Spring Flowers and Dialogue

 By Nate Feldman

Great Places

After a soaking rain on Saturday, it was clear skies on Sunday.  I ran at the Struble Trail in Downingtown, PA.  The Brandywine Creek, which runs alongside the trail was sparkling in the sunshine.  The lake at Marsh Creek State Park, just a little bit away, was also shining.  

The spring flowers are out in Harrisburg, PA.  Walking at Riverfront Park in the downtown area, you can see trees with white, pink, and red blossoms out, many in full bloom.  

Coexistence Corner

* NBC News had an interesting article about Palestinian Bedouin that are inviting Jewish Israelis to Iftar dinners during the holy Islamic month of Ramadan.  Despite the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinians in Gaza, the leaders of this event feel that events like these are essential for the future of the region.

The event was hosted by Muhammad Abu Qwaider and coordinated with the Negev Coexistence Forum for Civil Equality.  

The article highlights the challenges many Bedouin, a semi-nomadic group of Arabs who live primarily in the Negev desert of Israel, face.  Many of their villages are not recognized by the Israeli government, however they are Israeli citizens.  For that reason, plus the fact that 1,500 Bedouin are members of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), makes many other Palestinians see them as traitors to their cause.  

The article also mentioned the Jewish Israelis who attended the dinner and some of their work in promoting better relations between Jews and Arabs.  

To read the article in full check out this link: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/ramadan-meal-palestinian-bedouin-invite-jewish-israelis-table-rcna144908, or check "At a Ramadan meal, Palestinian Bedouin invite Jewish Israelis to the table," by Chantal Da Silva.   

*The Jerusalem Youth Chorus, a choir made up of both Israelis and Palestinians teenagers from Jerusalem, is doing a tour of major cities in the United States and Canada from March until April.  Stops include Los Angeles, Washington, DC, Boston, and Vancouver.  

This program has been bringing youth together from the predominantly Jewish West Jerusalem and predominantly Arab East Jerusalem for the past decade and have performed at several high-profile venues.