Florida Avenue Discussion
On November 16, my friend Laura Weis hosted a book discussion at her home on Florida Avenue NW for me and her friends, many of whom work, like Laura, at the Friends Committee on National Legislation. I invited other friends from the DC areas to join us, including Julie O’Heir, who came and brought a couple of her Jesuit Volunteer Corps community members. Jumana Musa (who works with Amnesty International’s Denounce Torture Project) and Keren Batiyov also joined us for sharing passages, questions, issues, and concerns. It was an occasion for gratitude to see so many committed, engaged, and passionate people in one living room.
Keren sent me the following email a few days later:
Mark,
I made a decision this weekend – I will return to Palestine this summer for a month to work with ISM. A lot of things converged to make me realize that I had lost a vision – your question of “what is it you really want to do?” was part of the catalyst – and one of the things I really want to do is to return to Palestine – to show a different face of Judaism, to show that not all Jews are oppressors, humiliators, racists, and murderers; to stand in solidarity with the Palestinians – to live what it really means to be a Jew.
So thank you not only for dinner, conversation, and friendship, but for stirring up the fog enough to let me see one of the ways out of it, as well. I was so impressed with all the young people – their depth, their intelligence, their questions and observations – I didn’t have that kind of depth and intelligence at their age – in fact I’m still struggling to catch up to where these young people were a long time ago. And I was equally impressed at how you created an atmosphere of trust, a safe place, so to speak, where everyone sensed that they were not only invited to share, but that they would be heard and their thoughts held gently.
I gave Mark his book – he was really pleased. I do hope that the two of you will meet sometime soon.
I got to hear Ali Abunimah speak on Friday night about the one state solution – he was excellent – he’s as good a speaker as he is a writer.
Take care. And thank you again!!!
Peace,
Keren