By Miles Demler
I am a 7th grade student at Rye Middle School. Earlier this year, I was introduced to Hand in Hand, an organization promoting peace between Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel through integrated K-12 schools. At a time when conflict and war may be the only news many people hear about Israel, it seems more important than ever to share the efforts of this organization to build a more hopeful future. I learned that, like the name implies, Hand in Hand promotes connection and community. The core belief is that when people live and learn together, they truly see and hear each other and therefore, cannot be enemies.
I was amazed to hear that even after the war started on Oct. 7, the Arab and Jewish families that choose to send their children to school together continue to do so. Even when it’s harder than ever, the students, teachers, alumni, and members of the community are committed to the hope that these shared schools bring. Hand in Hand has continued to create space for children to speak about their experiences, share their points of view, and sometimes, just to see their Arab or Jewish neighbors as people, very much like themselves. It makes sense to me that conversation, cooperation, and understanding are important to build a lasting peace. This may seem like a faraway problem, but as we see in the news, even faraway places have big impacts on communities here at home.
My family hosted Lee Gordon, the co-founder and director of Hand in Hand, in our home to speak about the organization to friends, family, and community members. Lee was a great speaker and spent time with me after the talk to help me understand the organization and ways that I might be able to help. How could an American kid with a small voice help promote peace? Well, Lee Gordon started this organization about 20 years ago with just one other person. Today, they have six schools throughout Israel working with thousands of families. That shows me how one person, with motivation, can make an impact. It’s hard work; it’s spreading the word; it’s raising money for school supplies, sports equipment, teachers, and more. I encourage you to visit handinhandk12.org to learn more about the organization. I hope you will consider joining me in learning and spreading the word about this inspiring effort to build a more peaceful future.