This We Can Do: Quaker faith in action through the Alternatives to Violence Project

Sally Herzfeld

ଜାନୁଆରୀ 2015 · James Backhouse Lectures 15 ବହି · Interactive Publications Pty Ltd

ଏହି ଇବୁକ୍ ବିଷୟରେ

 Quakers have had a big influence on the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) from its beginning in 1975. This is consistent with their emphasis on seeking ‘that of God in everyone’ and their commitment to finding nonviolent ways to respond to conflict. In this lecture, drawing on long experience, Sally Herzfeld outlines the remarkable development of AVP within prisons, schools and social groups, and its spread to 60 countries. The philosophy and processes used in AVP workshops are explained in a way that makes it clear why this approach has changed many lives and helped build more peaceful communities. 

ଲେଖକଙ୍କ ବିଷୟରେ

 Alison, the second of five children of Elsie and Cyril Gare, grew up in the hills near Perth in the village of Darlington. Once staunch Anglicans, Cyril and Elsie became Friends in the mid-1940s and their children gradually became members with them. Alison’s name changed to Al, then Ali and finally, Sally.

With parents supporting the United Nations, Aboriginal welfare and several Society of Friends’ projects, it is no wonder that Sally became involved in some of these, too. But she was also a keen Girl Guide, who earned the Queen’s Guide award and later was a Guide leader of companies in four different places.

She qualified as a teacher of Early Childhood, but has taught all grades since then. Her first appointment was for two wonderful years at the Forrest River Mission (now Umbulgurri) in the far north of Western Australia. Here she gratefully received the gift of a primus stove from the Friends Service Council (FSC). Later, while teaching back near Perth, she was involved with her parents at the Allawah Grove Aboriginal Settlement. Here the FSC had a project to help improve the people’s living standards.

Her next appointment in September 1959 was to start a school in Port Hedland for Aboriginal children who hadn’t attended school before and couldn’t speak English. During the following two and a third years she was again welcomed into an Aboriginal community and learned to love these people and plenty about their culture before alcohol and drugs intervened.

Marrying Tom Herzfeld in 1962, Sally had to follow the rule of the day and leave teaching to be a good wife and mother. Tom was a civil engineer with the Water Supply. While travelling the state they had three children, John, Wendy and Andrew before settling back into Darlington in 1969. 

Three years later she and Tom bought a small private school in Darlington. The newly-formed school council gradually bought the block and classroom from them, with Sally as principal for ten years. The primary school developed and in 1988 she became the coordinator of a new high school on a different campus. Her involvement with Helena College still continues. 

Sally’s AVP journey started in 2002 when she trained in Acacia Prison for men, to become a facilitator. She considers herself very lucky since then to have been able to facilitate workshops in schools, prisons and with different community groups around Australia and in other countries.

Although family time with the three children, nine grandchildren and four great grandchildren takes priority, Sally is chair of the board of a women’s refuge, joins refugee women for cooking and handcraft activities, and is treasurer of AVP WA. She is grateful for her very full and interesting life.