DreamHomeComeTrue
A Noble ScreenPlay
Since the establishment of the state of Israel, there have been numerous books published and movies made, international peace conferences and lectures organized in order to analyze different paths and methods to bring about a lasting peace between the Arabs and Israelis. Accordingly, perhaps millions of dollars were spent to study the nature of this conflict to no avail and yet, the conflict has worsen and radicalized to extremely dangerous proportions.The screenplay "Yacov & Mahmoud.. The Next Generation" has uniquely touched the core roots of this conflict like no other. The task was to explore these roots in an honest and realistic manner and even-handed way, focusing on an increasingly recognized fact that the Middle East conflict is absolutely not a land dispute but an ideological one. At the same time this screenplay bears within and offers the ingredients of a REAL solution to the conflict. ****
The endorsement of a world renown intellectual and peace activist "Rabbi Harold M Schulweis" of this screenplay is an honor to the writer.Rabbi Schulweis of "Valley Beth Shalom Temple" in Encino, California writes the following:
From: Jane Jacobs: <jjacobs1@vbs.org>To: <etrzn@aol.com>Sent: Mon, 14 Apr 2008 12:31 pmSubject: RE: Dream of Hope (Yacov & Mahmoud.. The Next Generation) ScreenplayDear Edward,Your sensitive play will make a significant contribution to the relationship between the Jewish & Arab communities. All forms of communication and dialogue are vessels of peace. I strongly believe that your play deserves production and publicity.With every best wish,Rabbi Harold M Schulweis
Yacov & Mahmoud.... "The Next Generation"
Edward Abraham
Synopsis:
Two ideological enemies - New York born - Rabbi Dr. YACOV FRANKEL and MAHMOUD SUBHI, a Palestinian chemical engineer educated in the U.S. (a Hamas supporter) have an encounter in the Holy Land. This encounter leads to an unexpected and unusual dialogue in which, something extraordinary is revealed between them and that is the "absolute compassion for human kind" - far from any prejudice of religion.Yacov has been convinced for many years that in spite of all the hatred and vengeance between the Arabs and the Jews, one can not deny the fact that the two are still cousins. Yacov insists that "Abraham the Patriarch" loved both of his sons - Ishmael and Isaac - and did not mean for their descendents to end up killing and destroying one another.
This unusual dialogue starts with the subject of the current Palestinian - Israeli dispute and flies back to the time when the prophet Mohammed was initiating the principles of Islam and had frictions and disputes with the Jews of Mecca. Yacov believes the enmity between Arabs and Israelis has roots in the creation of Islam and it is a 1400 years old problem and NOT a recent dispute started after the creation of modern state of Israel.The beautiful and heart-touching incident that leads to this unusual dialogue takes away a lot of bitterness that exists between these two former enemies. Yacov’s son, AVRAHAM finds badly injured SALEH, the son of Mahmoud on a field trip and Yacov saves Saleh’s life.SARA and FATIMAH ( Yacov’s and Mahmoud’s wives) find this newly developed friendship as an opportunity to support their husbands in their effort to soften the bad feelings between the two, using their God-given "motherly" compassion they have for their own and each other’s children.Soon, tragedy arrives. Yacov and his friend, on the road back from Jerusalem to their settlement, are kidnapped by the Hamas gunmen to be held as hostages and be used in future prisoner exchange with Israel. Mahmoud who was not involved with this kidnapping has a dilemma as how to react to it. Fatimah insists that Mahmoud should do his best to help Yacov. Mahmoud is torn between his loyalty to Hamas Organization and this newly sense of appreciation and friendship he has developed for the doctor who saved his son.The second and heart breaking tragedy happens when in the process of the efforts of Mahmoud - trying to save the doctor - they both get killed by Hamas gunmen. In spite of this horrible tragedy, Sara and Fatimah decide to continue their friendship in the memory of their beloved husbands who initiated a legacy of coexistence between the Arabs and Jews.Once again it is Sara who comes to the help of Saleh and his mother and his younger brother, who are stricken with poverty and have been rejected by Hamas organization as collaborators and spies for Israel. Sara influences her boss in the factory of their settlement where she works, reciting from the Bible that Fatimah resembles "Hagar" the mother of Ishmael, who was left with no food or water in the desert and that Fatimah is her friend in need and it would be an opportunity for them to reverse the quarrel between the sons of "Abraham the Patriarch" by helping them. Her boss agrees to hire Fatimah against the policies of his factory.The strong friendship that has been created between Sara and Fatimah and their children, offers hope that the Arabs and Jews may finally come to their senses and see the promising future for both nations if they live in peace with each other as cousins and not as enemies. Copyright 2006 Edward Abraham - All Rights Reserved.
