The Jerusalem Hug 2009

First of all Blessings upon your work for Peace.

It is a firm belief among many in the Peace Movement that until there is Peace among the Children of Abraham there can be no Peace at all in the world at large. The middle East and the interests vested in it are the key to world Peace.

We live in a world dominated by separation between peoples. We separate ourselves in our language and what we call each other; foreigner, alien, immigrant and so forth. We separate ourselves in our religions with words like pagan, infidel, heathen, Golan and so forth. Even within religions we separate ourselves by having different sects which fight for domination. We separate ourselves by race with so many words for the differing colours of each other’s skins I dare not list them. We separate ourselves by culture with our different cloths, food and local customs. We physically separate ourselves from each other with frontiers, walls and lines arbitrarily drawn on paper maps as though one set of people could really own a parcel of land to the exclusion of all others.

Our world is divided in so many ways, rich from poor, the over-fed from the starving, those with full medical services from those with none. And the last few years has made this situation so much worse.

What if for one day a year all differences could be laid aside and all humans could embrace their brothers and sisters in this great human race. I believe that the Jerusalem Hug is one such occasion when we can leave all these degrees of separation to one side for a day and enjoy being one race with common purpose and love. It is a day in which we can find our connection with each other. Such events foster common bonds which is the best way forward to building first local Peace which will in turn lead to World Peace.

“Maybe I am a dreamer but I am not the only one…maybe one day you will join us and the world be as ONE.”

Last June 24th approximately 2000 people embraced the Old City of Jerusalem. They walked around the city walls, holding hands and expressing the unity of the Old City. Inhabitants of Jerusalem, Israeli and Palestinians, as well as peace activists from the entire world are standing side by side in their wish for peace and in their love for Jerusalem.

Since 2007 the Jerusalem Hug has been organized, as a collaboration between the ‘Lovers of Jerusalem’, the ‘Jerusalem Peacemakers’ and a Dutch group of light workers coming from Amsterdam.
The ‘Lovers of Jerusalem’ are a group of people from several peace movement organizations in Israel, under direction by Dvora Pearlman, established to create peace in Jerusalem.
The ‘Jerusalem Peacemakers’ consists of a group of passionate and involved Jewish and Palestinian inhabitants of Jerusalem under direction of Eliyahu McLean and Ibrahim Abu el Hawa who form an international network on inter religious bases with the aim to create peace and unity in Jerusalem. “When real peace in the holy land will be realized, then it will be possible to engineer peace in the whole world.”
In Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Rob Schrama, artist and peace activist, supports the ‘Jerusalem Hug’ together with a small team of involved and passionate fellow workers.

Together we established the ‘Jerusalem Hug Foundation’ that will be involved to get international support.

On May 21 2007 and on June 24 2008 the Big Hug of Jerusalem took place for the first and second time. Both Jerusalem Hugs were visited by more than 2000 participants, inhabitants of Jerusalem, Palestinians and Israeli, as well as peace activists from Israel and from all over the world.

On June 21 2009 a new Jerusalem Hug will be realized. The aim of the Jerusalem Hug is to promote a peaceful experience of freedom and joy to all people. The Jerusalem Hug will focus on love, respect and unity. With this attitude the participants will spread out around the walls of the Old City holding hands, singing and praying for peace and respect for all humankind.

Drumming together is an returning activity in every Jerusalem Hug, connecting the different population groups. During the first Jerusalem Hug in 2007 Palestinian and Israeli drummers from Jerusalem played together. As a result of this experience they decided to continue playing together. Several times they played together at the Damascus Gate to stimulate the rhythm of peace in the hearts of the people.

During the coming Jerusalem Hug, the Palestine and Israeli drummers will get support from internationally famous drummers. GrandMotherDrum, coming from Alaska and Cesar Zuiderwijk, drummer in the rock band ‘Golden Earring’ will invite all drummers in Jerusalem to create together a concert in the park along the north site of the wall.

The Jerusalem school kids, at least one class of Palestinians and one class of Israeli children are coming together during the Jerusalem Hug to fly their Kites for Peace above the thousands of participants. They will express that the children of Jerusalem want to live in a city were peace, freedom and tolerance are the foundation of our coexisting.

The ‘Jerusalem Hug’ stands symbol for another way to achieve peace. Everywhere the belief in a political solution of the Middle East conflict has been gone down to point zero. There ought to be found another way and that is the way of the heart. We believe that when we find peace in ourselves and when we are able to forgive, world peace will come closer.
The Jerusalem Hug gives expression to this wish for change as a concrete statement. Jerusalem stands as a symbol for peace and forgiveness in the world. Let Jerusalem be a city of connection, the heart of the world where unity and peace will be a fact. Every year, we will increase the Jerusalem Hug to a lager event, with every year more and more participants. Let the ‘Jerusalem Hug’ fill Jerusalem completely with love, so there will not be place for hatred anymore.

We request you to send a letter of recommendation to the Jerusalem Hug Foundation, a supporting letter that we can send to the funds we are approaching for financing our event. The best way to send this letter before December 24 to the “Jerusalem Hug Foundation” Krom Boomsloot 16, 1011 GW Amsterdam, The Netherlands or email it to: mail@jerusalemhug.org

We thank you for your cooperation and we hope to hold hands with you during the coming Jerusalem Hug.

Sincerely;

Rob Schrama