The Sulha Peace Project, and the View from Jerusalem

Tuesday, June 24, 12pm ET
ONLINE ONLY

Melila Hellner-Eshed is a world-renowned scholar of Jewish mysticism, an influential teacher of rabbis and Jewish leaders from across the religious spectrum, a fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute, a native Jerusalemite, and the Chair of the Board of the Sulha Peace Project. The WJC has had the privilege of hosting Melila in years past as our scholar-in-residence.

As their website explains, “Sulha is a grassroots organization working to heal and reconcile Israelis and Palestinians. Inspired by the traditional Middle Eastern process of mediation, Sulha, our programs rebuild trust, restore dignity, and build the foundation for peace and reconciliation. Conflicts engender erasure of the human faces of the Other. We seek to strengthen humanity and restore the faces of the human beings that live on both sides of the conflict.” Since October 7 Sulha has persisted in its mission, and also provided crucial material support to its Palestinian members whose livelihoods were deeply impacted by the war.

Melila will describe the current work of Sulha, and also share with us about the tenor of life in Jerusalem and Israel at large. Among her many gifts, Melila can straddle the realities of Israelis and of Americans, and can translate her experiences for us in a way that news media cannot. Rabbi Jonathan will moderate, and all questions will be welcome.