As a member of the engaged journalism team at Ideastream Public Media, one of my goals is to give voice to members of the community. In researching my upcoming series on the cease fire between Israel and Hamas, what I hear from Jewish and Muslim members of the community is how much pain they're in.
This pain is due to the death and destruction in a land that both peoples hold dear, that both say is central to their faith. They tell me of the pain borne of the suffering of hostages, of loved ones, the destruction of homes, the loss of land, the threats of violence and death that both sides feel on a daily basis.
Both communities feel under siege here in Cleveland, as well, demonized for who they are and blamed for the conflict overseas. This can be seen in protests across college campuses and in charged public comments during city and county council meetings. Both sides feel misunderstood and mischaracterized.
And yet, that is not all I hear. I also hear expressions of hope. Hope that peace will prevail. A belief that that two peoples with much in common spiritually and culturally can finally find common ground.
While they say believing that this cease fire will lead to peace is unrealistic, many community members told me they hope this signals a move toward diplomacy and away from war.
Not that they trust the leadership of Israel, Palestine or America. Quite the opposite. Moves like President Donald Trump's desire to remove Palestinians from the West Bank and develop the land like prime Florida real estate was roundly opposed by Jews and Muslims I spoke with. They thought this announcement was counterproductive, to say the least.
Instead, these community members had more trust in individuals. There was optimism, especially, in local interfaith dialogue.
Both Jewish and Muslim community members told me that the key to peace between them is education and dialogue. Both sides need to be educated on the history of each other's suffering, of their attachment to the land that they're fighting over, of its meaning for them.
Both groups also need to get to know one another as individuals, as people, so they can see each other's humanity, community members told me. That kind of connection allows different groups to break through preconceived notions of one another, break down the anger and the fear of the other and open up real dialogue and caring conversations, they said.
It is only then that these two communities can find some measure of peace, at least locally, even as the pain and suffering continues overseas. While it's not everything, at least it's some progress in our city, some measure of relief from the pain these communities feel each day.
My job, our job at Ideastream Public Media, is to provide a platform that allows these voices to be heard. We're working on a package of stories, featuring these voices, to air as early as next week. Your voice is equally important. Let me know what you think. You can find my contact information by clicking my name below.
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