JOURNEY to
Israel and Palestine
November 3, 2025- November 16, 2025
Join us for a journey to the heart of Israel and Palestine, where we foster compassionate truth-tellers and change-makers in service of Palestinian-Israeli co-liberation.
Today, after 34 Journeys and many conflict transformation workshops for Israelis and Palestinians, we are one of the oldest organizations engaged in people-to-people peacemaking. We are thrilled to return to Palestine-Israel this year for our 35th Compassionate Listening Journey during these unprecedented times.
The unfathomable events that have been unfolding in front of our eyes – the October 7th massacre and the ongoing genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza – have left an indelible mark on the hearts of all of us witnessing it, and have re-centered Palestine-Israel on the global stage. These events have led many in the international community to condemn the ongoing genocide and US complicity in it, and begin to wonder what else is possible. In light of these horrific circumstances we are going back with a renewed intention:
To help foster courageous, well informed change-makers for the sake of Palestinian and Israeli co-liberation, and a shared future for everyone on the land.
34th Israel & Palestine Journey, 2019
This is not a tourist trip. We will be journeying into the hearts and homes of Israelis and Palestinians who are deeply impacted by this conflict, and will learn from their lived experiences. We will visit the West Bank and meet with Palestinians living under occupation. We will visit communities impacted by the Oct 7th massacre. We will hear directly from Palestininas in Gaza. We will meet with scholars, ex-combatants on both sides, settlers and, most importantly, Israeli and Palestinian activists and peace makers who are working side by side for the sake of a different future.
Participants give the gift of bearing witness and in exchange, receive an education on key components of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from its inception to this day. We will be grappling with some tough questions, such as:
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What is Zionism, and what have been the implications of it for Israelis and Palestinians, respectively?
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What has been the role of intergenerational trauma in shaping the minds and hearts of people impacted by it?
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What is the role of political violence? What is a legitimate vs. illegitimate use of it?
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Why has this conflict been so intractable, despite several meaningful peace attempts?
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What could a different path forward look like?
Throughout this journey, we will consider the lens of co-liberation, in which one’s safety and dignity are intertwined with the other’s. It is a lens which says, “I am not free, until you are free.” We will strive to embody the role of a compassionate truth-teller and challenge ourselves to hold the humanity, pain and dignity of everyone involved, while discerning truth and standing for what’s just.
View our video, Pathways to the Heart, filmed on a Journey in Israel and Palestine
Pathways to the Heart
Leadership:
This Journey will be co-led by Gil Bar-Sela, Munteha Shukralla, and Laurie Archbold; all seasoned Compassionate Listening facilitators and Journey facilitators. See bios below.
Itinerary:
Each trip is unique. Participants will encounter a diverse range of Israelis and Palestinians. We also seek out those involved in cutting-edge reconciliation work and those who can illuminate a particular aspect of the complexities on the ground. Each trip is hand-crafted and balanced so participants’ time is divided between listening sessions, site visits, and group reflection. Listening sessions take place in homes, villages, settlements, offices, and cities throughout Israel and Palestine. Participants also enjoy visits to off-the-beaten- path” ancient sites and refugee camps, as well as major tourist sites while en route. Click here to see a sample itinerary.
Who can participate:
We welcome and honor participation of individuals from all nations and backgrounds. The more diverse the participant group, the more powerful the experience is. The Journey is limited to 20 participants. No prior experience with Compassionate Listening is required. We seek participants who have a genuine interest in the experience, hopes, dreams, and humanity of Israelis and Palestinians. Our participants have come from diverse walks of life, ages, and backgrounds.
Practicing Compassionate Listening:
We will strive to embody the role of a compassionate truth-teller and challenge ourselves to hold the humanity, pain and dignity of everyone involved, while discerning truth and standing for what’s just. To help us do that, all participants will be required to attend a Compassionate Listening workshop prior to the Journey in which we will train you in the listening skills utilized on this trip (the workshop is included in your tuition).
