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| Cultures come together
over good food: Potluck for Peace unites Muslims and Jews who are seeking solutions to the Mideast conflict Heba Aly - Ottawa Citizen - January 10, 2005 While Palestinians in the West Bank took to the polls in an election that many feel will bring change to the Middle East conflict, Muslims and Jews in Ottawa did their part to make peace. With a sign reading "P4p" on the door, Bahija Reghai's Vanier home hosted more than a dozen people from the Potluck For Peace group, bringing together members of both cultures to eat and talk politics. "The Arabs and the Jews have to talk to each other to establish good relationships and together we can maybe come up with ideas as to how to solve this conflict in the Middle East," says Muslim Qais Ghanem, a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Ottawa. "There are many peace-loving people in both camps." Jonathan Wouk, a retired Jewish chaplain, says there are people in the group who had never even spoken to a member of the opposite community until they joined. "The one thing that we could possibly do is to strengthen within our respective communities those elements which are seeking resolution rather than victory, resolution rather than triumph of righteousness," he says. "The food varies from good to great," he adds. "There's always that little incentive." From smoked meat, a traditional Jewish food, to harira, a soup originating in Morocco, food was certainly a big part of the evening. But even more interesting was the passionate discussion that followed, in which Arabs and Jews discussed the problems in the Middle East without the banter and hatred that often accompanies such dialogue. Instead, Ms. Reghai's living room was filled with laughter and a warm, welcoming feeling. "We've become really fairly good friends," says Dr. Ghanem. "When we talk to each other, we don't hurt anymore." Monzer Zimmo, a Palestinian from Gaza who immigrated to Canada, says he is against Israel, not Jews. Israeli bulldozers uprooted 360 orange trees from his farm a few months ago, he said during the meeting, but that hasn't stopped him from embracing Jews in his community. "Jews to me are human beings just like me," he said. "We have to go towards the concept of living together as human beings." When asked how the group he founded two years ago could make a difference to the problems in the Middle East, Dr. Ghanem answered, "Never doubt that a small spark can light a prairie fire." The group now has 52 members and meets once a month. If you are interested in joining Potluck For Peace, please call Dr. Ghanem at 737-9393 Your Comments Fair Use Notice The above is copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. |