By Avital
   
I meet astounding women, truly fine souls, whose authentic naivete reflects the life wisdom imprinted within them. They maintain the ancient knowledge passed down from mother to daughter, the unchanged, deep rooted customs. They possess so much power and natural intelligence to survive and maintain their tradition in our mad "progressive" world.

Such lofty life wisdom is required to withstand all the jolts and struggles they face in a world entirely alien to them, its younger generation torn between two worlds, old and new. They need such strength to preserve their tradition with resolve and natural dedication.

Everyone speaks of "coexistence". It's a popular notion that gives us the feeling that we are addressing the quintessential problem of our country, the perpetual battle: "We and they - the Arabs," the need to live in peace, two peoples alongside one another.

But how do we consider this issue if we cannot ensure the survival of our own people? We have to deal with the matter on a local level, on the ground, applying a concept I call "omniexistence". We have to discuss ways of maintaining normalcy for each minority, living in peace, with respect towards all who live here, regardless of religion, color or beliefs.

This leads me to my conception regarding women in general, speaking as a woman myself: Whatever our origin, faith or skin color, what unites us all is our commitment to live happily in the place in which we choose to live.

Unfortunately, at several women's forums I attended - outside Arad, in fact - I heard people speak about gender as if there were some need to classify it, to give each group an awesome name: Businesswomen's Forum, Hi-Tech Women's Forum, Forum for Women with Academic Education - People who get together to consider a common topic indeed have something to talk about with one another, but who can measure knowledge? Can it only be assessed by testing?

Why Separation, why Isolation?

Who says that whatever is studied within the confines of an academic institution is the highest form of wisdom? I know so many people who have so many hours of study acquired in their lives that they themselves cannot remember them all, yet they have not used and applied the knowledge acquired even once (many have spent their lives without finding true fulfillment).

And what about the astounding life knowledge of one who knows how to survive, to bake, cook, care for a family and even help others, full of love and acceptance of life because this is the way it should be because this is the life we were born into (according to my conception - the life we chose)?

Who is the judge who all the time separates academic, theoretical study that often has no connection with practical matters, that does not touch actual life, the true reality?

I am not belittling the need for study and imparting knowledge, heaven forbid. My attitude concerns only separation, condescension, isolation.

Speaking from my own experience, the true and best learning I acquired was acquired in the field, because that is where I was taught to cope and find solutions in real situations whenever necessary.

Perhaps it was I who expressed this feeling, that is not exclusively my own, as an appeal.

Response by women from all sectors of the population and the daily increase in the ranks of We Are One proves a broader, overall claim regarding minorities and women in general, including academicians.

This is the beauty of We Are One - women from all strata sitting together, each crying out for unity, for true friendship, for equal opportunity to be what one wants to be, each within the scenario of her own life, regardless of what she's experienced, regardless of what or whether she's studied. When these women attend meetings, their very presence engenders reinforcement, cross-pollination and reciprocal learning another in an amazing purely cultural encounter.

We are carrying out empowerment. We accord freedom to every woman, wherever she may be, letting her know that she is entitled to live freely, to be who she really is, giving her the tools to find the place she deserves on her own, the ability to live in omniexistence in her own God's little acre that she chooses as a part of this country, as a part of the vast cosmos.

May we all enjoy freedom to live in peace with ourselves and those around us in the light of truth, Amen.

Avital