About

 

Parents Circle – Families Forum

The Parents Circle – Families Forum (PCFF) is a joint Israeli and Palestinian organization made up of more than 700 bereaved Israeli and Palestinian families, all of whom have lost a loved one to the ongoing violence in the region. 

Motivated by the profound depth of their pain, the PCFF members have committed to do everything they can to work towards reconciliation and peace. They recognize that the grief they experience is shared across humanity.  The willingness to transform feelings of anger, revenge, despair, and helplessness is expressed in the choice to act for hope and reconciliation. 

Since its inception in 1995, the PCFF has been organizing Personal Narrative Exchanges in Israel, Palestine, and all over the world.  During these sessions,  bereaved Israeli and Palestinian PCFF members share their personal stories of loss and engage in an open and genuine discussion with participants, modeling dialogue and reconciliation. By standing and speaking together, the PCFF members, who have paid the highest price, demonstrate how it is possible to transform feelings of anger and revenge into dialogue, hope, and reconciliation.

PCFF members engage in respectful and empathetic discussion about each other’s pain in order to contribute to the creation of a framework for reconciliation and dialogue. 

The PCFF does not belong to and does not represent any political body. The PCFF is a non-political organization for peace and cautions against importing the conflict into the United states for several reasons.  First, importing the conflict can exacerbate tensions between community groups in the U.S., leading to strained relations and deep polarization. Second, the complex history and nature of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict can be oversimplified or misrepresented in the U.S., leading to misinformed opinions. Third, the polarization around this issue can contribute to a rise in hate crimes and discrimination against certain communities, particularly Jewish and Muslim populations. Finally, the internal division can affect U.S. foreign policy, making it challenging to play a constructive role in international efforts for peace in the region.

 

American Friends of the Parents Circle – Families Forum

The American Friends of the PCFF shares the human side of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with the American public to foster peace and reconciliation. The Listening from the Heart Program, designed for contexts outside of Palestine and Israel, uses pre-recorded videos and activities. Originally used in Israeli and Palestinian schools and communities, this program allows facilitators to access materials online and lead sessions in person, online, or in a hybrid format. The program offers flexibility, allowing facilitators to choose between activities.

Listening from the Heart Advisory Council

Jack DeGioia, President, Georgetown University
Mary Zients, Board Chair, Urban Alliance
Randi Weingarten, President, American Federation of Teachers
David Meyer, Director, UCLA Initiative to Study Hate
Raja Khouri, Curator, Khouri Communications