Holding Space

Last month, we spent time in our two Topic Sessions in The Heart of EDI community listening to our guest speakers (@RajaKhouri and Dr. Jeffrey J Wilkinson who have written The Wall Between – What Jews and Palestinians Don’t Want to Know About Each Other) ?and talking about the current events in Israel and Gaza.

?Raja and Jeff provided us with a high-level history lesson - context for what’s happening now. They also shared about the role of history and trauma in shaping narratives and responses.

?Two key thoughts and take-aways:

• “It feels like there is no room to learn” – as emotions and tensions are high, and people seem to be being asked to take sides.
• ?Statements like “all are suffering” fall short and are lacking. A social justice perspective would have us acknowledge the pain and harm on both sides. But I have experienced this as being hurtful too, in the face of current events.

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As a community, when we met the week after Raja and Jeff were with us, we wondered about not being intimately connected to either side – not being Jewish nor Palestinian – and if this is a privilege in this situation of conflict. We decided it is a privilege. What can we do with this? How do we use it? Raja and Jeff are Palestinian and Jewish (respectively) and they are speaking about bridge building and a different way forward that makes room to see, hear, acknowledge each other and ultimately to heal. But what do we bring? Those of us who are not Jewish or Palestinian?? Talking about the grey area, and not taking a side likely sounds different coming from us, than from them.

?What does it mean to hold space?

• What does it mean to hold space?
• Is there room for silence? ?Especially when we are not intimately connected.
• Can that silence be a pregnant silence; imbued with awareness?
• How do we be or what can we offer in this silence?
• Or are we being called to speak?
• Can we acknowledge the suffering on both sides, and invite people in?
• Can we be bridge builders? Can we create spaces for common understanding? To hear the pain and to acknowledge it and to move towards healing?

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As someone who is biracial, I can see and imagine this within the groups I belong to. It does give me an intimate entry point into the process and the complexities. But, are we meant to build the bridges within our communities, or in any or all communities? And if the latter, how is this work different?

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These are just some of the things we talked about, grappled with, and were grateful to have a space to discuss, in our Heart of EDI community for leaders – a monthly space to learn, share, stretch, and grow in our commitment to EDIB.

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If you’d like to see what it’s all about, join me on Dec. 12th 11:15am-12:00pm for a taste of what we are up to in the community.

We’ll be chatting about how to really make the “holiday season” inclusive