Two ideological enemies - New York born - Rabbi Dr. YACOV FRANKEL and MAHMOUD SUBHI, a Palestinian chemical engineer educated in the U.S. (a Hamas supporter) have an encounter in the Holy Land. This encounter leads to an unexpected and unusual dialogue in which, something extraordinary is revealed between them and that is the "absolute compassion for human kind" - far from any prejudice of religion.Yacov has been convinced for many years that in spite of all the hatred and vengeance between the Arabs and the Jews, one can not deny the fact that the two are still cousins. Yacov insists that "Abraham the Patriarch" loved both of his sons - Ishmael and Isaac - and did not mean for their descendents to end up killing and destroying one another.
This unusual dialogue starts with the subject of the current Palestinian - Israeli dispute and flies back to the time when the prophet Mohammed was initiating the principles of Islam and had frictions and disputes with the Jews of Mecca. Yacov believes the enmity between Arabs and Israelis has roots in the creation of Islam and it is a 1400 years old problem and NOT a recent dispute started after the creation of modern state of Israel.The beautiful and heart-touching incident that leads to this unusual dialogue takes away a lot of bitterness that exists between these two former enemies. Yacov’s son, AVRAHAM finds badly injured SALEH, the son of Mahmoud on a field trip and Yacov saves Saleh’s life.SARA and FATIMAH ( Yacov’s and Mahmoud’s wives) find this newly developed friendship as an opportunity to support their husbands in their effort to soften the bad feelings between the two, using their God-given "motherly" compassion they have for their own and each other’s children.Soon, tragedy arrives. Yacov and his friend, on the road back from Jerusalem to their settlement, are kidnapped by the Hamas gunmen to be held as hostages and be used in future prisoner exchange with Israel. Mahmoud who was not involved with this kidnapping has a dilemma as how to react to it. Fatimah insists that Mahmoud should do his best to help Yacov. Mahmoud is torn between his loyalty to Hamas Organization and this newly sense of appreciation and friendship he has developed for the doctor who saved his son.The second and heart breaking tragedy happens when in the process of the efforts of Mahmoud - trying to save the doctor - they both get killed by Hamas gunmen. In spite of this horrible tragedy, Sara and Fatimah decide to continue their friendship in the memory of their beloved husbands who initiated a legacy of coexistence between the Arabs and Jews.Once again it is Sara who comes to the help of Saleh and his mother and his younger brother, who are stricken with poverty and have been rejected by Hamas organization as collaborators and spies for Israel. Sara influences her boss in the factory of their settlement where she works, reciting from the Bible that Fatimah resembles "Hagar" the mother of Ishmael, who was left with no food or water in the desert and that Fatimah is her friend in need and it would be an opportunity for them to reverse the quarrel between the sons of "Abraham the Patriarch" by helping them. Her boss agrees to hire Fatimah against the policies of his factory.The strong friendship that has been created between Sara and Fatimah and their children, offers hope that the Arabs and Jews may finally come to their senses and see the promising future for both nations if they live in peace with each other as cousins and not as enemies. Copyright 2006 Edward Abraham - All Rights Reserved.