Bridging the Divide: Conflict Transformation for Young Jewish Adults

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On 15/09 + 29/09 2024

6 x Monday evenings ONLINE

19:00 - 21:30 UTC

Max 16 pple

Sliding Scale : £90 - £250 (instalments possible)

Since the events of October 7th, young Jewish adults have faced unprecedented emotional and social challenges, feeling alienated and unsure of how to belong within both Jewish and non-Jewish communities. Through our work with this group, we have recognised the urgent need for tools that foster safe spaces for honest reflection and dialogue, confidence to openly and proudly express Jewish identity and values, a sense of acceptance and belonging, and compassionate connection between communities.

This foundation course is specifically designed to meet these needs, helping participants navigate difficult conversations, build resilience and bridge the gaps that have widened during these turbulent times.

Course Overview:

Using a conflict transformation model known as Nonviolent Communication (NVC), this foundation course is designed to equip young Jewish (under 35) individuals with the tools and skills necessary to engage with confidence in honest, effective and compassionate communication, particularly in the context of the current and ongoing Israeli/Palestinian conflict.

Recognising the unique emotional and social challenges facing young adult Jews today which can lead to feelings of marginalisation and confusion around how to belong within both Jewish and non-Jewish communities, this course will focus on fostering understanding, empathy and resilience so that conversations can become an opportunity for mutual understanding, and deepening the connections.

Through demonstrations, role-plays, and exercises, you will have the opportunity to engage with real-life examples for an interactive experience and integration of NVC philosophy and skills into everyday life. By the end of this course, you will be better equipped to engage with confidence in meaningful, empathetic, and nonviolent communication, fostering deeper understanding and connections within and across communities.

We invite you to immerse yourself in a journey of true connection, to welcome each emotion and every experience while remaining rooted in what feels authentic, safe and true for you. Rest assured, every step you take will be supported and you will be at choice around how you want to engage with any activity.

Key Focus Areas and Learning Outcomes

• Communicating with confidence and honesty:  develop the confidence and ability to communicate with openness and honesty and without alienating others or losing connection through judgement or criticism.
• Deep listening and empathy: develop the listening skills required to build empathy and trust in relationships. Learn how to hear differing perspectives, acknowledge and articulate feelings of sadness, anger and frustration constructively and with composure.
• Conflict resolution and finding connection: learn to navigate and resolve conflicts, maintaining and deepening relationships despite widely differing views. Understand and manage emotional responses related to discussions regarding Israelis and Palestinians.
• Self-awareness and emotional intelligence: develop techniques to identify and articulate one's deepest feelings and needs. Practice mindfulness and embodiment to manage intense emotions with tools for maintaining emotional balance.
• Building resilient and authentic relationships: build resilience in response to social media pressures and external opinions. Learn strategies to cultivate deeper connections and sense of belonging within the Jewish community and beyond. Learn ways to navigate friction and engage in meaningful conversations with friends and family in person and on social media and develop resilience against external judgments and pressures.

What the Young Jewish Adults said:

“I feel confusion and shame around my strong connection and love for Israel and Israeli culture and afraid to express that love for fear of judgement from non-Jewish friends.”

“ I struggle with feeling pressured to say what others want to hear, particularly when discussing controversial topics like the Israel/Gaza conflict”

“Why do people assume that I don’t care about Palestinians just because I’m Jewish and love Israel?”

“I feel disconnected from friends who are expressing views calling for violence against Jews and Israelis i.e. me.”

“ I feel so vulnerable and unsafe that I hide my Jewish identity.”

Who Is This Course For?

This course is designed for young Jewish adults under 35 who are grappling with the complexities of discussing, understanding, and relating to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, Israel and Lebanon since October 7th. If you are struggling to navigate these conversations, both within the Jewish community and with those outside it, this course offers the tools to deepen your connections, resolve conflicts with empathy, and communicate authentically.

No prior knowledge of NVC is required.

