VOA标准英语2009年-US Multi-Denominational Group Building

The 'Yes We Can: Middle East Peace' group hosts performance events to bring diverse cultures together. The goal is to build a grassroots campaign for Middle East Peace modeled on the success of Barack Obama's presidential campaign.

Jeff Swicord | Washington 11 December 2009
 

Members of "Yes We Can: Middle East Peace" dance together at a historic synagogue in downtown Washington DC

"We need to realize we are not different from one another; just because you have a different religion or you're born in a different part of the world, we all experience the pain of a lost loved one. We all experience joy. And so we tried to capture that all in one in this particular grouping of performers." -- Andra Baylus

It was an evening of music and theater at a historic synagogue in downtown Washington D.C.  But the thoughts and prayers of Christians², Muslims, and Jews gathered were about Middle East peace and the desire for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  The event was sponsored by "Yes We Can: Middle East Peace," a newly formed partnership³ of religious and secular⁴ Americans in the Washington D.C. area.

The sounds of Arabs, Christians, and Jews celebrating the formation of Yes We Can: Middle East Peace, a new interfaith coalition⁵ in Washington D.C.  They want to support President Barack Obama's initiatives for peace in the Holy Land through a two-state solution.  Palestinian-American Mae Abdul Rahman is the co-chair of the evening's events.

"I think what we would like to do is to start getting people engaged, to discuss the issues of relevance⁶ and to come together based on a common objective which is to advance a secured and just peace between Palestinians and Israelis," she said.

Representatives from Washington's Arab Jewish and Christian¹ communities attended.  The purpose of the evening was to highlight the human cost of continuing the conflict through music and theater.  

Ramon Tasat, a Sephardic Jew, played Hebrew songs with a Spanish flair⁷ and actors performed monologues⁸ from Israeli and Palestinian perspectives.

Andra Baylus, an American Jew who coordinated⁹ the events, says the point is to share our common humanity.

"We need to realize we are not different from one another; just because you have a different religion or you're born in a different part of the world, we all experience the pain of a lost loved one," she explained.  "We all experience joy.  And so we tried to capture that all in one in this particular grouping of performers."

The highlight of the evening was the personal stories of Robi Damelin, an Israeli from Tel Aviv, and Mazen Faraj, a Palestinian from a refugee camp near Bethlehem.  Both lost family members in the conflict.  Mazen's father was killed by an Israeli soldier while walking home from the grocery store.  Mazen told the audience violent resistance will only lead to self-destruction.

"Our case is a just case," he said.  "It is not about killing¹⁰, it is not about blood. It is not about that we like to kill anyone around the world. We are just looking for our rights and our freedom."

Robi Damelin's son was killed by a Palestinian sniper while he was serving in the army.  She says feelings of anger and hate will only lead to more misery¹¹ and a continuation of the conflict.

"I understood very soon that this man didn't kill my son because he was my son, he killed him because he was a symbol, you know, of an occupying army.  That is a very difficult thing to say, but that is the truth.  And I realized that anger just closes people down," she said.

Yes We Can: Middle East Peace is planning other events in the Washington D.C. area.  It is also organizing a grassroots campaign on university campuses around the U.S. to raise awareness¹².
 

1 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

2 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

3 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

4 secular   

n.牧师，凡人；adj.世俗的，现世的，不朽的

参考例句：

• We live in an increasingly secular society.我们生活在一个日益非宗教的社会。
• Britain is a plural society in which the secular predominates.英国是个世俗主导的多元社会。

5 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

6 relevance   

n.中肯，适当，关联，相关性

参考例句：

• Politicians' private lives have no relevance to their public roles.政治家的私生活与他们的公众角色不相关。
• Her ideas have lost all relevance to the modern world.她的想法与现代社会完全脱节。

7 flair   

n.天赋，本领，才华；洞察力

参考例句：

• His business skill complements her flair for design.他的经营技巧和她的设计才能相辅相成。
• He had a natural flair for business.他有做生意的天分。

8 monologues   

n.（戏剧）长篇独白( monologue的名词复数 )；滔滔不绝的讲话；独角戏

参考例句：

• That film combines real testimonials with monologues read by actors. 电影中既有真人讲的真事，也有演员的独白。 来自互联网
• Her monologues may help her make sense of her day. 她的独白可以帮助她让她一天的感觉。 来自互联网

9 coordinated   

adj.协调的

参考例句：

• The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

10 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

11 misery   

n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦

参考例句：

• Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。
• He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。

12 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。