Note:
This Sunday, November 9th, Jim Whitlock will be facilitating our
viewing & discussion of Encounter Point. Please join us from
4-6 p.m. (potluck always following).
Jim
sends this note:
Encounter Point is an extraordinary film, one of the
most moving I have seen, a documentary about the violent Israeli-
Palestinian conflict and about the personal transformations that
have
affected some of those who have lost the most and brought them to
deep and enduring commitments to non-violence. It also has
well-developed study guides for both classroom and community
screenings and seems to afford exceptional potential to catalyze
deep, heartfelt and possibly transformative discussions in others.
Those of you who know me at all, know what's in my heart and why
it keeps weeping as we all seem to repeatedly fail to open and sustain
the kinds of sharing that could lead us to deeper understandings,
towards more resonant empathy and compassion and, ultimately, to
the peace and justice for which we all so sincerely long. Somehow,
some day, if we keep trying, I have no doubts at all that we'll
see that
kind of sharing start in our region and I believe that once it starts
no
one will be able to stop it from drawing others in. But all I seem
to
know how to do today is to not yield to despair and to keep on trying.
I know I'm not alone; I just have to keep looking for the others
who will
join me in this quest.
My hope for this screening is that enough of us, even if only one
or two,
will be inspired to try again -- that we will find the energy and
vision for
another small effort to find the right galvanizing sparks, the ones
that
will start something just a little bit bigger, something that takes
hold of
a few more good hearts and sets them in motion in ways that begin
to
gather the momentum necessary to continue and grow. Maybe we can
start to use this film in a program of regional showings and discussions.
Or maybe the film will inspire one of you with some other vision
for how
we can begin to touch and move a few others.
I would love to hear any ideas you may have for structuring our
screening
and facilitating discussion. I'll try to have a few copies of the
study guides
available.
With warm and best regards,
Jim
_______________
Here is an additional note that
Jim has sent out by email:
Dear Friends of Non-Violence and Compassionate Listening,
Per prior notices, we'll be screening and discussing
the film Encounter Point
at the Riverside-Salem Environmental Cottage this Sunday, November
9th,
4-6 p.m., with potluck dinner following. If you're considering joining
us, you
may be interested in some of the links and supplemental materials
attached
and noted below. Materials like the study guides are simply too
large for me
to afford reproducing in the quantities we would need for giving
away so I
encourage you to explore the links and to download and print whatever
may
be of interest to you. Driving directions for our screening this
Sunday are
at the end below.
I've attached an Acrobat document of the Rochester
Temple B'rith Kodesh
Web page devoted to the Rochester interfaith group, Faith-to-Faith,
and
to the film reviews and schedules for their own set of screenings.
The link
for that page is: http://www.tbk.org/tikkun/interfaith/ and the
page leads-off
with a photo of the Faith-to-Faith planning group, including Michael
Argaman,
who I met a few weeks ago after their own screening of Encounter
Point.
The group's membership is much larger than indicated
and Michael, one of
the lead organizers, will be happy to work with us if we want to
try to start
a loosely collaborative effort here in WNY. He's a very interesting
man,
with dual US and Israeli citizenship and a wife who is a member
of the CPT
Hebron team, along with our own beloved Sr. Kathie Uhler. Most of
you
know that I visit CPT Hebron when I'm working in Palestine and try
to
support the team in small ways. So it felt like a very small world
when we
met a few weeks back.
I'll include the Rochester Faith-to-Faith group's
self-description immediately
below. My hope for our local screenings will be to find others in
WNY who
are sufficiently interested in trying to start something similar
here that they
would be willing to find the time for a few trips to Rochester to
attend some
of the Rochester group's meetings, to get to know some of their
organizers
and to see what we can learn from their own modestly successful
experience
over the years. Here's the group's description:
"Faith to Faith is an informal organization
of people interested in discussing
and learning about the problems that animate the conflict between
Israelis
and Palestinians. We hope for a secure and just peace. Participants
come
primarily from Third Presbyterian Church, Temple B'rith Kodesh,
and the
Islamic Center of Rochester. However, our group is growing to include
members of other faith communities. We try to foster an atmosphere
of
respectful challenge and discussion of the very difficult questions
that are
often shunned by other interfaith and political groups in the Rochester
area.
Meetings are usually held monthly. For more information on the Film
Series
or Faith to Faith please contact FaithToFaithDialog@gmail.com."
Here are some of the links that I circulated before
for additional material about
the film Encounter Point:
Encounter Point Web site home page:
http://www.encounterpoint.com
About the
film
Community
Screening Guide (42 pages, primarily black & white) :
Classroom
Screening Guide (40 pages, full color):
FAQ (Frequently
Asked Questions)
____________
Finally, here are short reviews of the film from
the Rochester Faith
to Faith group and from me:
"Encounter Point follows a former Israeli settler,
a Palestinian
ex-prisoner, a bereaved Israeli mother and a wounded Palestinian
bereaved brother who risk their lives and public standing to
promote a nonviolent end to the conflict. Their journeys lead
them to the unlikeliest places to confront hatred within their
communities."
"Encounter Point is a documentary about the
violent Israeli-
Palestinian conflict and about the personal transformations that
have affected some of those who have lost the most and brought
them to deep and enduring commitments to non-violence. It also
has very well-developed study guides for both classroom and
community screenings and seems to afford exceptional potential
to catalyze deep, heartfelt and possibly transformative discussions
in others."
Assalamu alaikum. Shalom aleichem. Namaste.
I hope we will
see you at the screening.
-- Jim
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