Interfaith Village in Israel

We visit Oasis of Peace, a small village in Israel where Jews, Muslims and Christians intentionally live together and promote a message that peace is possible. “I’d like people to know that there are a lot of people in this country who are into dialogue, education, getting to know one another, trying to, trying to live together,” says Rabbi Ron Kronish, director of the Interreligious Coordinating Council in Jerusalem.

August 2, 2013 — Originally published: September 23, 2011

KIM LAWTON, correspondent: Nestled in the hills between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem is a small village called the Oasis of Peace—in Hebrew, Neve Shalom and in Arabic, Wahat al-Salam. While the Middle East conflict continues to churn all around, here they are trying to create a different reality, one that says Israelis and Arabs can live side-by-side in peace.

ABDESSALAM NAJJAR (Oasis of Peace): It’s possible. We need to learn how to make the impossible possible. We don’t take in our consideration impossible. It’s possible, let’s do it now.

LAWTON: Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam was founded more than 30 years ago by an Egyptian-born Dominican monk, Father Bruno Hussar, who died in 1996. He wanted to create a place where Jews, Muslims, and Christians intentionally lived together in mutual understanding and respect.

NAJJAR: His interest was to deal with the conflict. Why do we have a conflict? How can we influence the dynamics of the conflict and how can we change it for dynamics for peace building?

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/2013/08/02/september-23-2011-interfaith-village-in-israel/9578/

7:57 video and full transcript at link.