My primary purpose in writing this blog is to present glimpses, snapshots if you will, of Jews and Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians.  To bring to your attention stories that will probably not make it on primetime news, but yet are real, happening, and represent more the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with its many facets.

This particular post is very near to my heart.  While it is now August, and the events of last April’s Memorial Day have faded, I want to write a bit about it in light of the deaths and events of these past months in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.   Somehow it makes this topic relevant today.  

 For any country, Memorial Day is an emotional time.  A time to mourn, grieve and remember those who have fallen.  In Israel, we have two Memorial Days, the first, is dedicated exclusively to people who have died in the Holocaust.  This year, it began the evening of Wednesday, April 15.

Then there is a second Memorial Day, which remembers those who died in war or from terror attacks.  It began a week later, on Wednesday, April 22.

For the past 10 years, there has been a special memorial ceremony taking place here.  It started out quite small, and has been steadily growing.  This memorial ceremony is a most unusual one, bringing enemies together . . . the Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day Ceremony.  It’s a time where Jews and Arabs come together, to remember their loved ones who have died as a result of the conflict.  To grieve, to express themselves, to process their pain, together.  This ceremony was organized by the the Parents Circle-Families Forum and the group, Combatants for Peace.  

If this sounds thorny to you, well, it is.  The ceremony was held in Tel Aviv, and had approximately 10,000 people who attended.  There was one small group protesting it outside the exhibition hall, but other than that, it was relatively quiet.

I attended the event with an American-Israeli friend, her husband, and a Palestinian friend.  

Below is a short clip from last years’ ceremony,  This clip is produced by Combatants for Peace, in order to raise funds for this years ceremony, so please disregard that part of it at the end.  All of the other clips I found were very long, from previous years’ ceremonies.  I included this here in order to give you a feel for the spirit of the event.  It’s only a a minute and fifty-one seconds, so please take the time to view it.

There is much to be said, on both sides of the conflict.  My only purpose here and now in this blog post is to show you an important event, and to encourage us as believers, to be willing to forgive and love the other side, regardless of which side we ourselves are on.  We have to love first.  It’s a command, a verse that both sides quote quite freely, but seem to practice very sparingly.

 So as you pray for the peace of Jerusalem, or any other Israel-related prayers,  keep this important event in mind.  Know there are Israelis and Palestinians who are getting something ‘right’ in their responses to the other side.  For me, this is a small glimmer of hope.  🙂