Dear friends of the Jerusalem Way
The current events in Israel and Palestine shake us to the core!! The images of dead children and traumatized parents and relatives on both sides are painful. Our hearts go out to all those who have lost loved ones, who are frozen in fear, who have either fallen silent because of injustice or are rising up in anger.
The international community has a greater duty than ever to look closely and find solutions. History has taught us one thing: you cannot create peace with a weapon in your hand, no matter which side you are fighting for. In this spirit, we appeal to those in positions of responsibility to work towards a ceasefire.
We have decided not to make any political statements on our channels. We will not be making any pro-Palestine or pro-Israel posts. The history is too complex. Committed to the credo of the Jerusalem Way—walking for peace—we do not stand for one side; we walk for the vision of a peaceful, intercultural, interreligious coexistence as a human family.
The JERUSALEM WAY community will soon consist of six thousand people from more than one hundred nations and all continents. They are pilgrims, hosts, patrons, and religious representatives.
Pilgrimage is both an experience and a metaphor. You set off, having determined the destination, but how the path takes shape and when you arrive only unfolds while walking. Just as pilgrims carry their luggage, humans always carry their history with them. Ideally, they find reconciliation and appreciation of their past within themselves or with the help of witnesses. What countless pilgrims tell us: “When I reached my destination, I was a different, more reconciled, more confident person. Because I experienced so many miracles and so much humanity along the way.”
As with walking, we want to grow from not knowing into answers, so that we and future generations have perspectives. We still want to believe in miracles, in the miracle of peace. And we want to cultivate a culture of appreciation, confidence, and reaching out to one another on our channels.
Peace & Ultreia
JERUSALEM WAY
International Peace Team
Communication Team:
Johannes Aschauer
Rose Marie Gasser
Orlando Berger
Samuel Häckel
Martin Rexeis
Author: Rose Marie / Tuesday, November 7, 2023
