Friend.
I’m not writing much lately, forgive me. My husband and I have started a new business, and, as it turns out, starting a new business is time-consuming. But it seems necessary to weigh in briefly following the surprise Hamas attack on Israel last week. Few issues carve the ideological and religious divide more deeply than the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and bridging that divide - or trying to - is our stated purpose, right?
How, then, to respond to unfathomable horror on the one hand and the out-of-control toxicity now permeating my social media feed (and, likely, yours) on the other?
With, I would argue, a great deal of humility, much more listening than talking, and an absolute refusal to join in the social media frenzy.
I think, friend, we would do well to sit with the pain of this moment. To grieve the loss of innocent lives – both Israeli and Palestinian. Silence is our friend now. There will be plenty of time for writing and talking in the coming days.
Love,
Sara
PS. Also, consider supporting the Alliance for Middle East Peace.
ALLMEP is a coalition of over 170 organizations—and tens of thousands of Palestinians and Israelis—building people-to-people cooperation, coexistence, equality, shared society, mutual understanding, and peace among their communities. We add stability in times of crisis, foster cooperation that increases impact, and build an environment conducive to peace over the long term.