Women Wage Peace

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(Photos can be enlarged with two separate clicks.)

Meet two delightful new friends, Faheema and Maya.
Our banner says "Women Wage Peace.  We vote for [or: choose] a negotiated diplomatic peace agreement."

We met yesterday at the women's peace march in Jerusalem organized by the new non-political  NGO Women Wage Peace / Nashim Osot Shalom.
Thousands of women, both Jews and Arabs, came from all over Israel to make their voice heard.
We gathered at the memorial pillar in the square next to Israel's Supreme Court building. 

The warm-up on a cold Jerusalem day: circle dancing, music!

We set out on the march, pausing for photos at the Japanese bonsho peace bell.

 Down the hill and through the big Sacher Park.

Women Wage Peace SOUTH.
Two of the organization's guiding lights from Meitar and our neighbor from the Bedouin town Hura.

Facing the Knesset building, singing in the rain, and hoping our speeches, cheers, and applause would be heard and taken to heart by the country's lawmakers, policy makers, and voters.
Start talking peace so we can stop fighting wars, that is the message of many mothers, grandmothers, and wives of soldiers. 

After hours of walking, circling the Knesset, and standing to hear speeches, we returned to the Supreme Court, where our buses waited to take us home, whether south to the Negev or north to the Golan.

The message one sees when driving out of Jerusalem was especially poignant and hopeful yesterday.
Written in stone, the Hebrew says "Tsetchem la-shalom," literally, May your going out be toward peace.
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A news video about our demonstration: http://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/politics/63184-150304-israeli-women-protest-for-peace-ahead-of-election

Newspaper reports:
http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Thousands-of-mothers-gather-at-Knesset-to-demand-Israeli-Palestinian-peace-accord-392948   The best expert quote here is " “Israel as a state is going through a kind of collective PTSD post traumatic stress disorder … and it’s time to help our people heal.”

http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/1.645360

And one in French: http://www.afp.com/fr/info/israel-un-mouvement-de-femmes-veut-reveiller-le-camp-de-la-paix

More photos of the march and more info at Women Wage Peace on Facebook.
Shalom!
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Shabbat

As the sign in my young neighbor's car window says, "A smile works magic."
I smile as we welcome our Friday night to Saturday night Sabbath, a day of rest and peace.
Shabbat has a certain magic all its own.
Shabbat shalom to you all. . :-D

Fastening the pegs

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Friday night--the quiet Sabbath night which leads into the Sabbath day has settled over Israel.
Shabbat shalom to you all, Sabbath peace.
From the wisdom of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Schneerson, of righteous memory; words and condensation by Tzvi Freeman:

Ways of Peace
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Our mission in life is not to shake up the world but to fasten its pegs. Not to climb to the heavens and holler and roar, but to walk softly on the ground. Not to create a storm but rather a dwelling, an earthly home for the essence of G-d.
If a storm is needed, so it shall be. As for us, we will continue on our path, the path of Torah, solidly planted on the earth. A path of pleasantness and peace, bringing order to chaos step by step, until all the boundlessness of the Infinite Light is arranged firmly in our world.

Raising up the sparks

"One works in holiness, and he raises up the sparks which hide themselves in all tools." -- Martin Buber

Now, Friday afternoon, we lay down our tools, the special hush falls over the country, and we prepare to rest in holiness all during Sabbath night and day. Shabbat shalom, peace to you.
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