"WRESTLING JERUSALEM"
Written and performed by Aaron Davidman
"Set in America, Israel and Palestine, WRESTLING JERUSALEM follows one man’s journey to understand the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Davidman’s solo performance is a personal story that grapples with the complexities of identity, history and social justice. Giving voice to over a dozen different characters, the play sheds light on one of the most entrenched conflicts of our time." http://www.wrestlingjerusalem.com/
Last night I had the privilege of seeing this play. Aaron weaves together the stories of 18 different characters. For the first time I felt multiple narratives were being portrayed with equal weight and equal validity. Multiple truths were able to stand together and have the opportunity to be equally visible. See it!
Aaron enters stage right and begins rattling off the list while pointing to individual audience members.
Paraphrasing the actor (not very well but hopefully you will get the idea):
You might say it's because of the settlements.
You might say it's because of suicide bombings.
You might say it's because of Nentanyahu.
You might say it's because of Arafat.
It's because of the ultra religious.
It's because of the wall.
It's because of the tunnels.
It's because of Hamas.
It's because of the fact that they will never accept a State for the Jews.
If only the media were more balanced.
If only AIPAC would be critical of Israel.
If only JSTREET wouldn't be so critical of Israel.
If only Rabin wouldn't have been killed.
If only we hadn't killed Rabin.
It's Obama.
It's Iran.
Iran.
One of the biggest challenges is that each of us has the reason, the one reason why the situation cannot be resolved. Whether we are supporting a two state solution, a one state solution, continuing the building of settlements, ending the occupation, BDS, no NO BDS, we blame the lack of progress on that one reason. We do not seem willing to accept or at least appreciate the more reasonable and logical possibility of there being many many many reasons.
We might not be able to change peoples' minds or implement the policies we desire but we do have the ability to choose to open ourselves up to the fact that multiple factors, which at times seem to be competing with one another, impact any kind of resolution. We can choose to engage in these competing narratives without insisting that ours is the truth and the others are false. We can choose to accept the existence of multiple truths.
Perhaps this is the time to let go of being right.
Mekor Ha'Chayiim, Source of Life, as we move into Shabbat, may we use the 25 hours to replace being right with being committed to humanity.
May Shabbat be filled with wholeness and blessing.
Shabbat shalom u'mevorach,
Laurie
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