Spring 2015 Newsletter
HANDS of PEACE Celebrating 12 years of dialogue and friendship!
1000 Elm Street, Glenview, IL 60025
www.handsofpeace.org
Questions? Call 224-406-5045
A Groundbreaking Benefit Evening! HOP’s sold-out “Under One Sky” Benefit Evening at the spectacular Adler Planetarium featured educational and inspiring programming, was attended by prominent guests including four state politicians….and raised $170,000 to help HOP expand our scope and impact! Highlights included a beautiful film about HOP’s year-round Middle East follow-up seminars for Israeli and Palestinian alumni, a gourmet dinner overlooking Left: Tina Plunkett, Aziz Abu Sarah, radio host the Chicago skyline, From Jerome McDonnell, Elik Elhanan, and Rich Katz. and a riveting interview by acclaimed Chicago Public Radio host Jerome McDonnell with special guests Aziz Abu Sarah and Elik Elhanan. Both Aziz and Elik lost siblings to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and have devoted their lives to fostering dialogue and reconciliation. Event attendees came away with a deeper understanding of the IsraeliPalestinian conflict and the tremendous urgency of dialogue and personal connection. Special thanks to our visionary Benefit Evening co-chairs Rich Katz and Tina Plunkett, to our hard-working Benefit Evening committee, and to our generous event sponsors, Don and Ellen Clark. Alumni co-hosts Ruby Macsai-Goren and Basel Arafat.
An interfaith invocation authored by a group of our alumni captured the inclusive spirit of the event: "Before we are a part of a religion, nation, or culture, we are part of humanity….Let us all continue to hope and work towards a world in which we all live together as one race, under one sky, before we divide ourselves by borders.”
Mark Your Summer Calendar San Diego & Chicago Programs: July 9 to 28 San Diego & Chicago Banquets: July 27 Last year’s banquets sold out! Buy your banquet tickets now at www.handsofpeace.org.
IL General Assembly members uniting as catalysts for peace. Seated from left: Rep. Robyn Gabel, Bob Doepel, Rep. Deb Conroy. Standing: Cathy Cohen, Rabbi Paul Cohen, Michael Fine, House Maj. Ldr. Barbara Flynn Currie, HOP founder Gretchen Grad, Rep. Laura Fine.
Bequests to Hands of Peace: Leaving a Legacy of Hope To invest in future leaders and ensure HOP’s longevity, please consider naming Hands of Peace in your will. Contact Ashley Bates for more information at
[email protected].
Ongoing Events in San Diego, Chicago, and the Middle East HOP alumni and adult supporters in San Diego, Chicago, Palestine, and Israel have been quite busy! In San Diego and Chicago, HOP held film dialogue evenings featuring films such as “Waltz with Bashir,” “Border Living,” and “Dancing in Jaffa.” We also held an HOP “family” reunion in San Diego with visiting Board members from Chicago, hosted diverse guest speakers including a children’s education activist and a professor of political science, and brought our supporters together to hear inspiring
HOP San Diego held a “family” reunion in February.
music: a “concert for peace” at Glenview Community Church and a San Diego concert by a unique Israeli-Yemeni band. Our American alumni in Chicago also organized a school supply drive for atrisk children. This summer, our Chicago and San Diego Summer Program participants will work with professional artists to design their own peace murals! In the Middle East, HOP held four overnight seminars since the fall of 2014—in Jerusalem, Nazareth, Nahariya, and Alumni unwound with yoga at a winter seminar in Nazareth, Israel. Haifa—that were attended by more than 100 Israeli and Palestinian alumni. Activities included continued dialogues, poetry and yoga workshops, dual narrative tours, a community service project with disabled children, and interactive discussions with guest speakers from across the political spectrum.
Featured Volunteer: Vera Ginburg As the chair of our Chicago host family committee, Vera brings an unrelenting work ethic, a sharp attention to detail, and a profound personal commitment to Israeli-Palestinian coexistence. Vera comes from a Russian Jewish family and immigrated to the US in the 1980s to escape anti-Semitism. She took part in HOP’s 2014 dual narrative tour of Israel and Palestine, and this will be her third year hosting HOP teenagers in her home. Special thanks to Vera and all of our dedicated volunteers!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT! Please make tax deductible donations on our website: www.handsofpeace.org
Want to be added to our electronic mailing list? Send your email to
[email protected].
BOARD LEADERS 2014-2015 Chair: Past Chair: Secretary: Treasurer: Founder:
Wendy Rhodes Jane Hund William Sullivan Lisa Leger Gretchen Grad
