Jerusalem Stories

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Jerusalem Stories

An Innovative New Tool for Conflict Transformation

In recent years, fear and mistrust have gained more ground than hope and understanding in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Jerusalem Stories harnesses the power of personal stories and portrait photographs to promote empathy between people, a critical component of sustainable peace. Jerusalem Stories enables Arabs and Israelis, Christians, Jews and Muslims to understand the human tragedy and challenges of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It does this by presenting the deeply moving experiences of a broad variety of Jerusalem residents whose rich lives have been profoundly affected by years of violent conflict. In these stories and photographs it is possible to see oneself and the 'other.'

The compilation includes interviews and photographs of more than 70 individuals in East and West Jerusalem, representing a wide cross section of the city's residents. Jerusalem Stories represents years of dedication by author Carol Grosman and award winning photographer Lloyd Wolf.

Jerusalem Stories: A Potent Tool

Photographs and stories have the ability to move people deeply, making them transformative tools for social change. Personal stories enable readers and audiences to step into the shoes of the “other,” imagining their world. Portrait photographs make these people real, showing their undeniable humanity. Together, these mediums open audiences to new perspectives in a way that intellectual discourse does not. “Jerusalem Stories” humanizes the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by shining a spotlight on the daily struggles and triumphs of ordinary people rather than the political leaders and violence in the headlines. By sharing what the city means to her residents, “Jerusalem Stories” vividly demonstrates how people from so many backgrounds can have authentic ties to this extraordinary place.

Jerusalem Stories is more than just a compilation of real stories of real people. The book of photo-essays will also form the basis for:

A series of interactive educational programs for school children in Jerusalem.

A story-based dialogue workshop teaching the skills of constructing and sharing personal narratives.

A photography exhibit with accompanying written narratives.

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