Emotions Run High Surrounding the Israel-Hamas War, But the Hardest Point for Many is Respect

Elijah Schaffzin

It has been over a month since the Israel-Hamas War broke out, and in its perpetual violence a more subtle movement for peace and collaboration has been launched by activists and community members who look to find common humanity on all sides.

Rawda Elbatrawish, who is Muslim, and Liora Pelavin who is Jewish, are among these activists, and are holding a series of community events for more open discussion and decompression from the collective stress surrounding the conflict. 

“[I] care so deeply about what is happening that I organized an event to bring understanding and dialogue to many,” said Pelavin, who also serves on the national board for the Jewish Youth Climate Movement.

Emotions also run high for Julee Levine, who serves as the Director of Education for Memphis’s Beth Sholom Synagogue, “I am torn between discussing [the conflict] with my schools…because it is important and so many of my students do not have another place that is safe to do so.  And I walk away from it because I know that some of my students are very emotionally impacted and afraid.”

Both acknowledge a start to coming together is the language we use. 

Palavin pointed out, “I think part of the problem right now is that we cannot agree on what is antisemitic. Some say anti-Zionism is antisemitic while there are Jews who are anti-Zionist.” 

“Antisemitism has become scarily normalized over the past 6-8 years.  When the words Israel and Jews are used synonymously, antisemitism exists.  The Israeli government does not represent all Jews, much less all Israel right now.” Levin agreed.

It is worrying that fighting does not appear to be coming to a close, but bringing humanity to this issue may be the key to finding common ground. We should all push for understanding and mutual respect to undergird these conversations; when we see a person looking back at us from each side, it is so much harder to hate them

In this season of giving students can directly donate and/or encourage family donations to the International Committee Of The Red Cross and Red Crescent, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to helping victims of armed violence in both Israel and Gaza.