Praise for Roots
“...Sue and I recently attended the...discussion on “Palestinian Perspectives on the Holocaust,” and want you to know what a profound impact it had on us; historically, emotionally and yes: spiritually! It was just remarkable!
We also felt it was courageous of you to run the session at this particular time – I mean to risk “The Palestinian Perspective” so close to Remembrance Day. That was brave! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for taking it on with such a high regard for truth and candor and compassion, which seem such important parts of the Roots pathway to lasting peace and equality.
Without getting too long-winded, which I am often accused of, please extend our thanks to both speakers. Noor Awad said many things that were both enlightening and inspiring, but we were especially taken by the courage it took to visit Yad Vashem and better understand the stark reality of the Holocaust. Then, even at the late hour in the West Bank and after a long day, Khaled Abu Awwad graciously joined us; and his story too so touched us that even on a Zoom call, we were both in tears. His courage, example and message were crystal clear to all who could see and hear. Speaking from the heart of “one land, and two deserving peoples,” Khalid gave us hope when hopelessness always seemed more realistic. There is a difficult struggle ahead, but thanks to people like the speakers and the vision of Roots, there is also hope. And the more people who know that, the better...”
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOU DO. YOU CAN NEVER KNOW WHAT THE SEEDS YOU PLANT WILL GROW UP LIKE, BUT BE ASSURED THAT YOU HAVE PLANTED MANY SEEDS - OF TRUST, OF BELIEF, OF LOVE.
– NECHAMA PORAT, PARTICIPANT IN THE WOMEN’S PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS
Click on the photo to learn more about roots women’s photography workshops.
"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
“…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”
“I want to extend our gratitude and thanks, for an inspiring and honest presentation, by both you and Noor. It was breathtaking to listen and hear about the work that Roots is doing and your very powerful and open story. The willingness to be realistic, brave and embrace the uncomfortable truths and acknowledge one another’s pain and hurt is a difficult thing to do, but the work you do gives hope of breaking the vicious cycle of hate, distrust and entrenchment of each sides’ polarized positions.
’Two truths into one heart, into one land’ - beautifully said!”
“ביום ראשון בערב, ישבנו 25 איש בביתנו, והקשבנו לסיפורם המרתק של הרב חנן שליזנגר וחאלד אבו עווד, מקימי ארגון ‘שורשים’. שמעתי בהתרגשות על החיבור המדהים שיש להם על החשיבות הרבה בשיח משותף ומכבד, על הקושי במפגש כזה, על המורכבות, ובעיקר על התקווה, הכבוד והאהבה הכל כך לא מובנת מאליה. בשבילי זה היה חלום שהתגשם להביא אותם אלינו לישוב..יצאתי בתחושת השראה והתפעמות ובתקוה בלב שגם פה, בנימין, נוכל לשבת יחד מתיישבים ופלסטינים ולדבר..
תודה לרב חנן ולחאלד שהגיעו ולכל המשתתפים בערב”
"Any of us who pay attention to the politics of the Arab-Israeli conflict know that both sides are stuck in a cycle of intransigence that seems to have no light at the end of its tunnel. These two men, amongst an ever-growing movement of non-violent Israeli settlers and West Bank Palestinian refugees, have decided to stop waiting on their particular political leaders and instead meet themselves, to find a way to peace."
-Rabbi Matt Gewirtz
“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
“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.”
“As an Israeli peace activist, I truly believe Roots has found the most genuine, although arduous and occasionally frustrating, path to peace: the bottom-up, grass root path, not between theoreticians and self-righteousness redeemers, but between actual neighbors, who live and experience the conflict on a daily basis. They can appreciate more than anyone else the meaning of reconciliation founded on equality, dignity and justice.”
Dr. Muli Peleg is the Director of Development at Rutgers University
“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.”
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
WE WERE TALKING WORDLESSLY BECAUSE SHE DID NOT KNOW ENGLISH.
WE SPOKE IN A LANGUAGE OF GAZE AND TOUCH, SMILES AND BODY LANGUAGE.
I LEFT THIS WORKSHOP WITH GLIMMERS OF HOPE.
THAT THE PEACE I DREAMT OF IS NOT UTOPIAN OR CHILDISH OR IMPOSSIBLE.
-URIT, PARTICIPANT IN THE WOMEN’S PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS
Click on the photo to learn more about roots women’s photography workshops.
“In the first day for me here with this group at Roots I was afraid and hesitant, but I tried to convince myself to stay and because of Palestinian youth leaders I was convinced about what we are doing here. Yet I still remember how I was afraid not just for the first time but even in the second and the third meeting, and now after several meeting I am not afraid anymore and I became happy when I hear that we are going to another meeting with kids in my age from the other side. My life has changed since then, before I hated the Jews (Israelis) but now I feel the opposite - I like to meet them and talk to them.
I don’t like violence. And now I solve my issues in a nonviolent ways all the time, and I use a lot of nonviolence with my friends and I see that the results of it are much better than the violent ways, but I feel so sad when my friends and their friends get killed - that make me so desperate and I start losing my trust in the other side.”