Palestine

My name is Haneen Salmen, and I am from Palestine.

I lost my father when I was fifteen. He had heart disease but was prevented from being treated in an Israeli hospital, until it was too late.

Once he was admitted to the hospital, my family and I were detained at the checkpoint and unable to see him.

He died alone.

My experience left me with depression and anxiety and socially withdrawn.

The team of Dignity Beyond Borders taught me that nothing can stop my dreams or give up my goals. We cannot control outside circumstances but we can control how to react to them.

I know that if I fall once I will rise twice.

Israel

Iman and I met one summer when we were working at a summer camp. She is from an Arab village in Wadi Ara, and I am from Hadera, a small Israeli beach town. Throughout the 40 years that have since passed, Iman and I have remained friends. She gave me the maternity clothes she wore while pregnant with her second son, Amir, and I wore them while pregnant with my first-born son, Yaniv. Later on, Amir and Yaniv studied together at the democratic school in Hadera.

Iman’s eldest daughter studied education in a program run by my husband, Yaacov, and her second daughter did her internship as a doctor in the department run by my brother, Gadi.

The stuffed grape leaves Iman makes are one of my favorite foods in the world. We follow in amazement the life work of her husband, Rauf - who founded a very successful community website in Wadi Ara. They happily follow the education projects led by Yaacov.

In short, mine and Iman's friendship crosses borders, languages, religions and cultures, and has done so for 40 years. So, when I was asked to write a few words about peace and hope, about life in the shadow of the long and brutal conflict in Israel, what first came to mind are the overalls I wore during pregnancy, which were given to me by a friend.

Sheerly