Faith communities have a crucial role to play in the search for peace in Israel and Palestine.  The Holy Land Education and Peacebuilding Project is devoted to furthering that role through education, consultative support, community-building, and the building of bridges of hope and trust between our society and those working for peace in the Holy Land.  Use this website to learn about our Programs, Resource Offerings, and Journeys.  Find out about what other congregations and organizations are doing! 

Voices of Conscience, Parables of Hope

For the past 7 years, our parent organization, the Tree of Life Education Fund, has sponsored the Tree of Life Conference and Tree of Life Journey.  These programs have fostered connections, created hope, and promoted action.  Through travel to the Holy Land and by bringing voices of conscience to our shores, we have met religious leaders like Father Elias Chacour who told us, "I was born a baby; I wasn't born a Christian, Muslim or Jew.  If more of us came to that realization, maybe we could affirm our common humanity."

We have heard the voices of the people of the land like Rami Elhanan, a Jewish Israeli, and Ibrahim Khalil, a Palestinian Muslim who each lost a child to the conflict, who have found friendship, mutual support and common cause in the work of the Parent's Circle.  We met Luma Shomali, a Palestinian teenager, told us: "While both people in our land of Palestine and Israel may be afraid of each other, deep down we are all looking for a better life which means living in peace and harmony with each other."

Tree of Life Conferences feature artists like Yael Kareth, an Israeli pianist and Enas Massalha, a Palestinian soprano whose extraordinary music and friendship were a source of joy and inspiration.

A Time for Action

Public awareness is increasing about the terrible toll the conflict is taking on both Palestinians and Israelis.  Churches, ecumenical and interfaith groups, educational institutions, and community organizations have undertaken a range of activities and initiatives to enhance the prospects for peace.  These include:

• Learning about peace efforts through conferences and educational materials;
• Visits to the region to learn first hand and bear witness;
• Denomination-level actions such as resolutions, ethical investment initiatives, and educational programs. 

These activities make a difference.  Attendees at conferences have been enlightened and inspired.  Visitors to the region have returned energized and motivated.  Initiatives on local and churchwide levels have stimulated interest and productive discussion.  Increasingly, Jews and Muslims from their mosques, synagogues and community-based organizations have entered the dialogue about how to increase understanding between the peoples of the region and how to take actions that will promote peace.

Download the Conference Flyer Here