Dear Friends,
Last week we read about Isaac and Ishamael coming together to bury their father, Abraham.
As we contemplate opportunities for peace building with our Arab neighbors, I hope that we can learn from our ancestors that there is a time for us to come together. Hopefully, it does not need to be limited to attending a funeral or to support each other during challenging times.
I teach a conflict resolution class where we talk about our interpersonal conflicts and I often wonder if we only seek ways to reconcile with others when faced with tragedy. Perhaps, through our Hillel here at George Mason, we should initiate a dialogue program with our fellow Arab students at GMU that could be facilitated by members of the staff of the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution.
I hope you will let Scott or the leadership of Hillel know of your interest in participating in this new adventure. Peace in our time doesn’t have to be a dream….
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Bruce Aft