In an era where it’s commonplace to discriminate against an individual or group with different culture and belief sets out of a fearful prejudice, the movement to reach out and build bonds with those different from us is something that can act as a precursor to peace. Additionally, the building of bonds and overcoming barriers serve as the building blocks for one or many to develop greater understanding of others as well as a greater worldview overall. To quote the speakers of this panel, the concept of peace “does not become a far-off concept, but a real possibility.”

Not to long ago, I had the privilege to speak with Mr. Chris Miller, Mr. David Less, Reverend Anna Less, and Sheikh Ghassan Manasra of the Abrahamic Union about this topic and their panel “Is Peace in the Holy Land Possible?” The Abrahamic Union is a non-political organization whose focus is to bring together individuals from the three major monotheistic faiths (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, all being of Abrahamic descent) within Israel and Palestine in an effort to let them get to know each other on a greater level, partake in or observe several different traditions, and find common connections between individuals and different religious groups.

One of the main concerns that they had was how the conflicts within the Holy Land have contributed to how one may have a skewed perception of another individual, leaving them unable to see them with appropriate human dignity. Therefore, the group sees it as important to set the values of peace and hope for all as paramount.

“It is very important to understand one another rather than to build walls,” they explained in relation to the topic. “Most people are not bad people, but they stop ‘seeing’ each other at some point. It is a sort of blindness. These meetings are the frame of a connection, and our objective to get these people to connect with and meet each other, ultimately understanding one another and, in effect, themselves.”

Some of these meetings take place around various religious holidays so that these different groups—be them children, women, teens, or the general population—can have a greater understanding and exposure to one another. It is educational as well as fun, and many of the ongoing programs are held on a monthly basis in the Holy Land. Should any problems arise, they hope to solve it with peaceful providence and coexistence, especially considering that the three faiths hold a wealth of similarities in beliefs and practices.

“There are shared values that come with that common root,” the panelists stated when elaborating on the similarities and shared beliefs, “and to unite in these commonalities is far more rewarding—the commonalities outweigh the differences (ex: the importance of forgiveness/tolerance and charity, or the similarities between prayer traditions).”

As far as those attending the panel, the panelists hope that one big takeaway will be a more encouraged desire to reach out to others and foster that same sense of community across faiths and cultures. “There is an Arabic saying that states ignorance can lead to enmity. See and respect the differences, but don’t subject yourself to complete ignorance. By having community with one another, and by having greater dialogue for learning complete narratives and histories, greater unity is possible.”

Check out the video interview I had with Mr. Chris Miller and Sheikh Ghassan Manasra after the panel!