Rabbi Elliott's Blog

I am touring Yaffo with Yuval, an Israeli guide who moved here during Oslo inspired by the hope at that time.  His son goes to the Weizmann school in Yaffo, which is split equally Jewish/Palestinain.

Also with Yihab our Palestinian guide who was born here in Yaffo. His family has lived in Yaffo close to 600 years. But most of his family fled in 48 and now are scattered throughout the Arab and Western world.

Yihab tells a remarkable story of growing up angry but coming to find himself in relationship with Israelis. Building enormous, sulcha-dialogue groups (thousands of people) during the 2nd Intifada. He tells an amazing story of his family disowning him for this, but finally participating in this dialogue. Here he tells of his greatest m test from God, falling in love and eventually marrying an Israeli. After having a child he started a Jewish/Palestinian pre-school in his father's home. Everyone understands how surreal it is to tell this story in the current circumstances. 

Yuval speaks to us in English and Yihab in Hebrew.