Acre, Israel—UPF held a special interfaith meeting to counter the distrust between communities.
The outbreak of violence throughout Israel in May 2021 left our society with many wounds. Our UPF chapter decided to respond to the spirit of distrust among our diverse communities by doubling our efforts for reconciliation.
On June 9, 2021, we conducted a special meeting in Acre (Akko), a city that had been a symbol of cooperation between its Jewish and Muslim people until it suddenly was struck by a severe rift.
Our delegation visited the home of the renowned Imam Samir Aasi, convening Jewish, Christian, Druze and Muslim leaders to share our hearts and strengthen our resolve to restore peace and harmony.
The meeting was very hopeful, and each participant shared his heart and sincere concerns. Toward the end some practical ideas were put forth as to how to handle the crisis—in particular, looking after the needs of disoriented youth. The innovative vision of the UPF founders gave us the needed platform for reaching a broad consensus.
Photographer: Luke Weiler-hill, secretary general, UPF-Israel