From Pain to Peace: Initial Report

From Pain to Peace: Abrahamic Reunion Young Peacebuilders Training in Wetzlar, Germany- October 2025 Report

Program Details

• Program Name: From Pain to Peace: Abrahamic Reunion Young Peacebuilders Training
• Program Leader: Abed Manasra, Chris Miller, Ghassan Manasra, Bjoern & Sarah Rech
• Dates: October 14-20, 2025
• Duration: 6 days
• Location: Wetzlar, Germany
• Total Participants: ~20Participant Demographics:

• Male:7
• Female: 5
• Muslim: 4
• Jews: 5
• Christians: 1
• Druze: 2

Participants that could not participate:

• Christians: 2
• Samaritans: 2 Expense Report

Narrative Report

Twelve young peacebuilders from Israel and Palestine gathered in Wetzlar, Germany, for a week-long training program dedicated to interfaith dialogue, trauma healing, and collaborative peacebuilding. Under the guidance of Sheikh Ghassan Manasra, Rabbi Mordechai Zeller, Sheikh Abed Manasra, Chris Miller, Paul K. Chappell, and Sarah & Björn Rech, participants explored pathways from pain to peace- both personal and collective.

The week began with icebreaker sessions and storytelling circles focused on ancestry and shared humanity. Participants reflected on family histories and the generational echoes of trauma, creating a space of honesty and vulnerability. Workshops on trauma and trauma management, including a special session by a guest lecturer from Oregon (via Zoom), equipped participants with tools for empathy, active listening, and emotional regulation- essential for grassroots peacebuilders working in post-conflict environments.

A highlight of the program was the interfaith workshop on the story of Joseph (Yusuf), co-led by Sheikh Hassan and Rabbi Mordechai. Through comparative study of the Qur’an and the Torah, the group examined themes of forgiveness, leadership, and transformation through hardship. Participants drew philosophical inspiration from Ibn Arabi and Maimonides, exploring how suffering can serve as a crucible for renewal. A creative writing exercise invited participants to rewrite Joseph’s story from their own perspectives, yielding profound insights about humility, agency, and divine trust.

The group also visited Frankfurt, where they toured the Jewish Museum, Frankfurt Cathedral, and the Abu Bakr Mosque. At the mosque, Jewish, Christian, Druze, and Muslim participants joined together in a moving moment of shared prayer- a rare and powerful gesture of solidarity. Back in Wetzlar, they traced the local history of the Shoah, visiting the Jewish cemetery and the memorial of the destroyed synagogue.

Cultural and social activities rounded out the week: participants attended the Wetzlar Gallusmarkt, shared meals at local cafés and discovered the best Knafeh in Wetzlar. The final evening featured an open community event, where Sheikh Ghassan and Sheikh Abed presented the Abrahamic Reunion’s mission through music, teaching, and dialogue. The evening ended in spontaneous dancing, a joyful symbol of shared humanity.

Throughout the week, participants demonstrated maturity, compassion, and courage. Despite differences in background and belief, they spoke to one another with respect and care, embodying the very essence of the Abrahamic Reunion’s vision: transforming pain into peace through understanding, empathy, and love.

Quotes from the Program

• “I’m pretty sure that this is a group will go together and will grow more and will be more successful. And yeah, we will success in everywhere.” – Participant
• “I can say with full confidence that this is by far the most meaningful and fun program I had the privilege to do. participating and thank you all because I feel like I took something from each and every one of you and you showed me that there is a different way to share life.” – Or

• “I came here, and honestly, the training was amazing, but it didn’t end there. As you all know, during the hour, we were discussing and fighting at the end of the movie. During the hour, we were just discussing, and we were shouting, and Bessler heard our voices.” – Hassan
• “I used to have a problem in my life that I couldn’t listen to. I used to have a lot of people and I couldn’t listen to them. Sometimes the idea bothered me or something else. But, thank God, I did it. I know how to listen to people and listen to others. And when I listen, I understand them. And after I understand them, I answer them if there is a need to answer.” -Alaa
• “I think that being surrounded by foreign languages and to find myse lf understanding some Both in German and Arabic, and it’s like my roots and the face that I want in the future.” – Avital
• “I’m sorry I’m a little bit moved now because the war is back and there was extreme violence on Shabbat at the villages that we protect. Really extreme violence.” – Roie
• “Ghassan, you said that you spoke about the journey, the journey that Yosef and his brothers are going through, and I feel that it really was an opportunity to enter into this inner journey with you all. It was a very spiritual and very empowering experience, and it was very special.” – Roie
• “This circle is real. What’sAspp is real. You can reach out to this circle. You can call. You can visit. You can go to be together to support each other. And this feeling, it can be enough to build more peace.” – Chris
• “We need to seize the opportunity to save our people.” – Sheikh Ghassan
• “We succeeded together so we can spread this beautiful success for the future for all people all around us. We succeeded all of us.” – Sheikh Abed

News Articles or Media:

• Radio Makan Interview

Event Partner Organizations:

➢ Abrahamic Reunion International
➢ Kreuzkirche Wetzlar Parish
➢ Abrahamic Reunion Germany
➢ Peace Literacy Institute (Oregon, USA)

Abrahamic Reunion Partners & Sponsors:

• Abrahamic Reunion International
• Kreuzkirche Wetzlar Parish

• Abrahamic Reunion Germany
• Peace Literacy Institute (Oregon, USA)
• URI- United Religions Initiative (Seed Grant)
• The Foundation for Expanding Horizons
• Demokratie leben!

List of Leaders Participating:

• ➢  Sheikh Ghassan Mansara: International Director & Ambassador, AR Lead Facilitator
• ➢  Sheikh Abed Manasra: Israeli Programs Director, Program Leader Facilitator
• ➢  Chris Miller: Director of Operations, Organizer, AR Administration,Photography, Videography, Logistics
• ➢  Bjoern & Sarah Rech: Abrahamic Reunion Germany Directors, TopicalLecturers, Logistical Organization, Hosting & Local Partnerships
• ➢  Ira Sirkar Harritt: AR Board of Directors, Programs Committee, ProgramOversight & Design
• ➢  Paul K. Chappell: Founder, Peace Literacy Institute, Guest Lecturer, VRPrograms
• ➢  Sebastian Kutscha: Guest Lecturer
• ➢  Thomas: Guest Lecture & Commemorative Walk in Wetzlar
• ➢  Or Akta: Programs Administrative Assistant, Abrahamic Reunion, Reportage, Surveys, Administration

Measuring the Impact & Goals Goals of this event/program:

• To foster interfaith dialogue and trust between young peacebuilders from Israel and Palestine.
• To provide trauma-informed tools for peace leadership and emotional resilience.
• To strengthen the international network of Abrahamic Reunion youth leaders.
• To transform shared pain into cooperative action for peacebuilding.

How impact was measured:

• Paper and Digital Surveys
• Verbal feedback during final reflection circle
• Observation of group dynamics and emotional engagement
• Post-program feedback via WhatsApp and follow-up survey

Measurement Methods:

• ○  Paper Survey or Questionnaire
• ○  Digital Survey or Questionnaire
• ○  Raising hands inside the event
• ○  Asking feedback inside the event how the people were touched
• ○  Other – Please specify 

Impact Achieved:

• Participants reported significant growth in empathy, intercultural understanding, and personal healing.
• 100% expressed increased motivation to continue peace work in their communities.
• 90% indicated that trauma and interfaith workshops helped them reframe personal pain into constructive dialogue.
• Several new cross-faith initiatives were proposed for 2026, including joint youth exchanges and interfaith service projects in Israel and Palestine.