Tag: womenforpeace

The Palestinian who Enlightened our Day by Rafaela Barkay, Brasil

Author: Rafaela Barkay
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The Jewish tradition tells us that when Moses came back from Mount Sinai after seeing God for the first time, he had to cover his face with a veil because the people couldn’t bear to look at him, so strong was the light that emanated from him. I write this blog in the middle of […]
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Apocalypse of humanity “Let’s humanize”! by Rahma Sghaier, Tunisia

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As I walk the streets of Tunis and watch the frowning faces passing by, I feel so desperate and bitter. It was last week; a salafist-looking man (Beard, Kamees…) appeared in the crowd. He was holding a medium-sized sports bag, walking super fast and looking nervously left and right. A few months ago, nobody would […]
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Of Cheese and Coexistence By Shlomzion Sasha Clarfield, Israel

Author: Sasha Clarfield
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“Excuse me, can you translate the name of this cheese?” a tall man standing in front of the dairy section asked me. I looked at the two packages he was holding, they both were 16% fat but had different names printed on the packages in Hebrew. “I don’t know the exact difference” I replied, “but […]
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Intervention in Syria? An American Perspective by Megan Hallahan, United States

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March 21st, 2003, It was late but I was glued to the news- I had to see it with my own eyes in order to believe that my country would be so stupid. I kept waiting for it to be called off, for someone to come to their senses. No one did and I watched […]
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A Letter to the Leaders Before I Join the “Skeptics” Club By Rania Fadel, Israel

Author: Rania Fadel
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Dear Leaders, We call on you to achieve a peace agreement. We need it. We can’t continue living in such a situation where our present, our future and our resources are stolen from us by endless conflict that brings all of us only damage and suffering. This is the time. This is your chance to […]
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Will All the Real Moderates Please Stand Up? By Tiffany Harris, Israel

Author: Tiffany Harris
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I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with Israeli and Arab moderates. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the great stumbling block in his stride toward peace is not hardline settlers, those who oppose a peaceful solution, or fanatical Islamists; it is the Arab and Israeli moderates, who is more devoted to the status […]
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Watermelon with Cheese

Author: Rafaela Barkay, Brazil
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I am on my flight back home, and to distract the tears that insist on running, I decided to write. I should have delivered my last blog some time ago, but the immersion in so varied and deep experiences prevented me from doing it. I was born in Israel, raised in Brazil, and for many […]
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The Story of Delusional Hope

Author: Yasmine Fakhry, Egypt
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I once tried to save the world; I ended up being the one who wants to be saved. I once tried to give hope to people and motivate them to be the change they want to see, but I am the one who eventually lost my soul. I once thought I knew my mission and purpose […]
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Moroccan Food Adventures

Author: Tiffany Harris, USA
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“What to do in Morocco? How can one choose between its ancient cities, maze-like medinas, golden-colored kasbahs, the grandeur of the Atlas mountains, or the allure of the sea…oh, and the Atlantic ocean!! Admittedly, I’m biased. I was lucky enough to live in Morocco for almost 2.5 years as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Like many […]
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Keep Calm & Enjoy Ramadan

Author: Samia Hathroubi, Tunisia
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Let’s be honest even if I am quite used to writing this is not an easy task to start thinking about a subject for a blog about our beloved region. Wherever I look I feel overwhelmed by bitter, anger and sadness at the same time. I could write about the stalemate in which Tunisia is […]
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Homophobia in Tunisia

Author: Rahma Sghaier, Tunisia
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Homophobia in Tunisia: People hate gays because of what non-gay people do! Homophobia in Tunisia is a very common unhealthy attitude. Unlike what many people think, homophobia is due to various factors besides the religious one. It’s out of question today, as it always has been, to talk in public about gay rights. Recently, bringing this […]
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A Jew in a Foreign Land

Author: Yael Mizrahi, Israel
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Having been raised as a religious Jew in the United States, my support for Israel is a given. After having lived in Israel for six years, my understanding of Israel’s position has surely undergone a fundamental transition, in part due to the basic process of maturation, as well as a few eye-opening experiences. I would […]
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Our Differences Cannot Surpass Our Similarities

Author: Rafaela Barkay, Brazil & Naima Nas, Egypt
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  The only Arabs I knew were those of Jewish origin, but these were not so Arabs. The others, I should fear. The Lebanese were Arabs, the Palestinians, the Moroccans and the Iranians were Arabs too. Anyone who lived in the Middle East and was not Jewish, was an Arab, except a few Christians, who […]
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Peace-building & Social Media: Virtual or Real Changes?

Author: Rafaela Barkai, Brazil
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Last November, I had to write a paper for my Master’s in Jewish culture, about any aspect of Israeli society. The war operation Amud Anan (or Pillar of Cloud) was taking place in Gaza, and I was getting involved in a Facebook group called “Turning a New Page for Peace”, linked to a community with the same […]
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Playing Hide & Seek

Author: Henriette Chacar, Israel
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Upon asking people what superpower they would most like to possess, one of the most popular answers is the ability to become invisible. In Israel, 20.7% of the population is invisible; we are the Israeli-Palestinians: Israeli citizens of Palestinian descent, living within the 1967 borders. In that case, invisibility is not what makes us omnipotent, […]
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G-d Created Me Too!

Author: Sarah Perle, Israel
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“Friends are the family you choose.” We all know this sentence. And it could go on like this: and the Family you didn’t choose are not necessarily your friends but sadly you’re stuck with them. Being stuck in a room with people you don’t have any thing in common with but a great grandfather, can […]
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Gender Equality in Tunisia

Author: Rahma Sghaier, Tunisia
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Gender Equality in Tunisia: Between Law and Society I may be living in one of the most advanced countries in terms of gender equality. As far as I am concerned, this “honorable” label only regards to legislation and has nothing to do with real life. I won’t deny the fact that in Tunisia we, men […]
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My Body is None of Your Business

Author: Ranya Fadel, Israel
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I hesitated a lot before writing this blog since I thought it might be considered offensive to some of the religious people whom I respect; but at the end I decided to write it nonetheless. I have a very good friend; she is very beautiful, educated and super smart. A while ago, I had a […]
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A Leftist Under Fire

Author: Nufar Levy, Israel
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On Wednesday November 14th afternoon, while I was studying in the library of Ben-Gurion University in the city of Be’er-Sheva, it all started. The news quickly spread through the study lounge- “the IDF killed the chief of staff of Hamas in Gaza, we’re gonna get it hard this time”. People began to leave the building. The […]
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Heartache and Hope

Author: Maria Naser, Palestine
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I closed my eyes after 10 minutes of President Obama’s speech hoping that when I opened them the next time, I’d see and hear a different story. I was wishing to hear someone who was aware of both sides – the Israeli and the Palestinian, someone who would address me when speaking to the audience, […]
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