Lifelong transferable skills: beyond the current conflict, this course will also equip you with essential skills to navigate conflict in all areas of your life, helping you to build healthier, more resilient relationships with family, friends, and colleagues. Whether you’re seeking to communicate more effectively, resolve tensions, or simply understand yourself and others better, this course offers a pathway to more meaningful and authentic connections.

How:

We will meet online, where we will gather and create a safe environment to practice a language model which supports life, connection and harmoney to flow between people, which is known as Nonviolent Communication (NVC) :  Through demonstrations, role-plays, and exercises, you will have the opportunity to engage with real-life examples for an interactive experience and integration of NVC philosophy and skills into everyday life.

Meet the Trainers

Janine and Emma, both Jewish with strong connections to Israel and living in the UK, bring personal experience and understanding of the challenges of holding multiple identities during these painful times. We aim to create a safe space for you to explore relational challenges and build resilience, empathy, and a stronger sense of connection in your personal and communal relationships.

We recognize the importance of offering a focused group for young Jewish adults who feel uncertain about how to fully express themselves in conversations. This course offers a non-judgmental, safe space to explore these complex experiences. By fostering this environment, we hope to contribute to a long-term goal of creating interfaith and cross-community dialogues where all voices can be heard and respected.

Emma Buggy

Emma has been training and coaching in Compassionate and Authentic Relating, offering courses and retreats to groups, organisations, couples and individuals since 2016. She facilitates workshops from Beginners to Advanced levels and offers a relational mediation service to support an amicable and connected approach to conflict transformation for couples and teams in the workplace.

Emma has co-organised events such as the NVC Global Online Festival and is the Welfare Lead at multiple events in the UK and abroad. Her aim is to support authentic, compassionate and clear communication in all relationships, so that conflict and relating with others can become an opportunity for growth,  self-awareness and togetherness.

Janine Shalev

Janine has been working with Nonviolent Communication for over 20 years in a wide variety of settings ranging from Children’s Centre and schools to restorative justice in prisons, from supporting parents with mental health issues in the family to supporting families around trauma, change and loss. Her focus has been on using the power of NVC to enable parents to support themselves and each other and raise emotionally articulate and resilient children.

Her mission is to extend the reach of NVC and compassionate communication, empowering organisations and individuals to maximise their potential and live healthier, more connected lives. She is currently training in NVC mediation with a view to enabling systemic change around conflict  transformation.

• PLEASE READ THE T+CS before signing up for the course

Your Invitation:

We invite you with an open heart, to immerse yourself in a journey of true connection, to welcome each soul, each emotion, and every experience while remaining rooted in what feels authentic, safe, and true for you. Rest assured, every step you take will be supported and you will be at choice around how you want to engage with any activity.

WHEN?

On 15/09 + 29/09 2024

6 x Monday evenings ONLINE

19:00 - 21:30 UTC

Investment: (Payment in installments is possible via paypal)

• £300 – Supporter Rate: If you have financial assets, or identify as middle or upper/owning class, then this is the rate for you. Paying at this rate supports the discount and scholarship fund, making this course accessible to more people including people of the global majority.
• £220– Standard: This is the true cost of the course. If you are able to pay this amount and still meet your basic needs, then this is the price for you to choose.
• £150 – Low income : The Discounted option is reserved for those who sometimes struggle with limited financial resources and would benefit from supported access to this learning experience.
• £90 –Deposit + Pay the rest in isntalments:  Choose this option to pay a deposit now and the rest via instalments or the end of the tranining.

If money is a barrier to you joining this course, we would love to find a way to support you to join us. We have the opportunity to offer some subsidised spaces based on application. Please send Emma an email to: emma.empathart@gmail.com to discuss the possibility of a partially subsidised place.

The course will run with a minimum of 8 participants, if this number is not reached you will be refunded or the course will be postponed.

REFUNDS POLICY: Please note, we do not arrange refunds. On some occasions you may transfer the cost of your ticket to another course with Emma in the future, or re-sell your ticket to another person. Please ask before doing so: Please send Emma an email to: emma.empathart@gmail.com

ACCESS:  We do our best to include everyone in our events, regardless of health circumstances. If you have access requirements please email the event organiser directly to discuss.