During the crisis in Israel, the International Council will continue to issue special bulletins which highlight the work of its affiliated institutions in promoting coexistence and interreligious understanding. The following reports were received from its members in the Galilee.

Makom BaGalil ("A Place in Galilee"), Moshav Shorashim

Under the leadership of Rabbi Marc Rosenstein, Director of Makom Bagalil at Moshav Shorashim, over 100 Jews and Arabs from towns and villages in the Misgav Region of Upper Galilee gathered in the sukkah of Makom Bagalil for a "Sukkat Shalom" event last Saturday night. Over coffee and cake, Jews and Arabs who had been living in fear and anxiety during the past two weeks, discussed their feelings about the crisis in Israel in a civil and friendly atmosphere. Many of the people in attendance have been active in coexistence programs between Jews and Arabs in the area for many years, and others were new to the process. Similar "Sukkat shalom" gatherings were to take place this week, each evening of Hol Hamoed Sukkot.

Acco’s Jewish-Arab Community Association

The following report came from Harry Rhodes, director of Acco’s Jewish-Arab Community Association:

On Thursday, October 12^th, about 50 people from 20 different coexistence organizations and projects in the north met in Acco to discuss ways to work for peace and coexistence within the new reality of Israel today. All of the organizations and projects are supported by the Abraham Fund. It was not an easy meeting. Some very sincere expressions of pain and anger were expressed. But , in the end, it was decided that we must go forward, and that we must do even more to work for change within Israeli society. The meeting took place at the Jewish-Arab Community Center in Acco.

The Centre for Humanistic Education at the Ghetto Fighters’ House, at Kibbutz Lochamei Hagetta’ot.

The following report came from Raya Kalisman, director of the Center for Humanistic Education:

Dialogue—Despite Everything

About 100 members of the "family" of the Center for Humanistic Educaiton, gathered at the Ghetto Fighters’ House. Jews and Arabs - Moslems, christians and druze high school students and teachers. Amidst the "dark age" we are experiencing these days, it was so warming to watch the youngsters, from both sides of the conflict, greet each other with smiles and warm hugs.

This assembly was planned, in another version, since July 7^th, as we completed our multicultural summer seminar and invited our new graduates for a reunion on Oct. 16^th. However, during the last two weeks, we could not decide whether to hold or postpone the reunion. When we received so many phonecalls from our students - do something, bring us together, we learned so many things at the center and we want to apply it in today’s reality - we decided to jump into the water. We changed the original program and invited the entire circle of our "family", including also graduates of former years and teachers from our advanced, mutual courses of Jews and Arabs.

Beit Hagefen Arab-Jewish Centre, Haifa

Hani Elfar, deputy director of the Beit Hagefen Arab-Jewish Centre in Haifa, reported that on last Sabath hundreds of leaders and activists from all over Haifa gathered for a very successful event to promote Arab-Jewish Coexistence in Haifa at Beit Hagefen and in the nearby vadi, known as Vadi Nisnas. This same site is where Beit Hagefen sponsors a regularly scheduled "Coexistence Walk" involving hundreds of people from throughout the community. In addition, Beit Hagefen hosted a meeting of religious leaders from all major religious traditions in Haifa - including Jews, Christians, Muslims and Druze - for a very important spiritual gathering with the theme "We Continue Together".