Two Neighbors’ colleagues Judy and Adeem examine some embroidery
By Yonatan Peres
TEL AVIV, Israel — Back in the seventies, in my IDF military service, I was training in the South Hebron Mountain region. The area was scattered with Palestinian terrorists. Bombs, shootings ambushes and patrols were almost our daily routine.
Some changes have occurred since, however, the area is still known for terror activity and collisions between Israeli settlers, IDF soldiers and terrorists.
So, when I heard about the Two Neighbors project, which is located in the very same area, it warmed my heart and gave reason for optimism.
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Dr. Whitman Jones, a retired psychologist and his wife, Paula Jones, a retired school teacher from Boise, Idaho participated at a Global Village event, between Israel and the Palestinian Territories, where Israelis and Palestinians are free to meet on equal ground. At the meeting, they shared the feeling that we had all been waiting for peace to happen for far too long and decided to become proactive in the process in any way they could.
Following this meeting, they established the Center for Emerging Futures (CEF). Sitting together with other members, brainstorming at the Hotel Everest in Beit Gallah, they decided in 2009 to create the “Two Neighbors” project.
Two Neighbors is about creating new jobs and providing a pathway to collaboration and peace through fashion. The Palestinians are known for their embroidery skills, so the first line of production was accessories, such as coffee sleeves. This line did not do so well so they decided to change and hired Miriam, who designed for them $100-$ 200 dresses.
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Tara Sauvage has been around the fashion industry for some 20 years. Two years ago, she was hired by Whitman and Paula Jones as a sales and marketing manager, but she is involved in almost all stages of the process.
“The goal is to get the company to a point that the employees can run it,” says Tara. “They hired a PR company, but the sales so far are not so great. Because of the small scale, they cannot sell to large companies, so they are limited to boutique sales and online sales. They are opening a boutique in San Diego. Online sales is a problem because you cannot try on the dresses, so it is limited to bags and apparel. We sell some in the Jewish Museum in York City, the Mingei Museum (in San Diego) and some other small shops.”
Tara hopes to open a larger shop in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv.
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Judy Elazari was born in Tel Aviv. Her family made Aliyah from Iran, where her father was for decades in the fashion and textile business. He continued that in Israel, trading with Jews, Israeli Arabs, Palestinians, and Jordanians.
Judy followed in her father’s footsteps, and after working with him for a while, she started her own business, including a fashion line, a boutique in central Tel Aviv, and new line for luxury resort clothing and beach accessories.
Tara is a designer for Judy’s sister, who has a fashion business in Los Angeles. Judy was introduced by her sister to Tara and later on to Whitman and Paula Jones.
Miriam, the designer, left the organization and Judy was asked to replace her.
“I connected very much to the idea of a project that involves wonderful values such as peace love, equality, and mutual respect” says Judy with enthusiasm, ” It may be a small step towards world peace.”
Judy enjoys her function as a co-designer. She loves meeting the persons from various streams and backgrounds. “There is so much joy and love in these work meetings,” she concludes.
Judy now functions as the adviser and production manager in Israel.
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Under an agreement for their security, Arab participants in the Two Neighbors project are identified only by their first names.
Adeem was born in Amman, Jordan. She studied English teaching in Amman and moved to Israel, following her marriage to an Israeli Arab from the Zur Baher neighborhood of East Jerusalem. She received her English teaching certificate from Beit Lehem University.
“Five years ago, coincidentally in one of the Global Village meetings, someone asked me if I would be interested in a position with Two Neighbors” Adeem told me. She was interviewed by Sigal Kirsch and was hired. “Having a car, a ‘blue I.D’ and fluent English, are very important advantages for functioning smoothly with minimal restrictions from both Israeli and Palestinian authorities,” she said.
“I feel like a peace maker in a big family… we meet 1-2 times a month in Beit Gallah, exchange ideas. Sometimes I visit the village and am always available on the phone.”
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At a small village, south of Hebron, some 25 women work in their homes. They get pieces of black mesh for the embroidery, which are then added to leather bags, accessories, and high-end canvas bags produced in Israel. There is a small shop for tourists. Keefah supervises the quality.
In another village, not far, Reehan is the designer, working with about 20 more women. Fair wages are paid.
There is a friendly relationship among the women and sometimes they go for trips together with their children.
“We do have some difficulties sometimes with the local authorities and local people. However, I am very optimistic, and hopefully sometime in the near future, we shall open stores in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv…”
Some features have been written in magazines and social nets, increasing the awareness.
This may be a relatively small project, but it definitely carries the peace flags and sets an example for may others, of how peace can be established among people – Through the Eye of a Needle.
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Peres, a retired veterinarian, is a freelance writer and a board member of the Peres Center for Peace that was founded by his father, Israel’s late President Shimon Peres. Two Neighbors’ product line may be viewed via www.twoneighbors.com .Products may be purchased at the Two Neighbors Store in La Jolla, 7363 Girard Avenue, Suite 106.
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