August 7, 2006:

Forgiveness in the News

front page story in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin
first page, 2nd section in the Honolulu Advertiser

from the Honolulu Star-Bulletin:

A recipe for peace
Hundreds celebrate the power of
individual acts

On the 61st anniversary of the atomic bomb explosion over Hiroshima, as war rages in Lebanon, Iraq and other places around the globe, about 200 people gathered at Central Union Church in Honolulu to mark International Forgiveness Day.

Dr. Jerry Jampolsky, an author of books on forgiveness and a co-master of ceremonies yesterday, said people often ask him why Israel and the Palestinians do not forgive each other to bring peace to the Middle East.

His answer, Jampolsky said, is that people need to look not just at what other people or nations need to forgive, but at individual actions and what you should forgive. "It's really, ultimately about us," Jampolsky said. If individuals can forgive, then nations can follow...


from the Honolulu Advertiser:

’06 ‘heroes of forgiveness’ honored

In a different place and time, Les Iczkovitz, a Jew, and Husamuddin Akhras, a Palestinian, probably would not be friends or business associates, but enemies. Iczkovitz owns Volcano Joe's Island Bistro. His father's family — parents, seven brothers, a sister and 19 nephews and nieces — were Holocaust victims.

Iczkovitz met Akhras, now Volcano Joe's dairy-free and meatless chef, at a peacepromoting Muslim-Jewish discussion group, and they found a shared belief in forgiveness. Both attended yesterday's standing-room-only Hawai'i International Forgiveness Day program...

see a video feature about Les, Husamuddin
and Volcano Joe's


if the above links do not connect to these stories,
please click one of these logos to download them:


See the video of Israel Kamakawiwo'ole,
as he demonstrates the power of forgiveness:

http://hawaiiforgivenessproject.org/video/Iz-Hoku.htm


main organization contact: Trish Ellis; 888-222-7205
trish@hawaiiforgivenessproject.org