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R. Glaubach: A Grandmother's Heart for Peace
Written by Rachel Glaubach, Women's Federation for World Peace-Israel
Tuesday, May 18, 2004
Address to the Middle East Peace Initiative
Jerusalem, May 18, 2004
I am an Israeli woman who has lived here all my life. I am a wife, a mother and a grandmother. I am also an Ambassador for Peace, which means I am dedicated to bringing peace wherever I go. It also means that even though I am terribly nervous, I found the strength to stand here on the stage for the first time in my life to share my heart with you.
There is too much violence, pain and death here. In this precious holy land we have such tragedy that divides us. We are so afraid of each other, that we don’t feel free to smile at strangers unless they smile first. The anger and hatred are like a volcano waiting to erupt into violence. There seems to be no way to comfort the heart of a grieving mother. The pain is unbearable, yet we continue to live. In an effort to ease that pain, the desire for vengeance multiplies the bloodshed. And then, another mother grieves. When will it end? Will we run out of sons and daughters before we stop killing one another?
And yet I still have hope that we can find someway to comfort the pain and heal the heart to create peace together. When I see the faces of our international sisters, I feel hope. You spent so much money to get here, and you left your families to see first hand how difficult and dangerous it is, perhaps even risking your lives. And yet you came to comfort those who are in pain and build understanding so we can work for peace in this land. Thank you for coming to help us here. Thank you for listening to our mother’s heart as you went door to door.
To those of you who have come from this country, thank you for taking the time to join together in the pursuit of peace. Thank you for sitting together as family, showing the common desire of all of us for peace.
Our young people don’t have much hope. They don’t know what to do with the struggle. They can’t see real love between people. We need to teach our children to respect each other, and encourage friendship between Palestinians and Jews.
As neighbors we should try every day to show our wish to work for peace, in the small things we do, in the words we speak, let us be an example to others. And especially let us say how sorry we are to each other that we have not found the way to make it a peaceful, happy land.
I am grateful to be here and join you as friends in support of the women who have come to work together for peace. May God bless you and your family. Thank you.
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