Tensions are high abroad, in the United States and even here on USC’s campus. The Israel-Hamas war has exacerbated existing struggles between the Israeli and the Palestinian communities - which are also felt by communities in Southern California.
NewGround, a Muslim-Jewish community building partnership, works with bridging the gaps between the groups today. Coordinator Ben Ginsberg talks about some of their recent struggles.
Ben Ginsberg: Our goal is to help people be seen the way they want to be seen and heard the way they want to be heard. What is being tested right now is people’s ability to understand multiple perspectives and multiple narratives and to offer comfort to each other.
Even within a community, there are vastly different perspectives that have to be taken into account.
Ginsberg: So in interfaith circles, even for Jews among Jews and Muslims among Muslims, there can still be a lot of misunderstanding. There’s still immense diversity in experiences and perspectives and narratives.
With the war’s escalation of issues in the Middle East, Ginsberg says it is easier for some to react with hate, bigotry and even violence.
Ginsberg: A lot of people across the board feel that their lives are in danger, that their identifies are in danger. And that can narrow - that can narrow our understanding, impede our compassion and it can lead us to dehumanize each other.
Today, another group is attempting to bridge the gap between Israeli Jewish and Palestinian communities.
Estee Chandler: We are advocating for Palestinian equality.
This is Estee Chandler, founder of the Jewish Voice for Peace in Los Angeles. The JVP put on a demonstration in Hollywood to call for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.
Chandler says both government officials and people in the media have been promoting falsehoods and offensive narratives about the Palestinian people.
Chandler: This is a tactic that is used to try to justify the suppression and murder of human beings and we simply will not let it stand. This should not be done in our name, and never again must always mean never again for anybody.
Chandler does not believe that this is a matter of a Muslim and Jewish conflict, but instead a situation in which she saw the Israeli community and the Palestinian community to be linked.
Chandler: Palestinians must have equality and freedom if my family in Israel will ever see a life of safety and true freedom.
Protesters rallied for the JVP ceasefire demonstration this afternoon in Hollywood. Demonstrator Sarah Jacobus shared her thoughts ahead of the event.
Sarah Jacobus: The purpose of it is to assert that we as Jews are calling very unequivocally for a ceasefire in Israel’s bombing of Gaza and that we object to the weaponizing of our grief over the deaths of both Israelis and Palestinians by this massive assault on a civilian population.
A protester who asked to remain anonymous also gave their reason being here.
Protester: I want peace. I want innocent people to stop dying in my name. It doesn’t feel good. I don’t like seeing people suffering and seeing anybody using my name to justify it.
Despite rain and cold, the demonstration continued, over 100 people strong as Jewish community members and allies gathered to share their support for Palestine.
For Annenberg Media, I’m Marie Louise Leone.