The cycle of violence in the Middle East may seem to have no end, but in San Diego Jews and Palestinians have united despite the odds. Talking Peace takes viewers inside the Jewish Palestinian Living Room Dialogue and tells a compelling story of two sides coming together through the simple act of listening.
In the living room of Jim Rauch, a Jew, and his wife Doris Bittar, an Arab, the stage has been set to create an alternative to living with hatred. In their home, Jews and Palestinians share their stories and their pain governed by only one rule: to truly listen to each other.
Although the documentary gives viewers an insight into the history of unrest, the story is about the people, not the politics, of a region in which both side continue to exchange claims and blame and bombs. Among the participants are a businessman, a teacher, an artist, a karate instructor, a physicist and an engineer. Compelling, first-hand narratives provide a perspective of how their lives have been shaped by the violence and fear that haunts Israel and the occupied territories.
One man tells how he followed the account of a suicide bombing, only to find out his niece was killed in the blast. Another man recalls how he nearly died during the bombing of his refugee camp in Lebanon, an event that many Israelis believed never happened. As they tell their stories, those gathered around the living room overcome their fears and suspicions, put a human face to those they have considered their enemy, and lay a foundation for building friendships.