Josh Wolfe seeks common ground

During his time at Princeton University pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Middle Eastern studies, Josh Wolfe 2002, spent a summer living in the West Bank, where he worked at a summer camp for Palestinian children.

 

While raised in a Jewish home, Josh grew up not knowing very much about the situation in the Middle East or Israel, aside from what he had learned from his father and the occasional headline in the news. A 2005 trip to Israel changed all of that. Travelling to the Maccabiah games with the Canadian team for track and field, Josh discovered Israel for the first time. The trip, and tour of the country, had such a huge impact on him that he felt he needed to learn more.

 

Upon returning to Princeton, he took an introductory class on the Middle East and, from that point onward, would dedicate his studies to achieving a better understanding of Israel and the conflict surrounding it since its inception, but from both an Israeli and Palestinian perspective. This is something he feels is essential to understanding any conflict in the hopes of finding a peaceful solution for all parties involved.

 

While at the summer camp, the kids noticed that Josh was wearing a Star of David, something that came as a bit of a shock to them.

 

“I was the perceived enemy,” he realized. In spite of this, Josh was able to become friends with his Palestinian companions, an experience that “broke down a lot of barriers,” he says.

 

Josh recalled this experience when he spoke to Selwyn House students on May 3, his second visit to the school this year.

 

The lessons Josh learned in the Middle East served him well when he returned to Canada and took a position with The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, working for an MNA in the National Assembly in Quebec City as an advisor on a full range of issues, including those related to the Jewish community. Working with the MNA and his staff, Josh was able to bring his knowledge and experience to the table, as well as discover the political landscape that exists in Quebec. He discovered how important it is to form coalitions, seek partnerships and to relate to those with different ideas than your own.  

 

“It always helps to have allies outside your community,” he points out.

 

“We tend to get along very well in Quebec, but hatred, discrimination and antisemitism unfortunately continue to be a reality,” he said. “We’re trying to combat this.”

 

Josh says he has relationships with people from all parties represented in the National Assembly. “You’ll meet people who think differently from you, but at the end of the day you can always find common ground.”

 

“When you leave Selwyn House you will encounter a world of differences,” he told the students. “It’s a growth experience. Embrace it.”

 

He urged the students to follow daily news, but not just from sources within one’s own community.

 

“Read francophone newspapers,” he suggested. “Read a little of what other people are saying.”

 

“It gives you a more global perspective.”

 

Even Josh’s own family has experienced that same sense of growth and inclusiveness. His sisters are now married to men of Italian and Arab heritage.

 

“At the end of the day, we’re family.”