Sophia Har
Staff Writer
“I should really try to see God in the other person,” said Ronit Avni, a Messianic Jew living in Israel, in an untitled documentary produced by the independent film company Within Broken Borders.
On Wednesday, Feb. 13, Wheaton is hosting an event that will be a once-in-a-lifetime evening for many attendees: Three guests from the Middle East are coming to share stories of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and their vision of reconciliation for their peoples.
The panel will consist of Avni as well as Elias Halabi, a Palestinian Christian, and Muhammad Al-Khatib, a Palestinian Muslim, both of whom live in the West Bank.
The panel discussion will follow the shortened screening of the documentary by Within Broken Borders, which features Avni, Halabi and Al-Khatib.
According to the film company’s website, the documentary focuses on “the Palestinian Christians and Messianic Jews in the region, bringing to light the important role that these communities play in peace-building.”
Their combined presence is rare, as Palestinians and Israelis are legally permitted to meet with one another only in neutral areas, such as the U.S.
“For some people (at Wheaton), this will be the only time they’ll ever meet a Palestinian (or) Israeli in their lives,” said sophomore interdisciplinary studies major Andrew Shadid.
Shadid and a group of Wheaton students have connected with professors and campus organizations to put on the event in order to facilitate dialogue about the conflicts and issues surrounding their homeland.
They hope to create a relaxed atmosphere in which attendees will feel free to share and listen to different perspectives on the conflict.
“We want it to be more like a discussion of friends,” said junior philosophy major Claire Stewart. “It’s about meeting with friends whose lives are being affected by a conflict and … how we can bring about Christ’s peace and reconciliation.”
The individuals involved in planning the event hope to challenge prior assumptions about the Middle Eastern conflict through storytelling.
“I understand that people have different passions, but I don’t think it’s possible for you to not care that people are being dehumanized,” Stewart said. “It’s important to be aware of it, to take an opportunity to meet people and learn about them.”
Shadid said he met and spent time with the three guests when he studied and interned in the Middle East during the summer. He said that amidst the many youth in the region feeling apathetic toward the peace process in the Middle East, Avni, Halabi and Al-Khatib continue to hope for reconciliation. Despite their differences in religious beliefs, all three draw insight from the teachings of Jesus Christ.
“(Jesus Christ) is that fountain of hope in their lives and inspires them to do what they do,” Shadid said. “Each of these three are going to be incredibly impactful in the next generation in what takes place in Israel-Palestine.”
Avni, Halabi and Al-Khatib will be on campus from Tuesday, Feb. 12, to Thursday, Feb. 14. They will be open to interacting with Wheaton students.
The documentary screening and panel event will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 13, at 7:30 p.m. in Coray Gym. It is free and open to the public and will offer free food, including baklava.
Learn more at the Within Broken Borders website >>