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June 21, 2002
Two Palestinian-Israeli wars
Rabbi hopes for increased dialogue and regard for each other's
truths.
KYLE BERGER REPORTER
Or Shalom Synagogue Rabbi David Mivasair offered a message of hope
for understanding to the more than 100 people attending the Symposium
on Palestine to Increase Dialogue and Understanding June 16.
Co-sponsored by ADALA – Canadian Arab Justice Committee and
Al Sharouq, Vancouver's Arab community newspaper, the symposium
consisted of a full day of speakers and presentations at the Roundhouse
Community Centre in downtown Vancouver.
ADALA is a new organization whose stated mission is to promote fair
coverage and balanced decision-making in Canada with regards to
the Arab world. Mivasair was invited to speak at the symposium to
offer a Jewish perspective on the increasing tensions between Jewish
and Palestinian supporters throughout the world.
The rabbi's speech started off tentatively as he told the crowd
he had mixed feelings about presenting his thoughts at such an event
because he risked being "cast out" from his own community,
as well as facing a potentially disagreeable crowd.
"Usually if I'm going get up and speak somewhere I feel like
someone's going to disagree with something that I say," he
said. "But here I feel like everyone's going to disagree with
something that I say.
"That's all the more reason for me to come here and speak and
hope that you trust that I'm coming here to speak in goodwill and
that you can listen and that I'm equally interested in whatever
you might have to say."
Mivasair dedicated the first portion of his presentation to building
the trust of the predominantly pro-Palestinian audience and convincing
them that he understood the plight of their people.
While spending time living in Israel, four separate times over the
past 30 years, Mivasair explained he spent a lot of time in Palestinian
villages and developed a kinship with the people.
"I crossed a lot of boundaries, I went to Palestinian villages
that were completely blockaded and I went with a group of Jews to
symbolically try to take down the road blocks," he said. "What
I'm trying to do is demonstrate that I actually know something about
the life of the Palestinian people in their land."
Throughout his speech, Mivasair touched on the growing need for
dialogue and understanding between the Israeli and Palestinian people.
As an example, he offered the talmudic story of the dispute between
the houses of Hillel and Shamai, who argued over how to interpret
the laws of G-d.
Mivasair explained that, after three years of fighting, a divine
voice came from heaven and said, "The law goes in accordance
with the laws of Hillel ... because the disciples of Hillel were
kindly and modest and took the school of Shamai's rulings into consideration
when they prepared their arguments.
"This is a model that I hope we can all learn from," said
Mivasair. "To be in dialogue [with] and listen well to each
other, consider each other's truths and realities and somehow try
to fold them into our own arguments and look beyond."
But Mivasair made it clear in his presentation that he identified
with the state of Israel as the homeland of the Jews and that he
believed the Jewish people have the right to re-establish themselves
in their homeland.
He also said it is important for the world to understand that thousands
of years of oppression and violence have left many Israelis unwilling
to take security issues lightly.
He quoted famous Israeli writer Amos Oz, saying, "Two Palestinian-Israeli
wars have erupted in this region. One is the Palestinian nation's
war for its freedom from occupation and for its right to independent
statehood. Any decent person ought to support this cause.
"The second war is waged by fanatic Islam to destroy Israel
and drive the Jews out of their land. Any decent person ought to
abhor this cause."
The symposium also featured other presentations, including one about
the right of return by Dr. Peter Dodd, a former professor at the
American University of Beirut, and a discussion about the Arab-Israeli
conflict by Dr. Hani Farris, a professor of political science and
research associate at the Institute of Asian Research. Each speaker
was followed by a question-and-answer period.
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