NORTH HOLLYWOOD : Activist Plants ‘Peace Pole’ in Her Front Yard

After five decades of trying to bring peace to the four corners of the world, Esther Palo has finally brought a little peace to her North Hollywood neighborhood.

The 80-year-old peace activist has erected a six-foot-tall redwood “peace pole” in her front yard to remind others to continue struggling for peace both at home and abroad.

“I have to continue my work until we get peace in the whole world,” said Palo, who lives on Burton Street and says she has been a peace activist since her early 30s. “I’m going to do this until I die.”

The post is inscribed with the words “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in Yiddish, English, Spanish and Russian. The Yiddish, she said, symbolizes herself--she is Jewish--English and Spanish symbolize her neighbors and Russian represents her efforts at U. S.-Soviet peace.

She dedicated it to her late husband, Oliver Palo, and brother, both of whom served during World War II.

Palo traveled to the Soviet Union three times promoting peace during the Ronald Reagan presidency, cruising the Volga River with 107 other Americans and stopping in cities such as Stalingrad in hopes of demonstrating that the Soviets were as peaceful as Americans.

“We were led to believe that they were our enemy and an evil empire and Reagan was ready to drop the bomb,” Palo said.

In this country, Palo has been on similar peace treks down the Mississippi River and helped organize a peace conference in Los Angeles. Closer to home, she hopes to bring a peaceful coexistence between Spanish-speaking and English-speaking neighbors.

“Some of my neighbors will come over and say, ‘Oh those immigrants, those illegals,’ ” Palo said. “I’m trying to get some peace between the people in my neighborhood.”

For their part, neighbors say the peace pole is a welcome addition to the community, which is generally quiet except for the occasional gunshot heard from a nearby street.

“We want peace among the gangs too,” neighbor Alta Dahlenburg said. “We’ve had enough killings.”

Even those who object to Palo’s political leanings do not object to the post.

“We’re on opposite sides of the fence. I’m a conservative and she’s a liberal. But I’m for world peace,” neighbor Jeannie Hoverson said. “It’s a great idea.”

For Palo, who had triple-bypass surgery three months ago, the pole has already served its purpose.

“It reminds me that I have to have peace in my heart and peace toward my neighbors and peace toward humanity,” Palo said.