Frequently Asked Questions
Here, you'll find answers to the most common queries about our program. Whether you're a new user or a returning customer, we aim to provide you with the information you need quickly and efficiently.
Who is this program for?
The Listening from the Heart program is designed for diverse audiences seeking to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through empathy and reconciliation. Various groups have used this curriculum to address the conflict’s effects in their communities, including:
- Community Leaders and Educators: Tailored for leaders, educators, and facilitators promoting peacebuilding initiatives.
- Students and Academic Institutions: Suitable for universities and high schools to integrate into their curriculum.
- Civil Society Groups and Advocacy Organizations: For groups advocating for peace and justice in the Israeli-Palestinian context.
- Towns and Cities: Accessible to the general public interested in understanding the conflict from a human-centered perspective.
- Workplaces: Employers and HR professionals can use it in diversity training and employee development programs to promote empathy, communication, and conflict resolution strategies.
Why use Listening from the Heart in the United States and Around the World?
Communities across the United States and globally have become embroiled in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, fostering divisions and sometimes violence. This conflict’s impact has transcended borders, affecting college campuses, corporate boardrooms, local municipalities, NGOs, and political arenas.
Since October 7, 2023, these divisions have escalated, profoundly impacting American communities and intensifying tensions. When American communities adopt a binary, simplistic view of the conflict, they magnify its complexities and distort the narrative to fit American contexts, which may not accurately reflect the realities experienced by Palestinians and Israelis.
People outside Israel and Palestine will always have a limited understanding of the conflict compared to those living there. This external perspective often exacerbates the conflict’s impact rather than facilitating resolution. It’s ironic that Israelis and Palestinians, who have endured immense loss, are the ones advocating for peace. Outsiders must consider whether their actions and engagement help resolve or worsen the conflict.
The Listening from the Heart program can foster understanding, empathy, and constructive dialogue, addressing the polarization and divisiveness observed in the United States and worldwide.
What will Listening from the Heart accomplish?
The PCFF members are committed to reconciliation and peace despite having paid the highest price in the conflict. By sharing their personal stories, they provide a way forward for all. If they can do it, anyone can. Listening from the Heart aims to:
- Generate empathy and cultivate understanding and compassion
- Challenge binary, simplistic views with more thoughtful and empathetic alternatives
- Diffuse tensions and polarization among communities
- Model a humanized and heart-centered approach for meaningful discussion
Does Listening from the Heart take a side in the conflict between Israel and Palestine or one viewpoint?
This program is not about assigning blame, promoting one-sided narratives, fostering animosity, or perpetuating stereotypes. Instead, it fosters understanding, empathy, and constructive dialogue. It does not offer historical lessons on displacement, wars, or persecution, nor potential political solutions. It respects the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict without oversimplifying its nuances.
The goal is to provide a nuanced, humanized perspective, highlighting the experiences of bereaved Israelis and Palestinians who have chosen reconciliation.
The program does not force participants to adopt a specific viewpoint but encourages critical thinking, reflection, and open-mindedness. Ultimately, it aims to build bridges and promote peace.
How is the program used?
The Listening from the Heart program consists of five modules:
- Background for Facilitators: This introductory section is designed to orient facilitators to the history, guiding principles and pedagogical background of the program.
- Preparing for the Personal Narrative Exchange (PNE): This section is designed to prepare facilitators for the PNE. It includes preparation activities, strategies, and exercises.
- Presenting the Personal Narrative Exchange: This section includes the videos of the PNE, bios of the speakers and how to introduce and close the presentation of the PNE.
- Processing the Personal Narrative Exchange: This section includes activities and exercises to help participants process, reflect, and engage in a discussion with each other about the PNEs.
- Resources and Appendices: This section includes additional resources, maps, a glossary, and a bibliography.