The final WC-ALL Learn at Lunch of the spring semester will be on Friday, April 20 at noon in Hynson Lounge of Hodson Hall on the Washington College Campus. The topic is “Lifting the Curtain Over the Occupation in the Holy Land” presented by Dr. Robert and Ms. Mike Abel, a Jewish-American ophthalmologist and a Palestinian-American healthcare worker, respectively. Resolving the goals of the Israeli and Palestinian peoples continues to be a mounting struggle in the world today and the Abels have witnessed the turmoil first-hand as they have studied and worked in the lands from Gaza to Israel, and the West Bank to Syria. They have heard multiple narratives, often not shared with the American public due to filtered media, and will discuss many facets of the current crisis and why we as Americans, Jews, Muslims, and Christians should be concerned. The issue has divided the American people who have largely accepted the situation as “too complicated”. As a Jewish-Palestinian couple, the Abels will share their unique perspectives and describe their experiences.
The Abels participated in a diplomatic mission to 5 Middle Eastern countries, Gaza, and the West Bank in 2009. In 2013, Dr. Abel volunteered in Palestine on a medical mission with the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund performing and teaching cataract surgery. He is a former clinical professor of Thomas Jefferson University, the author of nine books, and serves on several corporate advisory boards. Ms. Abel spent 3 months in 2011 on an independent work-study program in Palestine and Israel. Currently she is on the board of Delaware Churches for Middle East Peace. She is the co-founder of Delawareans for Palestinian Human Rights and has recently returned from co-leading an ecumenical leadership conference in Palestine and Israel. The Abels were both recipients of the 2014 Peacemakers Among Us Award from Pacem in Terris and are international lecturers. They reside in Wilmington, Delaware.
Reservations for the Learn at Lunch are $20 for members and $25 for others, and are due by Friday, April 13. Please send a check to WC-ALL, 300 Washington Ave., Chestertown, MD. 21620 with name, phone number, and email for those attending. As is customary, shuttle service will run from the North Student Parking Lot on the campus with access from Rt. 291. The last shuttle leaves at 11:55. Please call the WC-ALL office with questions at 410-778-7221 or contact [email protected].
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