By Alyssa Schuyler, Lions’ Pride Staff Writer
This two-hour event started with an intense documentary that followed three different men, with a discussion led by Omer Ozbek, Reverend Daniel Kayajan, and Barry Silber following the film presentation.
One person in the documentary, Yonatan Shafira, is a Jew from Israel and a son of a pilot who trained to become a pilot himself. Shafira was extremely proud of this position, but later in the documentary, when he went to a peace camp, he became ashamed of his profession following a story someone told about a pilot who had rendered his sister paralyzed. At this point, Shafira did not even mention his profession. He later went on to start a movement called Combatants for Peace that would help soldiers say no to unjust and illegal actions that would lead to civilian deaths from orders that their superiors were giving them.
Another man featured in the documentary was Ahmad Al’Azzah, a Muslim from Palestine living in a refugee camp. His son suffered from a poor immune system but the hospitals were little help because of the family’s background. Al’Azzah had to get a one-day pass to take his son to a doctor that could help him. Further, his father one day was having chest pains and after walking to the hospital. The doctors wanted to send him home but they waited almost fifty minutes and Al’Azzah’s father ultimately died in front of him from the lack of service. Even though all of these hardships Ahmad faced, he is committed to being a nonviolence trainer.
The third man, Sami Awad, is from Palestine. He is a Christian who learned about peace through the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi when he traveled to India later in his life. In high school, he was asked to speak about nonviolence after his uncle was deported.
This documentary was extremely powerful and showed impacting images. In between the stories in the documentary, viewers were shown images of war in the streets that even included dead children and funeral processions with distraught friends and family members.
After the documentary Omer Ozbek(Left), Rev. Daniel Kayajan(right), and Barry Silber (mid) took center stage to discuss the topics that were brought up, and answer any questions the audience had. Ozbek is the executive director of the Turkish Cultural Center of Tampa Bay. Rev. Kayajan is the Pastor of St. Rita Parish, and Silber is a representative of Hillsborough Community College.
“Judiasm has always been about peace. The film didn’t quite refer to the words that we have as a part of our religion which is ‘tikkun olam’ which means to repair the world” said Silber.
When Silber spoke with his rabbi, he found out that the Jewish people are not against war as far as self-defense goes. Also, the Jewish religion would not necessarily agree with Gandhi.
Silber went on to say “The Jewish religion has always been about peace, but one of self-defense.”
“The nature of humankind is peace. Although there is certainly conflict and clash, between communities, between groups, between nations, between ethnicities, and there is need for a resolution,” said Ozbek.
Ozbek went on to talk about the movie and said “The example in the movie is shown as these people coming together, at least getting to know each other first of all, as he was so shocked that he’s sitting next to a person that he may be in a fight maybe ten or five years ago. But now they are sitting together for peace for their children for the future of their children for the safety of their own societies. So I say that’s so important and so impressive.
Rev. Kayajan found the violent images in the movie difficult. He also found the end of the movie hopeful because they were getting together to get to know each other.
“The more personal contact that happens among different religions, among faith groups, among cultures. The more folks come to realize everyone’s God’s given dignity,” said Rev. Kayajan.
Rev. Kayajan also discussed a point brought forward in the film: peace shouldn’t just be in one area but in all places.
“This is a challenge really for all of us. I think those of you who are students especially. What are we doing on Saint Leo’s campus to work for peace? But a just peace, a peace that is going to last”, said Kayajan.
The film shown at this event was powerful. It brought up many new thoughts on the idea of peace. The three speakers were extremely knowledgeable on the issues brought up on the film and questions asked by those in the audience.
