Beyond the Headlines: A Local Forum Fosters Dialogue on Justice and Coexistence in Israel and Palestine 

From September 9th to 11th, the SALA Event Center in Los Alamos will host a crucial three-night dialogue on Israel and Palestine, featuring diverse perspectives to foster understanding beyond polarized debates. The series includes Dr. Steve Feldman, a Jewish-American physician and Holocaust descendant, who will discuss his ethical journey toward advocating for Palestinian rights; Dr. Yousef Aljamal, a Palestinian refugee from Gaza, who will share firsthand experiences of occupation and resilience; and Lee Gordon, co-founder of integrated Jewish-Arab schools in Israel, who will present a model for practical coexistence.

Accompanied by the educational Promised Land Museum exhibit, this free event offers the community a unique opportunity to engage with the human stories and historical complexities behind the conflict, promoting informed, empathetic, and solution-oriented dialogue.

Beyond the Headlines: A Local Forum Fosters Dialogue on Justice and Coexistence in Israel and Palestine 

In a national climate often defined by polarized shouting matches and 280-character simplifications of a profoundly complex conflict, the search for genuine, human-centered dialogue can feel futile. For residents of Los Alamos and the surrounding community, this coming week offers a rare and vital opportunity to step away from the noise and engage with the stories, histories, and philosophies that shape the lived reality of Israel and Palestine. 

From September 9th to 11th, the SALA Event Center will host a three-part speaker series, “Dialogue on Palestine and Israel,” presenting a tapestry of perspectives often missing from mainstream discourse. This isn’t a debate designed to declare a winner; it’s a curated experience in listening, understanding, and exploring paths toward a more just and peaceful future. 

The event, part of the broader “Free Palestine Summer Series,” brings together a Jewish-American activist, a Palestinian refugee from Gaza, and an educator building integrated communities. Together, they represent the crucial pillars of any meaningful peacebuilding effort: historical reckoning, personal testimony, and practical, grassroots change. 

The Setting: More Than Just a Lecture Hall 

Adding a profound layer to the dialogue is the accompanying Promised Land Museum, a traveling educational exhibit that will be open for free viewing before each talk from 5-7 p.m. at SALA, as well as on September 6th and 7th at the Unitarian Universalist Church. 

Founded by one of the week’s speakers, Dr. Steve Feldman, the museum is a collection of art, narrative, and history that challenges traditional narratives. It offers attendees a chance to visually and emotionally engage with the subject matter before even taking their seats, setting the stage for a more informed and empathetic listening experience. This unique combination of static exhibit and dynamic speaker allows for a multi-sensory engagement with the topic, encouraging reflection from multiple angles. 

Night One: A Jewish Journey Toward Justice with Dr. Steve Feldman 

On Tuesday, September 9th, the series begins with a perspective that is fundamental, yet frequently misunderstood within the context of criticizing Israeli policy: the voice of Jewish conscience. 

Dr. Steve Feldman is not an outsider to trauma or the legacy of persecution. As a Holocaust descendant and a Jewish-American, his identity is deeply intertwined with a history of profound suffering and the imperative of “Never Again.” His journey, which he will explore in his talk, is one of applying that same moral principle universally. For him, the lessons of the Holocaust are not exclusive; they are a blueprint for defending the human rights of all people, everywhere. 

His book, Bent Toward Justice, likely draws its title from Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous arc of the moral universe. This framing suggests a talk that is not about condemnation, but about a long, historical progression toward justice and the role we all must play in bending the arc. Attendees can expect to hear how a physician’s lens—diagnosing an ailment, seeking a cure—informs his approach to the conflict. He will likely discuss how his deep connection to Jewish safety and identity is not in opposition to his advocacy for Palestinian rights, but is, in fact, driven by it. This narrative challenges the simplistic binary often presented and offers a powerful model of ethical consistency. 

