On behalf of Jack’s family and TIPP’s Board of Directors, I bear the sad news of the passing of Jack Berriault, TIPP’s founder and Executive Director. Jack passed away peacefully early Tuesday morning, August 23, 2016 at home in Mexico, after a long period of declining health. With his death, I lost a dear friend of over a decade and one of the most inspiring people I have ever encountered in life.
To say that Jack Berriault led a remarkable life is to risk understatement! He was a person who possessed a unique and compelling vision of the possibilities of Israelis and Palestinians at peace, each secure in their own national aspirations and working together toward a shared future of unimaginable possibility. In what can only be described as a breathtaking insight, Jack saw the key to this future in revealing and honoring the separate stories held by both peoples and weaving these stores into a common skein of history characterized by fierce authenticity and unwavering compassion.
Out of this insight, Jack founded The Israel Palestine Project and work began – over a decade ago! – on a remarkable collaborative document, Israel and Palestine – A Common Historical Narrative. The “Narrative”, as we call it, was completed in draft form in 2015, and TIPP has been working since on the final editing in preparation for publication and distribution.
What is Next for TIPP?
In the wake of Jack’s death, we at The Israel Palestine Project are taking time to mourn his passing while celebrating his remarkable life, and to reassess what is next for TIPP. Already, without question, we are determined to achieve TIPP’s first milestone, publication and distribution of the Narrative in Arabic, Hebrew, and English. With the Narrative already vetted by Palestinian and Israeli historians, we have a respected Israeli academic poised to complete the manuscript’s final technical editing and a publisher eager to start as soon as we give authorization. As steps unfold to place Jack’s vision out there in the world, we will continue to provide updates through posts on this website.
Remembering Jack Berriault
We invite you to learn more about Jack’s remarkable life and vision here on this website, and we invite you to share your own memories and thoughts about Jack in the Comments section below! Please check out the following links:
- Biographic sketch: Jack Berriault
- A post by Jack: A New Approach to the Relationship between Palestinian Arabs and Jewish Israelis!
- A post by Jack: Uri Avnery: "The Israeli Salvation Front"
Please share with us at this exquisite nexus of mourning, celebration, and possibility!
With Love,
Rick Phillips
Member, Board of Directors
The Israel Palestine Project
