading of poems in

English, Arabic and Hebrew

With audience participation


The International YMCA

26 King David Street, Jerusalem


Tuesday, August 22, 2017

17:00 - 20:00

Suggested Donation: NIS 20



`תביט בראי / תסתכל לי בעיניים`


ערב הקראת שירה לריפוי חברה שסועה


סדנא ומופע בשלוש שפות

האירוע כולל הקראת שירה בציבור בעברית, ערבית ואנגלית

בהשתתפות הקהל


יום שלישי‏ ‏22.2.17 בשעות ‏17:00‏ - ‏20:00‏‏

ימקא הבינלאומית


רחוב דוד המלך 26, ירושלים

תרומה לכניסה: 20 ש`ח


הרשמה:
www.ymca.org.il


info@ymca.org.il




`انظروا الى المرآة / انظروا الى عيني`

في ثلاث لغات - أمسية من قراءة الشعر لشفاء مجتمع منقسم


قراءة الأغاني أمام الجمهور باللغة الإنجليزية والعربية والعبرية

مع مشاركة الجمهور

الثلاثاء 22.2.17 من 17:00 حتي 20:00

يمكا الدولية

26 شارع الملك داود، القدس

التبرع إلى المدخل: 20 شيكل

تسجيل
www.ymca.org.il

info@ymca.org.il





The Interfaith Encounter Association is dedicated to promoting peace in the
Middle East through interfaith dialogue and cross-cultural study. We believe
that, rather than being a cause of the problem, religion can and should be
part of the solution.


The Jerusalem International YMCA was born as the brainchild of Dr. Archibald
Harte, who in the 1920’s worked tirelessly for his vision of creating a
bridge between faiths and cultures in the increasingly divided city..
Harte’s vision was captured in three inscriptions revealed at the 1933
dedication of YMCA building: “The Lord our God the Lord is One” in Hebrew,
“I am the Way” in Aramaic and “There is no God but God” in Arabic. As
politics wax and wane, the Jerusalem International YMCA remains s a place
where all residents of the city can gather and enjoy culture, education and
fitness programs.


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Hadassa Haskale


“Look into the mirror/ Look into my eyes” POETRY TO HEAL A SPLIT SOCIETY
A Public Reading Plus Workshop Event

This is a project designed to create empathy between people embroiled in a
long-standing unresolved conflict over possession of land variously called
“Palestine”,“Judea and Shomron” and “The Occupied Territories”. That land is
indeed under Israel’s military occupation for various reasons. Some argue
that ‘the occupation’ is necessary to protect the citizens of Israel.
Clearly, many people suffer; both those under the ongoing occupation but
also those living within Israel from the mutual violence it entails.

The project includes a public reading of ten poems carefully selected out
from an unexpurgated book published in the USA that mirrored the ongoing
conflict from various perspectives. (“ Before There Is Nowhere To Stand”
Lost Horse Press 2012) . That anthology featured work by Israeli and
Palestinian poets; both by Arabs and Jews who currently live in Israel and
those who live elsewhere; all of whom responded to a general public
invitation.

Each poem is to be presented in 3 languages; first in its original English,
then in Hebrew and finally Arabic; with the exception of the three poems
translated to English from Arabic, which will reverse the sequence. The
opening poem, written after the book’s publication, has the title: Nowhere
To Stand / Or.
It sets the tone.

During the entire reading of poems that reflect various perspectives on what
unites us, what divides us and what we aspire to, 3 individuals stand
onstage beside one another. The English presenter for the opening poem is a
woman who stands in the center between the Arabic and Hebrew speaking men.
She reads first. When all three have finished performing the poem; they
pause, look out at the gathering of people and join hands. After another
pause to let the image sink into the minds of an audience that includes both
Israelis and Palestinians -- Arabs and Jews from various backgrounds and
with diverse points of view at the outset -- they let go hands. The
presentation continues (not necessarily performed by the same individuals).

There will be three sets of readings. The first set, including three poems,
will focus on ‘what we have in common’; the second set includes four poems
that address ‘what divides us’, and the final set invites us to examine
‘what we aspire to’. After the opening poem and after each set thereafter,
the audience is given time to jot down feelings & thoughts evoked by the
poems (with pens and notebooks having been distributed along with a printed-
out outline of the program, concert-style, as they first entered the
auditorium.) Then the participant-audience will disperse into smaller groups
( to include no more than 20 individuals each) where they will have the
opportunity to speak in turn for up to 5 minutes with a moment of silence in
between each entry. Another moment of silence before the larger circle
rejoins and a participant-facilitator from each sub-group summarizes what
occurred. There may be singing of songs in several languages as the mood
dictates. Silent meditation follows and we adjourn to the back of the room
where people can write feedback and sign for further contact.

The objective of the proceedings? To open peoples` minds and hearts; to
expand the circle of people in the community at large who are able to
empathize with a supposed `other` and that some may even regard as `the
enemy`. In a word, by sharing mutual fears and aspirations let us make of
presumed enemies friends and thereby create a groundswell of people, ever
widening and deepening, that makes way for a society that ultimately
promotes the wellbeing of all.


Hadassah Haskale, Project Initiator
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