The Tikkun Institute (in conjunction with several co-sponsors) is facilitating a project that will provide an analysis of key psychological, cultural, and spiritual dynamics that affect both the Israeli and Palestinian communities individually, impact their relationship with one another, and have served to further entrench their conflict. This analysis is being drawn from the actual voices of people from diverse backgrounds (and political persuasions) within each community and their allies.  We also plan to explore avenues for working to diminish the impact of historic and current wounds carried by members within each main party to the conflict and their relevant affiliates. Additionally, we will consider how spiritual, cultural, and psychological resources drawn from within each community can potentially aid the process of their mutual healing and peaceful coexistence.

While the initial structure and planning for this project is in place and participant recruitment as well as early interviewing has begun, we could still use help and are very interested in speaking with individuals who would like to join our effort or contribute to our project in various capacities.  

Our project team will include:

• Mental health professionals;
• Conflict resolution specialists;
• Cultural experts;
• Religious leaders;
• Individuals with area expertise;
• Lay people from diverse relevant backgrounds.

Among other goals our project is designed to add psychological depth and specificity to the current knowledge base available for working to reduce the impact of collective trauma and the likelihood that groups will continue to repeat destructive dynamics associated with their historic and recent tragedies. Toward this end, members of our project team are working to design a group process aimed to promote healing from historic wounds carried by various parties to the Middle East conflict.

A further goal of our project is to deepen the public understanding and discourse in the US about the multi-faceted Israeli and Palestinian communities and the nature of their ongoing conflict with one another.  

Our project will yield psychologically-informed:

• Policy recommendations;
• Talking points;
• Related educational materials;

These documents will be distributed directly to relevant US, Israeli, and Palestinian policy makers, journalists, peacemakers, activists, and other community leaders. Through this effort we hope to influence a more effective and constructive US Middle East policy.

Finally, we plan to assemble a book from the materials produced for this project. The book’s working title will be: “Healing Collective Trauma; Psycho-spiritual Pathways to Middle East Peace.”

We are looking for people who would like to be involved with this project who have skills in the following areas:

1) Funding – if you can donate to our project or know other individuals or organizations who can, please let us know;

2) Volunteering to be interviewed – if you are an Israeli or Palestinian living in the US or in Israel/Palestine and would like to volunteer to be interviewed for our project, or to participate in one of our healing-oriented groups, please let us know;

3) Area Expertise – If you have professional expertise in an area relevant to our project and might like to contribute to our effort, please let us know;

4) Writing and Editing – If you have skills in these areas and might be interested in contributing to our effort, please let us know;

5) Administrative -If you would be willing to help us in an administrative capacity we would be greatly appreciative. Please let us know.  

To contact us please write an e-mail to Julie at director@Tikkuninstitute.org; You can also call: 617.354.4829. Thank you for your consideration!