Spiritual center report_AGM

Dear AGM friends and members,
This week I w as appointed director of the Spiritual Center, three years
after my previous term.
I seriously hesitated a lot before accepting the position. The exertion
was about the question whether it is appropriate to maintain a
Palestinian-Israeli cultural institution in these days and times, when a
terrible war is raging in our region and a brutal genocide is being carried
out on our doorstep, in Gaza. Is it even appropriate and correct to invite
people to cultural and educational events?
Well, I must admit the truth, I also rarely go out lately to events such as
movies, plays and concerts. Even to restaurants. I mainly participate in
family events. I - like many others, I imagine.
At the same time, I feel, and I have spoken with friends and members of
our village who feel similarly about the need to meet with people who
are close to us in opinion and worldview. To gather, to talk, to
experience things together. I have heard from people words of praise for
my work and willingness to help me in every field. Things that have
brought me to tears.
I decided to accept the role and I commit to fulfilling it with sensitivity
and delicacy. I commit to giving a voice in the spiritual center to those
whose voices are silenced in Israeli society. To bring quality and
meaningful content to us as a community and to all those who share our
interests in the Palestinian and Israeli society around us.
The first two events at the spiritual center, which will take place in the
coming weeks:
- An evening of singing from the Arab classics but not only with the
operatic soprano Nour Darwish (who recently moved to live with us in
the village), the famous Palestinian pianist Nizar AI-Khater and the forest
horn player Shahar Ziv.
- An evening of testimonies from October 7, 2023 and the genocide in
Gaza.
The spiritual center has not been active in recent months, as a
Palestinian-Israeli cultural center, unfortunately. At the same time, it has
certainly been active during the day as a place for activities of groups