AUGUST 2004

 

Middle East News

Middle East Workshops of Hope

Girl reading booklet in Hebrew at workshop in Israeli Kibutz Yassur, August 2004

Israeli workshop in Hebrew for children of Kibutz Yassur, August 2004.

Students reading booklet in Arabic at workshop in Arab village of Arara, April 2004

Israeli teachers reading booklet in Arabic at workshop, June 2004

Dear Friends,

Here’s the good news --- 

¨                  We just printed another 100,000 The Way to HappinessÒ booklets in Hebrew and Arabic for distribution to Israelis and Palestinians! 

¨                  Since spring 2003, we have delivered over 780 workshops on The Way to Happiness booklets to over 30,000 Israelis, both Jewish and Arab.

And more good news ---

We’ve got lots more workshops scheduled in Israeli schools, clubs and groups of teachers.

The workshops feature – 

¨                  Skits

¨                  Stories

¨                  Contests

An Urgent Situation! 

This is a whole program that is hugely popular. And this leads into the urgency. There’s so much demand that we need more materials URGENTLY! We’ve got enough booklets for right now, but we immediately need posters and study guides so that the teachers can continue the lessons all year.

Here is a path to peace that Israelis, both Arab and Jewish, are reaching for. We have created a reach – now we are having trouble fulfilling it. We need more help from you!

Workshop Participants Speak

I have no words to describe the happiness my heart was filled with when I received the booklets. Continue with the good work. And may there be more and more people like you, and then our situation will improve.  

I will pass the booklets on to the right people who need them and in so doing hope to make a difference. I respect organizations like yours so much that I simply have to support them as a matter of conscience in our country which is in such need.  

Regards,

A.     Nurit

Editor’s Note: The following letter is from the parents of an Israeli student, Alon Ronen. Alon solves arguments and disagreements between kids using precepts of The Way to Happiness booklet. 

I would like to thank the Association for meeting Alon Ronen’s request and coming to his school, Zalman Aran in Jerusalem, and lecturing to his class.  

There are those who can be persuaded and those who don’t know unless a small eight-year-old boy called Alon Ronen appears before them with the will and apparently also the ability to bring to the awareness of young children that there is another preferable alternative way to live life.  

Alon knows this and applies it every day. 

Thank you from all my heart,

Chantelle Cohen and Razi Ronen

I am Rachel Gazit, the manager of the Pe’er Club in Rehovot. I would like to thank you for your great lecturers. I have promoted your phone number throughout Rehovot and the clubs and sports halls in the surrounding area. Everyone would be happy to welcome your lecturers.  

In these days of confusion, who doesn’t want to be a little more happy? There is no shortage of troubles and we have a few.  

Thank you,

Rachel Gazit

 

You can read many, many more wonderful successes from the children below.

 

You Can Do Something About the Middle East 

I don’t have to tell you that there is a war going on. Not just the violence between the Palestinians and Israelis. But globally, we are in a conflict. Such a conflict can lead to disaster. We’re on a small planet with weapons of mass destruction being invented, sold and stolen. Imagine how the situation would change if the peoples of this planet applied the values of The Way to Happiness!

We have 10 trained Israeli volunteers driving madly up and down the length of Israel, giving up most of their day or an entire day every week to deliver these workshops, week after week for over a year. They know that they are making a difference, that they might make it possible for their country and people to survive.

They get their booklets, posters and study guides from your donations. And we’re out of posters and study guides.

When people at the heart of this conflict want to change --- we must give them the tools to change! Please donate today!

 PLEASE DONATE TODAY!

ALL DONATIONS ARE TAX-DEDUCTIBLE.

$35 --- posters for 10 classrooms

$100 – both posters and study guides for 25 classrooms

Any donation of $35 or more will give you a membership in the Association for Peace and Understanding in the Middle East.

DONATE SECURELY ON-LINE. Click https://secure.outflow.net/twth/donations-main.asp

Important -- Make sure to note that your donation is for the Middle East campaign.

DONATE BY PHONE. Call Hagit at (818) 708-8879.

Or e-mail me at alexandrahop@yahoo.com

All donations are tax-deductible. You will receive a receipt for tax purposes.

If you can’t donate today, please volunteer with our Los Angeles or Clearwater groups. E-mail me.

Best wishes,

Alexandra Hopkins alexandrahop@yahoo.com

Editor

Association for Peace & Understanding in the Middle East

www.apume.org

©2004 Association for Peace & Understanding in the Middle East. All rights reserved. THE WAY TO HAPPINESS is a trademark owned by L. Ron Hubbard Library in the USA and in other countries (trademark registrations issued and other registrations pending) and is used with permission. 

 

What do children learn from the Association’s lectures?

We’ve asked Jewish and Arab kids of diverse ages, what they learned through the lectures given by members of the association, and here are some of the replies:

  • I learned one should always think positive (Mor - a 17-year-old girl)

  • I learned not to hit the others, to help the indigent and other kids (Lior – a 9-year-old boy)

  • I learned that the way to happiness is to apply oneself to study (Mohammed – 13 years old)

  • To live and let others about me live (Romina – 17 years old)

  • I learned how to help people (Salman – 13 years old)

  • I learned one must not behave violently (Lipaz – a 10-year-old girl)

  • I learned good things I should have learned long ago ( Jihad – a 15-year-old boy)

  • I understood one shouldn’t be angry with other people (Susan – 12 years old)

  • I learned that every little thing I do can have a lot of  influence (Ofir – a 15-year-old boy)

  • I learned that by not fulfilling one’s promises, one may have an adverse influence on other  people’s happiness (Abed – a 12-year-old boy)

  • I learned that we have a responsibility greater than we think (Rotem – a 16-year-old girl)

  • I learned that love and help extended to others is the most beautiful thing in life (Iman – a 15-year-old girl)

  • I learned from the lesson that from now on I’ll be a good person (Mahmood – a 15-year-old boy)

  • I learned to give without feeling that I’m a sucker (Kobi – a 15-year-old boy)

  • I learned about happiness (Yosef – 11 years old)

  • I learned from the lesson that whoever makes a promise, must make it true – Amer (a 15-year-old boy)

  • I learned to do good deeds, so that other people will be well (Rajuan – a 13-year-old boy)

  • To be more optimistic and have more patience (Yarden – a 17-year-old girl)

  • To respect the parents and tell other children to respect them, too (Asma – 1 17-year-old girl)

  • I learned that one should help one’s fellow man, as I’ll also get help when I need it (Yotam – a 17-year-old boy)

  • I learned that I should be forgiving (Mahadi – a 15-year-old boy)

  • That when you make someone feel good, you’ll also feel good as (Noi – a 16-year-old girl)

  • I understood that there’s a good way of resolving problems – the way of peace (Haled, a 16-year-old boy)

  • I learned that the way to happiness involves a lot of cooperation (Or – a 16-year-old boy)

  • I learned that if someone wants to, he can succeed (Tamara – an 11-year-old girl)

  • I learned that one doesn’t need to use violence – (Chen – a 13-year-old boy

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©2004 The Way to Happiness Foundation International All Rights Reserved. THE WAY TO HAPPINESS and the "Road & Sun" Design are trademarks owned by L. Ron Hubbard LibraryIn the USA andIn other countries (trademark registrationsIssued and other registrations pending) and are used with permission.