The last few weeks I have had the good fortune to attend several community events and they seem to have an overarching theme – moving beyond struggle and prejudice. As I shift my work and move more into woman empowerment advocacy and a bit away from pure business focus, I have had the good fortune to be introduced to several groups, so I want to start to share their info with you.

Beyond Words: founded 14 years ago by Nitsan Gordon–Giles, a professional dance/movement therapy counselor, this is a group that brings together Israeli, Arab, and Palestinian women to heal through movement, touch, and listening. I met Nitsan at a FLOW event last week and she was a gentle, focused and joyful person. She told her story how, as a child, she had to live in bomb shelters, and how she was tormented in US school by the other kids because she was the only Jew. Here is an excerpt from the Beyond Words website about why it’s important to undermine prejudice:

Why is it important to transform prejudices in Israel?

Mainly because as evidenced from our own past and that of so many others around the world, prejudice can lead to incredibly destructive, horrific actions.

Also if the “need” for prejudiced behavior is not addressed, it can be passed on to the next generation. In the Middle East prejudice permeates large sections of the region’s populations and transforming it in Israel is our responsibility as a sovereign state, and is within our reach, and possibilities.

We believe changes begin at home and in the community. As women are educated about their rights and taught to work through their fears and support one another, they realize that their lives could be different. Gradually they become stronger and better able to stand up for their own rights and the rights of their children. As their self confidence and awareness increase they are able to create a more open, loving, respectful and accepting atmosphere in their homes. Consequently their children grow up treating others with more respect, empathy and compassion and realize the many choices they have to solve every problem that do not include aggression and violence.

Because the Middle East is such a “hot spot” involving more than three of the worlds’ religions and much of the world’s supply of oil, the lack of stability in the Middle East affects and endangers the rest of the world and in fact the survival of humanity on this planet. It is therefore crucial to create programs that undermine prejudices and encourage dialogue, justice and a shared society.

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