Tomorrow’s Women Organization Visits Bush

“We brought Tomorrow's Women to campus so they could share their stories with our students about how two of them, one Palestinian and one Israeli, came together in friendship despite their different life experiences, beliefs, and perspectives,” Upper School Director and Interim Middle School Director Matt Lai said.

One of the speakers was Lana Ikelan, a twenty-four year-old Arab Palestinian journalist who currently lives in East Jerusalem. Lana spent the first eight years of her life growing up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana before moving to Israel with her family. At first, she shunned her Palestinian identity, calling herself an American above all else. This changed when she went to the Tomorrow’s Women’s Young Leader program when she was sixteen, an immersive three-week summer camp where Palestinian and Israeli women come together to learn compassion and perspectives from their opposing sides. After her camp experience, she began speaking Arabic and embracing her Palestinian identity. As a journalist now covering the war, she prides herself in “giving a voice to the voiceless,” and sharing people’s truth, “even if it means documenting my people’s sorrows in real time.” She hopes that for the conflict, “peace is possible through building bridges.” 

The second speaker was Noga Bar Oz, a twenty-three year old Jewish Israeli musician and music teacher of Arabic and Eastern music. Noga was Lana’s roommate when they were both teenagers at the Tomorrow’s Women camp, and the two women have remained close friends since that experience. Following her experience at camp, Noga joined an Arab and Jewish orchestra, and co-conducts a children’s orchestra made up of Jewish and Palestinian children. 

“Music is a fertile ground for creating connections among people who are different,” Noga said. 

Her friendship with Lana gives her hope for the future, “knowing there’s people on the other side that believe in peace. We must break the boundaries and come together towards peace,” Noga said.

Following their remarks, Lana and Noga also took a variety of questions from the students. Addressing the Upper School, Lana said, “We are the future. We are open to diversity and people being different.” Noga encouraged them to “stay open minded, and expand your knowledge and learn about the history of the conflict.” 

Overall, the talk provided an important insight into the perspectives of two young women from opposite sides of the conflict who both advocate for peace as lifelong friends.

“I am so grateful we had Tomorrow’s Women join us on Monday,” Upper School Dean of Students Sara Fischer said.  “Their message of peace, love, and humanity resonated with our entire community.  Our students gravitated towards their message and were able to bear witness to an extraordinary friendship that has grown and strengthened over the years despite so many barriers and so many people telling them it shouldn’t.  Noga and Lana are an example of everything I strive to be. Their desire to share their strive for peace, belief in each other, and ability to listen and lead with their heart was a gift - one I will cherish for the rest of my life.”