As the first semester draws near its end, our Academic Leadership class has been engaged in the analysis of Academy Award winning documentary Promises, directed by Carlos Bolado and B.Z. Goldberg released in 2001. Promises revolves around the lives of several different Palestinian and Jewish children living in Jerusalem and communities in the West Bank.
It examines the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the thoughts, opinions, and views of mainly these children: brothers Daniel and Yarko, Shlomo, and Moishe (Israeli's) along with Faraj, Mahmoud, and Sanabel (Arabs). Their opinions about the other group varies according to the child; for example, Shlomo is an Orthodox Jew, and says he'd never want to "be friends" with an Arab. Mahmoud, for example, states that the more Jews that are killed, the Arabs will become more powerful, hoping in his homeland to be freed. Their contrary opinions, probably influenced heavily from their parents and what they have been taught, makes a meeting between them rather difficult.
 |
| Release poster of Promises, featuring Daniel and Faraj |
This was not the case, as director Goldberg managed to have the families of the Jewish brothers and Faraj arrange a meeting between them and some of the other Arab children including Sanabel. It begins with B.Z. (as he is commonly referred to by the children) having Daniel and Yarko call Faraj and have a brief discussion with him, ranging from general feelings about the conflict to football (soccer, since it was filmed around the period of the 2002 World Cup, which both parties agree that Brazil would be the victor) and that they would have no problem in meeting each other, if all the difficulties such as the checkpoints would be dealt with. Daniel and Yarko convince their parents in allowing them to go to the Dheisheh refugee camp located near Bethlehem, where Faraj and the others are located, and to take them there. A day is finally picked for the children to spend together. With little nervousness from both sides, they meet with friendly handshakes and have traditional Arab foods in one of the children's home. After, they play a simple game with their hands, in which everyone sits in a circle and after counting off to a certain number, the last one must quickly slap the hand of the one to his or her side. Later, they gather outside and play ball games and other commonly-known games. Finally, after sunset, they gather again in the house and B.Z. guides an emotional conversation between the kids, who are desolated when they think about everything going back to normal after this magnificent day with a people they never would have though they'd meet. They know it won't be easy to keep meeting each other and spending time together, knowing that even if they have become friends, after B.Z. leaves their lives will go on.
This communication was essential to the children's understanding of the other group so despised by their own people. The experience allowed them to open their minds and realize that the people they once thought were all terrible from actions taken by few, aren't all like what they had been taught since birth. Playing games with each other also made them understand that their beliefs and past wasn't such an important matter, that in the end they are all just children who enjoy the same things. A broadened mind from their behalf will make them adults who will definitely accept the other group and try to interact with it with no problem in such a case.
