“WE'RE REGULAR TEENS, WE JUST LIVE IN A SPECIAL VILLAGE”

“My big prayer is for peace.” — Rami

Ori Sonnenschein, who is Jewish, and Rami Mannaa, a Palestinian and an Israeli citizen, know something about what it takes to get along with their neighbor. They grew up in a small village in Israel, where Jews and Arabs have chosen to live closely together for over twenty-five years. The village, which is located midway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, is named Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam, or the “Oasis of Peace.”

Rami, who finished high school in July, has lived in the village with his family since he was four years old. Ori was born in the village and returned there to live, after spending three years with his family in the United States, as a young child.

Ori and Rami have traveled to different parts of the world promoting peaceful conflict resolution, and talking to school and youth groups about Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam. And last year, Rami participated in a three-week delegation to the United Nations where he, along with other teens from around the world, spoke on issues facing young people globally. Ori has been active in a youth group educating others about environmental issues, as well as in a youth group for Peace Now.

In the following interview with the Herald, they talk about the “Oasis of Peace,” and share some thoughts on the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Tell us about the village you grew up in, and how it was founded.

Ori: In 1972, a Dominican priest named Bruno Hussar decided to settle on a piece of land on a bare hillside, which he leased from a nearby monastery. He had this idea of a village where people from all three monotheistic religions would live together — Christians, Muslims, and Jews.

My parents went to a camp that Father Bruno organized when he was living on the hillside in an old bus. He told my parents about his idea, and a few years later they went back to live there. They were one of the first families in the village. At first, there was nothing there. There wasn't any water, or electricity. And there weren't any decent roads. There were just caravans. Now there are about fifty families living in the village. Half are Arabs (Muslims and Christians), half are Jews. That's the rule of the village.

Rami: There is also a bilingual school for students up to sixth grade. In seventh grade we have to go to local schools outside the village. The Arabs go to one school, and the Jews go to another. That's hard because we're separated from our friends.

Were you raised in a particular faith?

Ori: My parents are both Jewish. We celebrate Jewish holidays, but we're not religious. I see myself as part of the Jewish people because I was born into Judaism.

Rami: My father is a Muslim and my mother is a Christian. So we celebrate both holidays, but neither of my parents are religious. I don't consider myself anything, but I believe in God. I think God created everything, and everything depends on Him. I don't think God is managing our lives, but there is something that shows us the way we're supposed to live.

Ori: I see God as someone who might be the creator of the universe, or who dictates the laws of nature, but I'm not really sure.

How does everyone get along in the village?

Ori: It's a really small community, so any friction between people sometimes get magnified because everybody is in close contact with each another. Arguments happen all the time. But there are always meetings where the members of the village discuss things and vote on them. It's democratic.

Rami: If the members don't reach an agreement after a discussion, someone can call another meeting.

You need to be eighteen or over to attend the meetings, though.

Why do you think Arabs and Jews live together peacefully in the village, but seem to be at war in the rest of the country?

Rami: I think it's because we talk with each other all the time in the village. Today, in most of Israel, the Arabs and Jews are not communicating — about the conflict, or even about everyday things. When I talk to the Jewish grocer in the street he tells me that he has good relations with the Arabs because they buy from his store. The Jewish restaurant owner thinks he has good relations with Arabs because they come to his restaurant. But they aren't really talking and listening to one another.

Do you have any hope for a peaceful co-existence between them with the recent increase in violence?

Ori: The news from Israel seems very gloomy. It shows the degree of desperation there is now among the Palestinian and Jewish people. It doesn't look good.

Rami: The thing that keeps me optimistic is that, in my opinion, the Arabs and Israelis will find a solution, because both people will live on this land. No one is going to leave. So they will both have to make compromises. It's going to take two brave leaders to do that. Then there will be peace.

How would you define a brave leader?

Rami: Someone who is willing to make very hard compromises; someone who is willing to admit his mistakes; someone who doesn't disillusion his people, or give them unrealistic expectations. A brave leader is also good to his people, not selfish. He thinks about what they need.

Ori: I agree with Rami. A brave leader is one who can make difficult decisions, and look ahead to the future — not just the near future. One who thinks not only about his own people, but about other people. One who is honest. One who does not hide behind anything, or blame others in bad situations. And a good leader cannot be vindictive, or hold grudges.

Rami: Yitzhak Rabin [former prime minister of Israel] had the qualities of a great leader. He was the first one who was willing to speak to the Palestinian Authority and discuss the future with them.

Also, Gamal Abdel Nasser [former president] of Egypt. The Egyptian people loved him. He improved their lives by bringing more order to the country, and less poverty. They felt that his only thought behind his decisions was for others.

What do you think are the biggest barriers to peace in any conflict?

Ori: If there is conflict, it's usually because two people won't accept one another. One person feels that the other shouldn't have the same rights as they do. Education can really change that. That's really important in any conflict. And, more importantly, in the Arab-Israeli conflict, education can help the Jews and Palestinians each accept the fact that they have to share the land they inhabit. There is no other way to peace than for the Palestinians and Israelis to co-exist. And, of course, there are also issues to sort out, like territory, water, and refugees, which are things that are solvable, but difficult.

How do you resolve conflicts?

Rami: Once I had a problem with someone in my class at school who had very different political views.

We argued a lot. We almost had a fight, but then we talked again very calmly and we solved everything that was between us. Our views didn't change, but we came to respect each other's views.

Ori: There is almost no place where there's no conflict. And it's always better to use dialogue and conversation over violence.