Our goal during these visits is to understand and dialogue with the person in front of us, while practicing our craft of listening and speaking from the heart. Compassionate Listening allows dialogue to take place “heart to heart” and has an entirely different quality. Through our daily practice in the field and our group sessions, participants come away with a deepened understanding of Compassionate Listening, a powerful skill-set for peace-building in our families, communities, and in all conflict situations.
This trip is an exceptional opportunity to open up your heart to the pain, resilience and hope of this land, learn from people’s lived experience, support peacemakers on the ground, and embody a practice that will serve you back home in every aspect of your life.
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Accommodations:
We will begin this Journey with four nights just outside the Old City of Jerusalem. Our East Jerusalem location will be our base to explore both East and West Jerusalem. We then move to Beit Jala for 5 nights in the West Bank, to Talitha Kumi Guesthouse adjacent to Bethlehem. We then end with 2 nights in the stunning Israeli village, Ein Karem, adjacent to West Jerusalem, at Notre Dame de Sion Guesthouse.
Travel:
Participants purchase their own airfare and meet at our Jerusalem hotel for dinner and opening circle on the first night. We provide excellent directions to make your travel as easy as possible. Participants often organize for those wishing to travel together.
Cost:
The Journey is $4,400. Your $1000 deposit will hold your spot. Price includes a double-occupancy room with private bath and shower; breakfast and dinner daily; ground transportation; trip leaders; guides; tips and gratuity for hotels and drivers; honoraria for Israeli and Palestinian speakers and hosts, and Compassionate Listening training. Single rooms are available for an additional $700. If we are unable to provide a roommate, the single room supplement may apply. Your early registration increases our chance of finding a good match for you.
About our Journey leaders:
Gil Bar Sela is a native of Israel where he experienced the dynamics of political conflict first-hand, both as a civilian and a combatant. Seeking to become part of the solution, Gil got certified as a Compassionate Listening Facilitator, and now co-leads the Compassionate Listening Project's annual delegations to Palestine and Israel. Other trainings and certifications include: HeartMath; Trauma, Somatics and Resilience; Restorative Circles; Theory U; and Internal Family Systems. Gil is the co-founder of the leadership development company Finding Human. He trains leaders and teams in the emotional intelligence and communication skills needed to create work cultures where everyone thrives. He also has a trauma-informed private practice in Seattle where he helps people reconnect with their own wholeness.
Laurie Archbold was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has B.A. in Comparative Religions and Middle East studies. She's traveled to and connected with the region through various people and organizations, including with Soliya's Connect Program, Mideast Wire's Beirut Exchange, and The Compassionate Listening Project. She is a Certified HeartMath Trainer and a Certified Compassionate Listening Facilitator. Her facilitation work is holistic by design and has spanned the realms of Conflict Resolution, Resilience Training, Emotional Intelligence and Nature Connection. Laurie is passionate about cultivating connection between humans and the power of heartfelt communication. She loves being a part of this delegation and supporting people in learning these embodied listening practices that are applicable across all aspects of life. She leads a variety of workshops and has a coaching business that you can find out more about here.
Munteha Shukralla came to the Compassionate Listening Project in 1998 with a background in social activism and a commitment to working for a transformed world. To that end, she has organized ecumenical peace conferences, led Compassionate Listening journeys, and worked to train and educate thousands in creating a world that works for everyone. A woman with a multicultural background and a BA in International Studies from Portland State University, Munteha has over 20 years experience in Transformational Facilitation, as well as Operations Management and Coaching. She has used both experience and knowledge to inform her interactions with peoples from all walks of life, backgrounds, disparate beliefs and circumstances. She holds that the inestimable value of the Compassionate Listening Project, the journeys, and the workshops, is that this work creates training and a space for a clearer vision and relatedness, a reality she has seen with her own eyes.
To learn even more about our Journeys, we invite you to view our documentary, Children of Abraham.
