Even though Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger has lived in the West Bank for 33 years, he had never spent much time with a Palestinian. That was before he met Ali Abu Awwad. Schlesinger lived in the area with for decades seeing Palestinians as an invisible "other."
Awwad grew up in a militant Palestinian family and spent four years in an Israeli prison, but eventually devoted his life to nonviolent activism rooted in bringing Israelis and Palestinians together. In 2014, Awwad and Schlesinger co-founded the organization “Roots." The group bridges the cultural divide between Israelis and Palestinians in the West Bank.
Host Frank Stasio talks with Schlesinger and Awwad about their personal stories and interpersonal peace efforts in the West Bank. Schlesinger and Awwad speak at 7 p.m. at the International Civil Rights Center and Museum in Greensboro on Thursday, Oct. 6, 11 a.m. at the Numen Lumen Pavilion at Elon University and at 7:30 p.m. at Congregation Beth Israel in Aheville on Friday, Oct. 7.
