1. Father Bruno Hussar 1911-1996 Interfaith Harmony
Leo R. Sandy

2. Hussar cont’d
Hussar founded an interfaith village where Jews and Arabs live, learn, and work together – Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam (Oasis of Peace)
He has been repeatedly nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize
Using the conflict management approach, his school has taught more than 35,000 people

3. Hussar cont’d
Hussar was born to parents who were non- practicing Jews, a Hungarian father and French mother
After the loss of his parents and a close friend, he yearned to understand the meaning of life
His journey began with a study of the Bible but he felt closely connected to both Christianity and Judaism

4. Hussar cont’d
He finally decided to become a Catholic priest, and went to Israel to establish and head a Dominican Center for Jewish Studies
He used his new position to promote interfaith studies such as conducting conferences on Christian/Jewish dialogue
After the Six-Day War in 1967, Hussar came to the idea that for peace to happen Jews and Arabs must share daily life experiences

5. Hussar
Thus, he developed an interfaith village “to show that is was possible to live together in a spirit of equality and brotherly cooperation, respecting differences which would be mutually enriching; and at the same time to form a model for a ‘school for peace’”
The Trappist monastery heard of his vision and leased him 100 acres of land for very little rent. The property was on a hilltop between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv

6. Hussar cont’d
The property had been uninhabited and uncultivated since the 14th century, and it came with snakes and scorpions – no electricity, roads, or water
For 4 years, Hussar lived in a shipping crate

7. Hussar cont’d
After many years, a Jewish family came; Pax Christi contributed funds; and more residents came
Those who came risked being called traitors by their relatives, friends, and neighbors
Many arguments arose within the mixed group but no one gave up

8. Hussar cont’d
At the school, every child learned both Hebrew and Arabic as well as regular academic subjects taught by both Jewish and Arab teachers.
Although there were typical disagreements among the children, none centered on religious differences
Some families who came were agnostic and led secular lives

9. Hussar cont’d
Hussar’s new School for Peace brought together Jews and Arabs together, and often for the first time in their lives
He used psychodrama and had Arab and Jewish children reverse roles
Many children lost enemies and found friends through the process

10. Hussar cont’d
As of 2008, there were 50 families living in the interfaith village. It was expected to triple in the coming years
Two hundred children from nearby towns attend the Oasis of Peace School which has grades preschool through junior high
Over 45,000 people have attended workshops at the school including people from Cyprus, Kosovo, and Northern Ireland

11. Hussar cont’d More than 500 have been trained as conflict moderators
After Hussar died in 1996 his epitaph was carved in three languages – Hebrew, Arabic, and English – and his body was laid to rest in his beloved village
His vision showed that even in a troubled region, interfaith harmony is possible

12. Hussar Quotes
One thing is certain: The real solution to this problem will be political, not military, with negotiations conducted with mutual respect
What’s very important is that there’s a sort of invisible communion (among) all human beings in the world
The most solid rock of all is fraternal love. We can never go wrong with love

13. Oasis of Peace Web Page

14. Video
Neve Shalon-Wahat al Salam

15. References Beller, K, & Chase, H. (2008). Great
peacemakers: True stories from around
the world. Sedona, AZ: LTS Press
Explore: Oasis of Peace. Retreived from hs-mozilla-001&hsimp=yhs- 001&hspart=mozilla&p=YouTube+Oasis+of+Pe ace#id=1&vid=527e7e97be34d193b6a e815c&action=click