Night Two: The Unbreakable Spirit of Gaza with Dr. Yousef Aljamal 

If the first night focuses on the historical and ethical, the second on Wednesday, September 10th, grounds the conversation in the raw, unfiltered reality of the present. 

Dr. Yousef Aljamal is a Palestinian refugee from Gaza. This simple descriptor carries the weight of a lifetime of experience with blockade, displacement, and the daily realities of occupation. However, his talk promises to be more than a catalog of hardships. As the Gaza Coordinator for the American Friends Service Committee (the Quakers), an organization renowned for its commitment to nonviolent peacebuilding and humanitarian work, Dr. Aljamal operates at the intersection of personal suffering and practical aid. 

His presentation will weave together family stories—the intimate threads of memory, loss, and home that define the Palestinian experience for so many. He will speak not just as a victim of circumstances, but as a resilient actor and an educator. This is a chance to hear about Gaza from a voice that emerges from within it, offering insights into the incredible resilience of its people, the complexities of civil society under siege, and the enduring hope for a future defined by freedom rather than fences. It is an indispensable firsthand account that moves beyond statistics and news clips to touch the human heart of the issue. 

Night Three: Building the Future, One Classroom at a Time with Lee Gordon 

After an evening of sitting with the weight of the present, the series concludes on Thursday, September 11th with a forward-looking, solutions-oriented vision. 

Lee Gordon, co-founder of Hand in Hand, represents the tangible, daily work of coexistence. His organization runs a network of integrated bilingual schools in Israel where Jewish and Arab children learn together, in both Hebrew and Arabic. These are not symbolic gestures; they are living laboratories for a shared society. 

Gordon’s talk will delve into the philosophy of shared education. How do you build trust between communities steeped in a narrative of conflict? How do you create a curriculum that honors both histories without erasing either? How do children, often free of the prejudices of their elders, model a different way of being for their parents and their nation? 

His work proves that coexistence is not a naive dream but a practiced skill. By focusing on the microcosm of the school, Gordon provides a powerful, hopeful counterpoint to the macro-level political stalemate. He will discuss how these schools serve as beacons, demonstrating that a different reality is not only possible but is already being built from the ground up. 

Why This Dialogue Matters in Los Alamos, Now More Than Ever 

One might ask why a conversation about a conflict thousands of miles away is “needed in our country,” as the announcement states. The answer is multifaceted. 

First, the United States is deeply implicated in the region through diplomatic, military, and financial support. The policies debated in Washington have direct consequences on the ground in Jerusalem, Gaza, and the West Bank. An informed citizenry is essential for shaping a foreign policy that aligns with broadly held American values of justice and human rights. 

Second, the toxic nature of the discourse around Israel and Palestine often spills over into our local communities, sometimes leading to censorship, bullying, and a chilling effect on free speech. By creating a space for respectful, nuanced, and expert-led dialogue, this series models how we can discuss even the most fraught issues with civility and a commitment to understanding. 

Finally, at its core, this is not a political issue but a human one. It is about the universal yearning for safety, home, dignity, and self-determination. Engaging with these stories deepens our empathy and broadens our perspective, making us not just better-informed citizens, but more connected human beings. 

The “Dialogue on Palestine and Israel” at SALA is more than a series of lectures. It is an invitation to undertake a journey: from the lessons of the past, through the struggles of the present, and into the blueprints for a better future. It is a challenging, necessary, and ultimately hopeful opportunity for a community to come together and prove that listening, even when it’s difficult, is the first and most profound step toward peace. 

Event Details at a Glance: 

• What: Dialogue on Palestine and Israel: A Three-Part Speaker Series 

• Where: SALA Event Center, Los Alamos 

• When: September 9, 10, & 11. Lectures begin at 7 p.m. each night. 

• Museum Viewing: The Promised Land Museum will be open at SALA from 5-7 p.m. before each lecture. It will also be open separately on Sept. 6 & 7 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church (Sage Street). 

• Cost: Free and open to the public.