Uniting Palestinians and Israelis with Yoga

Ruthie unites Israelis and Palestinians with yoga

by RALLY - AUGUST 28, 2012

In the summer of 2011, Olive Tree Yoga Foundation (OTYF) taught classes to Muslim, Jewish and Christian communities. They developed relationships with established teachers in Israel, planned the opening of an OTYF studio in Bethlehem, and brought the unifying energy of yoga to residents of the tent city protests in Tel Aviv.

OTYF’s mission is to create a powerful community of transformative leaders through the practice of yoga. Led by Ruthie Goldman, OTYF promotes and supports the teaching of yoga in communities affected by conflict, specifically, the underserved regions of the Middle East. Through yoga they aim to bring unity, strength, and possibility to Israelis and Palestinians.

In this light, OTYF consciously avoids schedule conflicts with religious holidays and does not propose any specific resolution to the conflict; their work is geared toward offering the possibility of equality for Muslims, Jews, and Christians alike. For Ruthie and friends, yoga is a part of the trajectory of the solidarity movement in Palestine and Israel. They believe that yoga can bring an inner peace to those who practice and that this, in turn, will contribute toward a path to peace.

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Coexist Foundation - Three Faiths

The 'Coexist Foundation' since 2006 is a charity which works to promote understanding and respect between Jews, Christians and Muslims and between these communities, through education, dialogue and research.

Coexist is an operational foundation which not only funds projects, but also forges and facilitates new partnerships and programmes, which help people to understand better what it means to be Jewish, Christian or Muslim today.

We do this by bringing together an influential network – including government, business, charities, academics and faith leaders - working towards the same objectives as ourselves.

We hope this website will give some flavour of how Coexist is working today, and how you might be able to help us in our mission.

Philosophy
What is it that makes Coexist distinctive among others working to promote better understanding between faiths?

Firstly, while we recognize and celebrate the many connections between the Abrahamic faiths, we also acknowledge their differences and distinctiveness. We believe we learn more about ourselves and our own traditions by looking respectfully at others’. So Coexist is not just about good relations: it is also about exploring our own convictions and beliefs.

Secondly, Coexist is focused on action, not words. The programmes we support aim to make a difference – not just to immediate issues and relationships, but for the long-term.

Finally, all our work is done in partnership. We believe in finding the best organizations and people to deliver our objectives around the world. Our global network increases the impact of initiatives which we hope will transform cultural and religious understanding around the world.

"Gd has given us many faiths but only one world in which to co-exist. May your work help all of us to cherish our commonalities and feel enlarged by our differences."
Jonathan Sacks, the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations

Understanding Faiths
We joined with innovative on-line education specialists Microbooks and a team of scholars to develop the series. www.understandingfaiths.net/

Projects
We have links with a number of organizations; Coexist Projects

Contact
You can contact click Coexist Foundation

Project Kav-Or - "Smile"

Goal :
The goal of this project is to assist sick children in hospitals through homework and peer assistance and distance learning services. It is also teaching high school students about community involvement.

Need:
Long-term diseases isolate children at a time in their lives when they thrive on inclusion and a daily routine. They endure long, boring stays in the hospital while recovering from surgery or receiving treatments; they are repeatedly separated from their families and friends; and they are absent from school, not only falling behind in their studies, but also missing out on physical and social activities they enjoy.

Based on its extensive experience in Israel, World ORT concluded that its specialty, technology, could be a key to keeping young hospital patients engaged in the midst of their isolation. The technology could function as both a learning tool to keep the children current in their studies, and a communications tool to keep them in touch with their friends.

Uniqueness:
The project benefits both -- the sick children in the hospital -- and volunteer students participating in the program. Participants per year: 120.000

Bat Mitzvah* - Cut paper collage created By Lori Peha Kezner
"A pledge to grow in mind and spirit, extending help and hope to others. To believe in one's self and uphold the ideals of Judaism. Striving each and every day to be a better person."

Would you like to help this project? Be the first to place a call!

Jews and Arabs - Promoting coexistence and equality

The Abraham Fund Initiatives is a non-profit organization working since 1989 to promote integration and equality between Jews and Arabs citizens of Israel, for a prosperous, safe and just society. The association called on the name of Abraham / Ibrahim, the common father of Jews and Arabs, and she works to advance policy based on social models for innovative projects run over - the scope of public relations activities.

The Abraham Fund Initiatives team has about twenty-five workers, Jews and Arabs, and is managed jointly by Amnon Beeri - Sulitzeanu Mohammed Darawshe. Chairman of the board is entrepreneur Orni Petrushka.

Key initiatives:

Bridge cultural and language: Arabic language and culture studies in elementary schools Hebrew, in order to provide knowledge and understanding of Arab culture, to motivate positive change in consciousness toward Arab society establish the profession Arab Studies basic classes required to adulthood. The project starts about a hundred Hebrew schools across the country, in partnership with local government, with the Education Ministry and other bodies. In addition to the program developed and implemented in schools, qualified teachers in Arab initiative for teaching Arabic, established a website for teaching Arabic E-Learning sessions are Jewish and Arab students in Arabic culture and activities in schools participating in the program.

Policing a divided society: promoting equal policing service, fair and respect, while establishing good relationship between the Arab community and the police. The project was developed following the "October 2000" to assist in implementing recommendations of the Or Commission "with the understanding that the police is the focus of friction between the minority and the government and represents the sovereign in the area. The project focuses on the development of applied models for community policing, training of officers (including senior command) consolidation of dialogue between the Arab leadership and the police.
Employment of Arab women - Rican resuscitation (life partnership): training and integration of non-Arab population of employed women in the labor market. In order to empower women Bkailotihn, to reduce poverty in Arab society and promote the Israeli economy as a whole. The project operates in cooperation with the Galilee Tb"t (momentum in employment) of JDC-Israel "and the Employment Service, including the Arab community campaign, training of women, employment and support them Hshmtn during Hasktn.

Cooperation between Arab and Jewish authorities - "texture Galilee: Galilee heart development as a model for living together in the country involved. The project includes cooperation between Jewish and Arab mayors for the development of joint regional projects; Action Jewish - Arab joint environmental, health and regional planning and development; Arabic Course Karmiel Municipality employees and regional events marking Jewish Partnership - Arabic. All this in order to develop policies applied models for living together, which can be implemented in dozens of areas involved in Israel.

Public persuasion Government Relations: Enhancing familiarity of the decision makers in the Arab society in Israel and characteristics challenge, and raising awareness that the integration and equality between Jews and Arabs are critical to the future state, especially in relation to promoting a political settlement areas, economic benefit, social security and stability, Israel's status moral benefits world - different value.

Resource Center for educators to citizenship and living together: Enabling a Web site bi - lingual (Hebrew / Arabic), designed for teachers, educators and engage in education and civil aspects (Commonground.cet.ac.il (. The site is designed to strengthen education to reinforce the civil and education for living together in Jewish and Arab schools in Israel. through a comprehensive collaborative database, also entered - by users themselves, including plans, proposals, activities, materials and information on a variety of democracy, citizenship and social involvement and education together.

For more information visit http://www.abrahamfund.org/