Beacons of Hope: Our Interreligious S/Heroes Beacons of Hope: Our Interreligious S/Heroes – Combatants for Peace
Each month, we honor an individual or group whose commitments align with the bridge-building efforts of the Miller Center of Hebrew College. This month, we shine a light on Combatants for Peace, a joint Palestinian-Israeli movement dedicated to non-violence, working in solidarity towards a future where all people in Israel and Palestine live in peace with dignity, justice, and security. Two leaders from Combatants for Peace, Sulaiman “Souli” Khatib and Iris Gur, recently joined us for a public dialogue on their ongoing peace-building efforts. A recording of this dialogue, with Rabbi Or Rose of the Miller Center and Miller Center collaborator Dr. Celene Ibrahim, is included below.
This month, the Miller Center is proud to highlight the courageous work of Combatants for Peace. This Israeli-Palestinian movement brings people together across lines of difference amidst a horrific and seemingly intractable conflict. We are inspired by their humanity in this time of warfare.
Prior to beginning my rabbinical school studies, I spent three years living in Jerusalem. As I immersed myself in the rhythms of Israeli life, one event that stood out to me was Yom Ha’Zikaron (Memorial Day). As a long-term visitor, I yearned to connect meaningfully to others on this day of national mourning. When one of my friends suggested that we attend the Combatants for Peace commemoration in Tel Aviv—a joint Israeli-Palestinian memorial ceremony—my interest piqued.
Combatants for Peace is, in their own words, “a grassroots movement of Israelis and Palestinians working… to transform systems of oppression and build a free and peaceful future from the ground up.”
Their Yom Ha’Zikaron ceremony embodied all of these values and more. I was deeply moved to bear witness to Jewish-Israelis, Palestinian citizens of Israel, and Palestinians in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza (through pre-recorded video segments) expressing their pain, sorrow, and hope for a better future in which all people can live in security, equality, and peace. Through storytelling, speeches, and musical offerings, these dedicated activists shared their personal stories, helping attendees gain a deeper understanding of the many narratives that together form the complex picture of contemporary life in the Holy Land.
Last month, the Miller Center hosted Combatants for Peace as part of a public series of programs in response to turmoil over the widening Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In a powerful Zoom conversation, Combatants for Peace leaders Sulaiman (Souli) Khatib and Iris Gur reflected on their respective journeys as peace and justice activists, and the mounting challenges they have faced over the last year. Participants left feeling better informed and deeply moved by the efforts of these steadfast activists.
In this dark and painful time, Combatants for Peace offers us a ray of hope. They model what it means to embrace dialogue and non-violence as a way of life. May these luminaries be blessed in their efforts, and may we draw inspiration from them as we begin a new year.