Responses from the Survey on our Local Community Impacts from the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict
About a month ago we sent out a survey on how people were experiencing in their local communities the impact of the violence in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Below is a sample subset of the responses we received that we believe illustrate the spectrum of experiences shared in the survey. Some responses have been edited slightly for length, anonymity and clarity. We encourage you to read with curiosity; we hope that by reading these responses you may recognize some that feel very similar to your own experience, and some that feel very different. Thank you to all the respondents who shared their experiences.
Has the last month impacted how you view people that are different from you?
“I want to understand everyone’s perspectives. I think there is truth to find in all of our experiences.”
“I have been concerned and cautious and hesitant to engage further until I feel it is a safe situation.”
“I am more aware of the pain and fear that many Jewish people feel on a regular basis.”
“I have felt more separate or perhaps less trusting that my non-Jewish friends understand what I am going through.”
“I think I’m really frustrated by people who are talking in binaries. I’m wary of everyone. I’m angry.”
Have you been grappling with any internal questions and conflicts that have challenged how you see yourself or the world? What has that experience felt like?
“Isolating and insufficient.”
“The last month has broadened my scope, and resolution to fight hate.”
“I just don’t understand the kind of hate and violence I have seen and it has left me feeling hopeless about the future of the world and what that world will look like for my grandchildren.”
“I have been grappling with how I should prepare to defend myself, my family, and my community. However, this is a position of vigilance, distrust, and disassociation. I don’t want to distrust and disassociate from non-Jews. […] I can’t accurately estimate the level of potential threats. So here I am never discussing I/P with anyone not Jewish for fear of reprisal or hate speech.”
“I feel pressure to become polarized. This comes from social media and from a close family member. I resist it, but it takes more and more of my energy and attention. I find myself keeping quiet because it seems like no matter what I say, I will be adding fuel to the fires of polarization.”
“I’m too scared to share my perspectives or questions. The Jewish community doesn’t feel like a safe space to question Israel, or to support Palestinians. I don’t doubt it would put my job in jeopardy.”
“I feel like I don’t know how to identify. I am a non-Zionist. I was raised Jewish. my grandma was born in Palestine during the mandate period. Am I Israeli? Palestinian? A holy lander? I don’t know.”
What questions do you have for other people about their own experiences and perspectives right now?
“I want to understand how people are holding multiple truths, and how they make sense of it. Do they prioritize some truths over others? How does it work? It’s so hard sometimes.”
“I would want there to be an honest and open dialogue about our experiences especially if our perspectives are so different. I would want us to communicate without hate speech and violence.”
“How many people secretly want solidarity?”
Have you felt recently like you are defending both your own perspective and yourself? What was that experience like?
“It happened once with a person much younger than I am who truly wanted to learn. I was cautious for myself, less cautious for my perspective because it’s based on facts, and appreciative that the person I was talking to had a mindset open to new knowledge.”
“I’m very defensive about my Judaism.”
“Yes, and it feels like a losing battle and exhausting as if I have to hedge one or the other as if they are separate issues.”
“I have felt a lot of support from like-minded people, but have not been to any event where my perspective would be challenged. When I read other perspectives or hear on the news, I just get really frustrated.”
“Yes, and it’s a nightmare. it would be so easy to jump on a bandwagon to have a community right now. I feel like I have to choose between community and my authenticity.”
How would you like to experience community right now? What do you wish you could ask of your community?
“To understand that there are multiple truths. Things are subjective. When I say Am Yisrael Chai, I’m not trying to be xenophobic, or say that Palestine shouldn’t exist. And when people say Free Palestine, I’ve worked to understand that they (usually) are not saying Israel or Jews should not exist. […] I am Jewish and work in the Jewish community. I am VERY well aware of rising antisemitism. But I refuse to believe the worst in humanity in general. […] I don’t want to be cast aside or othered for merely sharing my feelings.”
“I am so sad and scared right now that I think I have retreated into my own space, friends and family.”
“I like the way I am experiencing community right now.”
“I would love to be part of a group of people who are open to looking hard at the problems and discussing different perspectives while holding onto a sense of fundamental shared humanity.”
Have you been using any strategies of your own to recognize and process your own emotions?
“I don’t think so. I just feel sad a lot.”
“Yoga, meditation, breathing, making music, choosing friends and family who are thoughtful and can support my efforts to be balanced and thoughtful.”
“Discussing history with safe people, limiting social media when it becomes too much or I feel a highly triggering post. Reading fiction, relaxation hypnosis apps. “
“Talking with others about my feelings. It only helps and solves so much, though.”