About This Lesson
Listening from the Heart is a transformative program offering communities a chance to engage in meaningful dialogue about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from a human perspective. Through compelling videos of personal narratives from bereaved Israelis and Palestinians, and a comprehensive Facilitator’s Guide, Listening from the Heart fosters understanding, empathy, and reconciliation.
The program is free for public schools and was developed in partnership with Georgetown University and has been endorsed by the AFT.
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
The 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.
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.
To acquire the lesson: This program is subsidized for public school educators. Please go to the program website --> "Buy now" --> "Public School". Enter your school information to receive it for free!
