Discussion and Discomfort: Lessons from a Heart of a Nation Forum
By Alex Sinclair
and Jonathan Kessler
Jan 17, 2023
"Heart of a Nation recently held a roundtable conversation in which a selection of American Jewish thought leaders was encouraged to talk among themselves about their red lines regarding conversation and dialogue. We wanted to know how they determined with whom they would and wouldn’t engage. Many valuable insights were shared.
"We’ve subsequently followed up with another roundtable, this time with a group of six emerging thought leaders in high school and in college, some of whom are active on campus with AIPAC or J Street, while others are not yet affiliated with any national organization...
"The conversation was rich with new insights, anecdotes and recommendations.
“Three main themes stuck out:
"1. Intent matters most - These young people seemed willing to go much further than their older counterparts in identifying and separating out the range of possible motives of the other person and using that as a criterion in their decision whether or not to engage…
"2. Growth requires dialogue - The younger participants repeatedly emphasized the importance of dialogue, its potential for growth for both parties and its centrality to how they viewed the world…
"3. People deserve respect - The participants stressed the importance of respecting others’ humanity, even if not their particular points of view…
“Heart of a Nation will apply these insights and frameworks as we continue to engage those across cultures, ideological orientations and generations, who seek to better their own societies."
Jonathan Kessler and Alex Sinclair are, respectively, the founder/CEO and a member of the editorial committee of Heart of a Nation.
About Heart of a Nation
Empowering the next generation of American, Israeli, and Palestinian change-makers to embrace better, together.
אנחנו מכנסים הוגים מובילים, פעילים חברתיים, ומחוללי שינוי לעתיד, אמריקאים, ישראלים ופלסטינאים, המחויבים לשיפור החברות שלהם.
نحن أمريكيون وإسرائيليون وفلسطينيون نبني ونكوّن روابط من أجل التعلم والتفكير والمشاركة معًا حتى نشجع الحلول التقدمية بشأن القضايا التي تهمنا جميعًا.