Laila Najjar and Adi Frish: The Courage to Be Friends

You wouldn't guess that most would expect Adi and Laila, close as sisters, to be mortal enemies. Nor would you think that their friendship was unusual unless you listened to their conversation: They speak Hebrew part of the time, but gossip in Arabic.

Adi, 23, an Israeli Jew, and Laila, 22, a Palestinian Muslim who lives in Israel, know that they share an uncommon relationship. They grew up together in a unique Israeli village called Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam (Oasis of Peace), which was established by Palestinians and Israelis as a place where the two groups could interact. The community is home to over 50 families, and has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize five times.

Like any good friends, Adi and Laila are quick to point out that they are just two people who are simply happy to share each other's company. "It's like any friendship between two people," says Laila. "We've had our share of arguments about all kinds of subjects, we sometimes have different opinions, but nothing special that you could tie to the fact that she's Jewish and I'm an Arab."

But Adi and Laila's enduring friendship represents hope and peace for their two peoples, whose long, fierce conflict has resulted in thousands of deaths. And the girls are hoping that people in Israel will learn from their example.

"I hope everyone will find the courage to do things that lead in a positive direction," says Adi, "rather than distancing ourselves from each other. I don't think it's heroic, or the kind of courage a soldier displays, perhaps. But I think we're proud of what we've done, and that we've found the courage to develop something that feels right to us."

Zohar Sharon: The Courage to Persevere

The caddy selects the club, positions the golf ball, and then Zohar swings. Straining his ears, Zohar listens for the soft sound of the ball landing on the ground somewhere in the distance, close to the hole. He instinctively knows it's a good tee shot--but he can't see the ball.

An Israeli army veteran who was wounded in action, Zohar, 53, has been blind for over 25 years, but he plays golf like a pro. He won the World Invitational Blind Champion Golfer tournament in Scotland, and played in a tournament which earned $70,000 to benefit Beit Halochem, an organization which provides rehabilitation to disabled Israeli army veterans. Last November, he succeeded in accomplishing a golfer's dream by hitting a hole-in-one.

Zohar attributes his inner strength to a deep connection with God. "I need God to help me," he explains simply. "I am certain that I have a connection with God, and that God watches over me, and helps me with everything I need."

Zohar practices for up to ten hours a day on a golf course in Caesaria, and works out at a gym for three hours a day to help stay limber. His caddy, Shimshon Levy, acts as Zohar's eyes by placing the club alongside the ball, checking Zohar's swing, and explaining the obstacles on the golf course.

Zohar believes that playing golf "is not a matter of courage. It's a decision you make in an instant. The tough part is sticking with it."

Ilan Ramon: The Courage to Hope

When Israel's first astronaut, Colonel Ilan Ramon, began a historic mission on the space shuttle Columbia on January 16, 2003, he instantly became a symbol of hope and pride for Israel and the Jewish people

Born to a Holocaust survivor and a veteran of Israel's 1948 War of Independence, Ilan was a colonel in the Israeli Air Force, and flew one of the F-16 jets that destroyed the Iraqi nuclear reactor in 1981. He felt that the entire country could share in his personal achievement. "I'm the kind of proof for my parents and their generation that whatever we've been fighting for in the last century is coming true," he explained before the launch.

Although Ilan wasn't observant, he felt that he represented Jews all over the world, and conducted himself as such within the space shuttle. He insisted on eating only kosher food, determined the proper time to observe Shabbat in space, and said the shema as he flew over Jerusalem. He brought several religious items aboard the Columbia, including a mezuzah, a Kiddush cup, a book of Psalms, and a credit card-size microfiche copy of the Bible, given to him by Israel's president, Moshe Katsav. He also brought a small Torah scroll that had survived the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp with the help of a boy, Yehoyachin Yosef, who became the Israeli scientist who contributed to the main experiment that Ilan performed in space.

Ilan explained that the Torah symbolized "more than anything, the ability of the Jewish people to survive everything, including horrible periods, and go from the darkest days to days of hope and faith in the future." At the time, Israel was enduring a horrific period of violence, and Ilan's message lifted the spirits of the nation.

Tragically, Ilan was killed with his six other crewmates when the Columbia disintegrated on February 1, 2003, just 16 minutes before its scheduled landing. While on board, Ilan--whose name means "tree"--asked Jews throughout the world to plant trees in Israel. After his death, hundreds heeded his call and purchased 48,000 trees as a fitting memorial to the astronaut who courageously looked to the future--and saw hope