Peace Treaty

“Are we not all children of the same God?” ~ Karol Józef Wojtyła known as Blessed John Paul II (1920-2005)

Three days a week Maizah traveled from the Muslim Quarter in East Jerusalem to 26 King David Street. It was her personal time. She took the bus though it could be confusing even if you had lived there all your life as she had. When she arrived, Maizah dutifully showed her pass and was admitted to the facility. Having completed the check-in process she turned and headed toward the designated room.

Miriam loved the old city and had lived there all her life as her family before her. There were problems yes, but Jerusalem was the center of her faith and the “HaRova HaYehudi” (the Jewish Quarter) in the western part of Jerusalem had always been a special place. Still, two or three days a week, she would go to King David Street. Today was one of those days.

The domed roof of the building looked a little like a mosque, but the green, lush grass in front was always inviting. Miriam traversed the entryway and carefully presented her ID. Having been admitted, she headed for a room at the end of the hall.

Arriving at the open door Miriam entered carefully. As always the Palestinian woman was already there. The woman was removing her “hijaab” the scarf many Muslim women wore around their heads. Miriam walked carefully past her.

Maizah, was removing her “hijaab” when the Jewish woman arrived. She always seemed to be there at the same time as Maizah. She pretended not to notice her. Out of the corner of her eye she watched as the Jewish woman removed her head scarf a “tichel” or “mitpachat” as they called it and placed it in her bag. It looked much the same as her own scarf she thought. Maizah bent to relace her shoes and noticed the other woman doing the same.

Miriam sensed Maizah's eyes upon her and turned to meet her gaze. They embraced each other with their eyes for only a moment or two. Then…a single, slight, simultaneous nod to one another and they returned to their laces.

They went to their respective stations, made the necessary adjustments to the equipment and seated themselves on their stationary bikes. For the next 30 minutes they would pedal, side by side, burning the same calories and pumping the same red blood through their circulatory systems. For you see, 26 David Street is the location of the *Jerusalem International YMCA.

There is a difference between negotiating a truce and making peace. Battles can be won, but they do not create peace. Truces can be negotiated and tolerance agreed to, but the so called “peace” which results is usually a synthetic peace.

Real peace is cultivated, not declared and it can only grow out of a willingness to accept, love and try to understand one another. The killing of an international criminal does not solve the problem of our unwillingness to reach out to those who share our values, but not our faith or the way we express our faith.

Whether we worship God, Y*w*h or Allah the message has always been the same. We are called to love one another as much as we love ourselves. Yet, we live in a world where we spend more money on guns than food. Given the same resources we spend on war we could easily conquer world hunger and poverty.

If peace is to become a reality it will begin with people like Miriam and Maizah. It begins with sharing space, brief eye contact, a subtle nod of recognition, or a faint smile of acknowledgement. Peace grows as we become comfortable with one another.

In short, it begins with our willingness to let down our guard. After all, the handshake evolved out of a demonstration you didn’t have a weapon in your hand.

Miriam and Maizah probably don’t think of themselves as diplomats or peacemakers, but they are, even though there are no borders to be negotiated or treaties to be signed. They are the beginnings of peace though they share neither the same religion, language, nor the same culture. There is one common ground however. We all sweat in the same language, don’t we?

"Here is a place whose atmosphere is peace, where political and religious jealousies can be forgotten, and international unity fostered and developed." ~from a dedication address by Field Marshal Edmund Lord Allenby at the Jerusalem International YMCA April 18, 1933.

*Established in 1878 and operated by YMCA of the USA since 1920, the Jerusalem International YMCA (JIY) is a safe haven for religious, cultural and intellectual freedom for the people of Jerusalem. Jewish, Muslim and Christian people of all ages come to JIY to enjoy the atmosphere of understanding and unity. For its efforts in promoting the dignity of humankind and peace in the region, JIY was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.

© 2011 James E. Carper. All rights reserved.

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