In 2014, Maya Savir made her first trip to Rwanda and South Africa, countries that went through successful reconciliation processes that many thought would be impossible. Her observations, insights, conversations and the inevitable association with the struggle so close to home and so personal – the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – gave birth to this book.  

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ON RECONCILIATION is a journal and a journey that invites readers to explore the process of unification and reconciliation from a new, candid and sober perspective, and to examine how this process takes place – between peoples, but also in the world of emotion, consciousness and morality inside each one of us.

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ON RECONCILIATION, the author Maya Savir’s seventh book, gives the reader the opportunity to consider a new reality and the limits of what is possible. Savir leads the reader on a narrative and conceptual journey in her clear language, with uncompromising precision, with compassion and with a rare intellectual energy.

​Reviews:

“Maya speaks the language of reconciliation, humanity, empathy and equality. Her voice rises above divisions, carrying the stories of hope and healing in the most dire of situations. In a world often torn by conflict, she reminds us that another way is possible. She is not just a witness. She is a partner in our shared journey toward justice, healing and peace." ―Aziz Abu Sarah, author, cultural educator and entrepreneur

“ON RECONCILIATION opens a window of light and hope in a reality that is hard, almost unbearable. It reminds us that reconciliation is not a weakness but a brave and necessary action. Savir invites us to observe the importance of reconciliation not only between nations but also within each nation, and demonstrates that it is possible to turn despair to hope. For Savir, writing is not only a tool, it is a vehicle for change. She writes from her soul, and this soul guides us to the most painful places, where she insists on seeking reconciliation between her Jewish nation and my Palestinian nation." ―Ayman Odeh, Arab Israeli lawyer and politician, a member of Knesset and leader of the “Hadash" alliance

“I have a dream. I dream that this book will be taught in high schools, in seminars, in government. Maya Savir's work is a lesson in the history of conflicts, in a citizenry that strives to improve the lives of both the individual and the majority, in a humane approach, in intelligent politics, in a commitment to a common future…I have a dream that those in government will stop being afraid of what was and of what will no longer be. Savir’s prose is straightforward, elegant and objective, as though she is observing research. ….” ―Maariv

“The encounters, the conversations, the characters, the descriptions and the insights Savir presents here are fascinating and thought-provoking. They are often shocking – particularly the testimonies of the horrendous acts in Rwanda and the torture and violence in Apartheid South Africa. Savir somehow brings forth the stories gently but without sugar-coating them, in a clear and confident tone, and with humility.” ―Globe