Jerusalem – While the headlines most often trumpet violence between Jews and Muslims, a newly released video shows another side of life in Israel: peaceful co-existence and even friendships forged by those who share a common goal.
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The 23 second long video posted that appeared on United Hatzalah YouTube channel shows two emergency response dispatchers taking a simultaneous prayer break last Thursday night in the United Hatzalah break room. An Orthodox Jewish responder wearing dangling tzitzis can be seen swaying as he davens Maariv, while just feet away a Muslim responder kneels on his prayer rug as he completes the evening service.
United Hatzalah president and founder Eli Beer said that such occurrences are seen frequently at United Hatzalah, where religious difference are moot as volunteers and staffers work to save lives.
“Volunteering side by side, day in and day out achieves a bond of friendship between people of different faiths that is rarely seen in today’s polarizing world,” said Beer. “The friendship goes beyond simply working together. Our volunteers and staff learn about one another, help one another, support each other, and work as a team in some of the most trying circumstances that exist.”
Beer noted that among the invited guests at his own daughter’s wedding this past summer were numerous Arabs, Christians, Druze and Bedouin guests, all of whom are close personal friends.
The video is a clear example of harmonious relationships that exist in Israel, which rarely make the news, said Beer.
“That is what unity means,” observed Beer. “It doesn’t mean we each give up our own identity. It means that we respect our own identities, and we respect the other person’s identity as well and we work together to achieve our common goals as a united group of individuals who work together to save lives.”
“Peace will never come from the Government, peace will come from the people who know how to respect each other, and care for each other, then will have less violence”, Said Beer.
What we always knew:
the trouble is not with the people! — it is with the politicians!