Abraham's Promises has its first outing

The genocide in Gaza - and indeed the very existence of Israel - has been one of the most polarising issues in the world over the last 13 months.  South Africa has been at the forefront of seeking to end the genocide by approaching the International Court of Justice and yet the levels of vitriol and the animosity between those who support Israel and those who abhor its barbaric response to the attacks by Hamas and other armed groups on 7 October 2023 remain at a high level.  South Africa's polarised racial history and its current post-apartheid relative calm provided the backdrop to my scripted dialogue, Abraham's Promises where four panelists represented the Abrahamic faithers engage in a discussion fueled by the question 'Are Jews safer today than they were on 6 October 2023?'

One of the arguments for the state of Israel is that after the holocaust - the climax of centuries of European anti-Semitism - Jewish people would be safer in their own homeland.  An argument for Israel's 'right to defend itself' in the way that it has since 7 October is also to ensure that Jewish people are safe.  The question that arises then has to be 'Are Jewish people safer today than before the Hamas attacks?', not just in Israel but the world over.  

The scripted dialogue was 'performed' by Langley Kirkwood (a liberal Zionist), Royston Stoffels (a Muslim principal), Brent Palmer (a Baptist pastor on the Cape Flats) and Jenny Stead (a Jewish anti-Zionist) with John Maytham playing the role of facilitator.

The audience comments that most justified this approach were those about how useful it was to listen to the various points of view being articulated without screaming and venom and with actual learning and insights taking place.

Some suggested that it was brave to take on the subject.  My view is precisely because it is such a volatile subject that people prefer to avoid or be silent about, it is necessary for creatives to find ways to put the themes into the public domain in ways that challenge, educate, provoke and allow for moments of catharsis.