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The Olive
and the Tree: The Secret Strength of the Druze, a documentary which Dr. Ruth Westheimer acted as Executive Producer
and in which she appears, will air in Sacramento
on WQED on April 23rd at 10 PM. This hour-long documentary tells the story of
the Druze, Israel’s
most fascinating non-Jewish religious minority. It focuses on their approach to
childhood education which maintains the sect’s unique cultural and social
identity, despite the lure of assimilation.
The Druze
religion is an 11th century offshoot of Islam, which developed as a separate
faith. Though aspects of it are secret, it includes belief in reincarnation.
Because their faith preaches loyalty to the nations in which they reside, the
Druze, unique among Israel’s
non-Jewish minorities, perform compulsory military service in the Israel
Defense Forces. As a result, the Druze have earned the trust and respect of Israel’s Jewish
citizens and government. Their unique status, however, has forced the Druze to
confront challenges to their continued existence as a distinct social group as
the modern world continues to intrude. How do the Druze preserve their cultural
identity? What is the secret strength of the Druze?
The Olive and The Tree is Dr.
Ruth Westheimer’s fourth documentary. While the subject
matter has always varied, the purpose remains the same; to demonstrate the
importance of family values, especially the manner in which they are transmitted
to future generations. An accompanying book, The Olive and The Tree, is
being published by Lantern Press to coordinate with the airing of the program.
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