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Information and Instructions for Roots Presentation

Sign Up Form for Attendees

Sample Parlor Meeting Invitation 1

Sample Parlor Meeting Invitation 2

Sample Parlor Meeting Invitation 3

Sample Parlor Meeting Invitation 4

Sample Parlor Meeting Invitation 5

Introductory One-Pager

Sample flyers from past tours:

Roots logos

Speakers’ photos

Speakers Bios

Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger - Concise bio

Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger - Expanded bio

Natalie Zacks’s bio

Sarah Mandel’s bio

Noor A’wad’s bio

Other images for promotional use

Rav Hanan Schlesinger introduced by Sami Awad receives a standing ovation for his speech at the 2019 National Prayer Breakfast

Hanan is introduced at 32:50, Password is: friends

Testimonials

"Even as an educator, it is uncommon for my own prejudices and preconceived notions to be challenged so dramatically by new perspectives. And even as a so-called religious leader, it is uncommon for me to see such profound evidence of the hand of God, opening hearts and conquering hatred and fear."

-Rabbi David Wolkenfeld

“Roots offers a real path toward a better, more peaceful, and more humane future for all, in a land known by many names to the many people who love it. It does so by appreciating not only the centrality of person-to-person encounter, but by respecting the grand historical and spiritual narratives which are too often overlooked by so many well-intentioned peace-builders, and without which, the most needed voices in the conversation are left unheard."

-Rabbi Brad Hirschfield, President, CLAL—The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership

“Roots adds a critical element to the conversation about Israel / Palestine, particularly on polarized college campuses. Instead of forcing one-side's narrative, Roots exposes students to the complicated, heart-wrenching reality of two people with deep connections to one land. While college students are often portrayed as binary thinkers, my experience working with students for more than a decade at UCLA was the opposite. Most students were looking for hope. They wanted solutions, and recognized that moving forward requires acknowledgement, reconciliation, and compromise. Roots model of coming to campus with authentic Jewish and Palestinian speakers and perspectives, rooted in shared-society models, is incredibly powerful. It provides something virtually no one else in space provides, and it was always an incredible pleasure to bring them to campus.”

-Rabbi Aaron Lerner, former Hillel Director at UCLA

“I was lucky to hear your and your partner’s riveting talks this past Saturday morning.  You both explained the un-explainable—how to make peace in a place that has experienced war and bloodshed for thousands of years: one meeting at a time—a true change of hearts and minds. I am a high school teacher at a public school in RI. I would like to teach your Roots of Peace talk. I think it is a model for reconciliation between any two opposing views.  Your words about “partial-truth masquerading as whole truth” rang true to me.  …please accept my gratitude for your work. It will change the world”.

-Sandra Laub - Rhode Island (November, 2018)

“…This past Sunday we hosted a fascinating symposium at BJ: New Paradigms for Breaking the Impasse of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. Two of the presenters, Shadi Abu Awwad and Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger, represented Roots/Shorashim/Judur, an Israeli-Palestinian grassroots initiative located in the West Bank that works toward understanding, nonviolence, and transformation. Roots fosters personal and direct encounters between Palestinians and Jewish settlers, who work through deep ideological differences in order to break stereotypes and discover each other’s humanity, traumas, needs, and connection to the land. “Despite living so close to each other, Israelis and Palestinians in the West Bank exist in almost complete separation. … Stereotypes are generally just reinforced by exposure to only the aggression of the other, whether through media or personal experience of violence and trauma,” reads the Roots website. One of Roots’ founders, Ali Abu Awwad, says, “There can be no harmony until we, Palestinians and Israelis, see the humanity of the other side"

-Rabbi Roly Matalon - Temple B’nai Jeshurun - New York (February 1st, 2019)

"I had the honor to see Rav Hanan and Ali yesterday, I was beyond impressed with them and the work they are doing. It is truly one of the more powerful presentations I've heard. Both are eloquent, passionate, and honest. They really must be heard and must be supported both by hosting them in our communities and providing financial support, so they can continue the most important aspect of their work at home."

-Rabbi Ben Berger 

“You are one of the best communicators I have ever encountered - and I work in the world of the UN, Washington DC diplomats and religious leaders. You told your story with such humility, vulnerability and humor that you disarmed all of us. And we’ve been raising the points you made to us with our speakers in Bethlehem. I think you are doing extremely important work and your voice is essential for the future”.

- Lisa Schirch, Alliance for Peacebuilding, Research Professor, Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, Eastern Mennonite University, 10/22/2017

"Visiting with ROOTS is a transformative moment during our Interfaith Partners for Peace trips to Israel and the Palestinian Authority.  Hanan and Ali's personal stories, and their vision for co-existence and partnership shatter stereotypes and offer hope.  Participants return home eager to bring ROOTS to their communities."  

-Rabbi Leonard Gordon, Co-Director, Interfaith Partners for Peace

“So Hanan let me say first that you were spectacular. We were all stunned by the power, the inspiration, and the “spiritual grandeur” (Heschel’s term) of your words and deeds”.

- Peter Geffen, Founder of the Heschel School and Kivunim, 3/2018

“As the date of Hanan and Ali’s visit grew closer, the buzz within the synagogue palpably increased. Although no one knew precisely what to expect as a rabbi from Alon Shvut and a Palestinian from a village near Hevron were to take the stage together, people were making their plans to attend.
When the appointed hour on Shabbat afternoon arrived, we were already adding chairs to the room, as the attendance was clearly exceeding what we had anticipated. Hanan and Ali each spoke with passion and compassion, fully recognizing the hard realities yet not flinching from hope. Their mutual commitment to understanding the other, and to accepting the truth of the other’s sacred connection to the land, was mind-blowing and transformative for the audience. When the time for the Afternoon Prayers arrived, I was able to induce people to go upstairs to the sanctuary only by promising them that the question and answer period would continue afterwards. And it did. And it was a magnificent afternoon of thinking, learning, and hoping.
I encourage you in the strongest terms to invite Hanan and Ali to share their stories and perspectives with your congregation as well. Everyone who loves Israel and seeks her welfare will be intrigued and moved by what they see and hear. Not because Hanan or Ali has offered a concrete “answer”, but because their hearts are open and determined to work on one”.

-B'nai David Judea Synagogue, 4/2/2016, Los Angeles

“We just had Hanan speak at our synagogue last shabbat, solo (without his Palestinian counterpart). He taught a shiur on “Hasidic texts on passionate pluralism,” presenting some of the theory behind his approach to dialogue through texts from the Mei Shiloach and Sefat Emet. Hanan is a remarkably dynamic, engaging and inspiring teacher who enthralled our community. He models an openness to and respect for difference, both as a leader in Israeli-Palestinian grassroots dialogue, and as an Orthodox rabbi who routinely visits non-Orthodox synagogues. Especially following a contentious election, Hanan’s presence in our synagogue was inspiring as we seek the energy to build bridges and the techniques for doing so. Our synagogue is looking forward to inviting Hanan back to our community in April, together with one of the Palestinian leaders of Roots.
I encourage you to consider having Hanan visit your community, whether solo or together with other leaders of Roots -- and to consider supporting the transformative work of his organization”.

​ -Rabbi Rob Sheinberg, University Synagogue of Hoboken

A Taste of What We Have To Say