Reclaiming Our Humanity
A Community Gathering with Richard Forer
In this conversation with author Richard Forer, we examined the psycho-spiritual roots of suffering in the context of the genocidal war on Palestine and discussed how we can reclaim our collective humanity. Rich shared his own journey of transformation in challenging his previously held beliefs and unexamined biases.
We touched upon themes shared in his books:
- Willful blindness as a crime against humanity
- The illusion of identity
- The religion of Zionism
- The internal logic of oppression
- The role of fear-based identity in perpetuating cycles of trauma
- The transformation of fear into compassion
Contribute to peace-building processes that we can bring back to our own communities. Bring your curiosity, tenderness and commitment to the sanctity of all life.
Presenters
Richard Forer
A former member of AIPAC (American Israel Political Affairs Committee) with orthodox relatives living in settlements in the West Bank, Richard Forer has visited the West Bank and Gaza several times in the last 15 years. For most of his life, he supported Israeli policy, believing the Jewish State an innocent nation eager to make peace with its neighbors. Everything changed in 2006, when he underwent a spiritual awakening in which he recognized his common humanity with all people. Profoundly affected by this greater Reality and wanting to share his newfound wisdom with others, he devoted himself to years of intense daily research culminating in Breakthrough: Transforming Fear into Compassion—A New Perspective on the Israel-Palestine Conflict (2010) and the New York City Big Book Award winning Wake Up and Reclaim Your Humanity: Essays on the Tragedy of Israel-Palestine (2020).