Promises by Justine Shapiro, B.Z. Goldberg and Carlos Bolado, U.S.A, 2001, 102 minutes, Arabic/Hebrew/English with subtitles.

By Donald H. Harrison 

B.Z. Goldberg has a way with children. They talk to him, trust him, and open their hearts to him.  In this engaging film, Goldberg talks to children whose parents belong to some  important factions in Israel and the Palestinian territories.  On the Jewish side, there are Daniel and Yarko,  twin sons of secular Israelis; Shlomo, the son of a haredi family, and  Moishe, son of a "settler"  family living in the West Bank town of Beit El. On the Arab side, there are  Mahmoud, son of East Jerusalemites; and Faraj and Sanabel,  the son and daughter of Palestinian refugees in the Deheisha refugee camp.

When we meet the children, they voice the same fears and concerns that we'd expect to hear from their parents.  Daniel and Yarko wonder which bus route—18 or 22—is safer from suicide bombers.  Mahmoud disputes the notion that Jerusalem belongs to the Jews, pointing out the Islamic tradition  that the Prophet Muhammad ascended from Al Aqsa for a visit to heaven.  Shlomo expresses relief that Jerusalem is holy not only to Jews but to Muslims and Christians as well.  If Saddam Hussein (who still was in power when this movie was made) started a war, he would not bomb Jerusalem because it is also holy to Muslims.  

Sanabel relates her family's story of once living in the village of Zakaria until "the Jews kicked us off our land."  She says  that the generations of her family have done better in some ways than other refugees, at least they each have a bed to sleep in.  She cries when  she tells about her father being held as a political prisoner in Israel.  Faraj tells how he witnessed a friend throwing a stone through a window, and then being shot dead by an Israeli soldier. He takes Goldberg to a stone with an inscription that says those who die fighting for God are not dead, they are by God's side. In counterpoint to Faraj, we meet Moishe who tells of his friend  who was shot by terrorists with his family as they drove on a road near Beit El. He leads Goldberg to the stone covering the friend's grave.

Goldberg is able to arrange for Faraj and his grandmother to cross from the refugee camp into Israel to see the very ground in Ras Abu Amar where she once lived.  She prays at the site, where now there are ruins amid the trees.  He also accompanies Sanabel and her family to the Israeli prison at Ashkelon for a visit to her father.  The filmmaker is not permitted inside.

We see emotional stories on the Jewish side as well: a grandfather, who is a Holocaust survivor, trying to explain to the twins how he feels about God.  He suggests no God could have been watching the Holocaust, but declines to declare outright that there is no God.  We see Israelis stand at attention in the streets as the sirens of Yom HaZikaron blare in memory of the fallen soldiers in all the wars.  And we see Mahmoud watching bitterly as Jews celebrate Yom Yerushalayim—the day in 1967 when they reunified the city.  In his view, it was the day his city was taken from his people and "my heart wants to burst."

But we see, too, that these children are not only representative types; that they live their own lives, with their own hopes and dreams.  Faraj is a sprinter; the Israeli twins play on a volleyball team.  When Faraj comes in second in a race, he is so disappointed, he cries.  When their volleyball team loses, the twins also cry.  As B.J. Goldberg meets with the children, and shares their disappointments, he tells them about each other, and shows them pictures.  Would they like to meet?

And here is where the film becomes really emotional, because here is where it promises hope.  The Israeli twins are taken to Deheisha where they meet Sanabel and Faraj. After being given a tour that includes a wall pocked by bullet holes, where Palestinians and Israelis fought, they play games together—a hand clapping game.  They show each other judo holds; they practice an Arab dance, play soccer, take photographs.  They enjoy traditional Arab hospitality, which includes plenty of food.  Afterwards they are interviewed. One of the twins says he used to think that anyone who liked Hamas was crazy, but now he can understand their emotion.  Faraj says to the twins: "Part of me wants to connect with you, part of me doesn't."  

The children warm to each other—at least those who have met each other.  Mahmoud, Moshe and Shlomo do not participate in the outing. Mahmoud says Jews "betrayed"  the Prophet Mohammed. Moshe declares "I am not one who will meet with Arabs, that needs to be done by people who are older." Shlomo says he "wouldn't have any interest in meeting Arab kids" at least not to be close friends. But, he said, he would like to be nice.

Filmmakers B.J. Goldberg, Justine Shapiro and Carlos Bolado make us understand.  Nothing better promises peace than for youth  to have the opportunity to  break down stereotypes.