By Janaan Hashim

No expectations.  In my years of travel, I’ve learned to have no expectations so that when things happen, I’m pleasantly surprised or not disappointed.  This is how I’m entering this trip: an all-important delegation to soak in the stories, sights and sounds, whatever they may be.  Afterall, this is the time for listening and learning, the reason why we have two ears and one mouth.

As an American my friends run the gammut, and through these friendships I’ve learned about different faith traditions and cultures.  A rabbi once told me that from communication comes understanding, from understanding comes respect and from respect comes love.  You don’t have to be Jewish to know and experience these words of wisdom.

I have friends who have lived on a kibutz, and I have friends who own the land on which that kibutz was built after being taken from them by force.  While we cannot role back the hands of time, we can look forward and see what we can do with our hands, together, in the interest of a just and safe Holy Land for all of its people.