Two important speakers' tours are underway, and I have neglected to publicize them. There is still time to make a connection with these witnesses. Brit Tzedek has organized the "Breaking the Silence" tour. "Wheels of Justice" with Mazin Qumsiyeh and other speakers is making its way through western US cities.
Information about the Wheels of Justice Tour is at this web link: http://justicewheels.org/
The volunteer team asks for our assistance: "Would you consider helping arrange bookings in your area? With your help, we will continue to speak and mobilize at more high schools, more colleges, more churches, and more community centers and to a wider audience. If you live in the areas along the ... route or know people there, then please facilitate venues/hosting. We can accommodate speaking to audiences of varied background and adapting to circumstances. We speak to faith groups, to classes dealing with a variety of issues, to activist groups, to community organizations, and basically to any gathering of people who will hear us (we even spoke at a naval academy).
"So spread the word: call and email people you know along the present route or people/organizations you think might be interested. Also hold fundraising events and raise needed funds. To help along the route contact our booking agent: Abbie Coburn abigail.coburn@gmail.com"
Click this link for the tour schedule: http://justicewheels.org/event
Wheels for Justice is in Boise, Idaho, today and heading to Idaho Falls, then Salt Lake City and on into Wyoming.
Mazin Qumsiyeh writes: "It was energizing to be in Portland, Oregon and meet with so many good people. The most poignant and yet inspiring was spending time with Saed Bannoureh and Waddah Sofan, Palestinians paralyzed by the Israeli army bullets paid forby our taxes. See Saed's story here: `A moment that changed my life' - http://www.ifamericansknew.org/cur_sit/moment.html
"But we also had really uplifting times like speaking to bright students at colleges and universities, like services and networking done today at Central Lutheran Church - http://centralportland.org/ - and at the Catholic Workers' House in Portland - http://whitefeatherpeace.org/
"Wherever we go, we meet people already mobilized or people who will mobilize to act for peace and justice. That is after all love of humanity materializes into. We are touched and we are grateful for those who helped along the way (too many to mention). Rev. Brandt of (Central Lutheran Church) reminded us of our responsibilities as human beings towards those who are suffering. He reminded us that love is precisely about giving and living as God intended for us to live. He said that those of us who accept our responsibilities and choose to go down that path of peace-making are usually not the people you expect. And indeed those in power (Presidents, rulers, pharisees) will not get their way for the meek shall inherit the earth.
"Let us work so that this vision of justice and peace comes sooner than later so that fewer people suffer in the interim."
Wheels of Justice bus tour - http://justicewheels.org
Jennifer Grosvenor of Central Lutheran Church writes: "We had the Wheels of Justice speakers on Sunday and had 100 attend, 50 during the adult ed and 50 during the afternoon (50 total were members from the community, including college kids in dreads on bikes!). The Oregonian's advance coverage (used) the press release I'd sent ... "
See the Wheels of Justice web page for more reports and schedule: http://justicewheels.org/
The Breaking the Silence tour - http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=21661665. - is Brit Tzedek v'Shalom's 10-City tour with Gershon Baskin & Hanna Siniora, co-directors of the Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Development - http://www.ipcri.org/ - (IPCRI).
Founded in January 1988, at the beginning of the first Intifada, IPCRI serves as a joint Israeli-Palestinian think-tank and "do-tank," aiming to create and develop new concepts and ideas that enrich the political and public discourse in order to influence decision makers and to challenge the current political reality. IPCRI recognizes the rights of the Jewish people and the Palestinian people to fulfill their national interests within the framework of achieving national self-determination within their own states and by establishing peaceful relations between two democratic states living side-by-side.
Gershon Baskin, the Israeli Co-Director, co-founded IPCRI following years of experience facilitating Jewish-Arab relations within Israel, during which he worked for Interns for Peace, the Ministry of Education and the Institute for Education for Jewish-Arab Coexistence. Dr. Baskin has published books and articles ... on a range of topics related to the conflict. During the Premiership of the late Yitzhak Rabin, he served as an outside policy advisor of the peace process. Dr. Baskin was a member of the Jerusalem Experts Committee established by the Israeli Prime Minister's Office during the Final Status Negotiations in 2000-2001.
Hanna Siniora, a member of the Palestinian National Council since 1990, has a long and distinguished history of public service. He was the first Palestinian to officially meet Secretary of State George Schultz as a representative of the occupied territories, facilitating President Reagan's official recognition of the PLO. He served as a member of the Palestinian Jordanian delegation and advised the Palestinian delegation to Madrid in the early 90s. He is the founder and publisher of the Jerusalem Times, a weekly English-language Palestinian paper, and founder and co-chair of the Israeli-Palestinian radio station "All forPeace."
What's left of the tour schedule:
SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA - March 12
March 12, 7 pm, Kehilla Synagogue, 1300 Grand Avenue, Piedmont. Sponsor: San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of Brit Tzedek v'Shalom. Co-sponsor: Kehilla Synagogue. For more information, contact the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of Brit Tzedek v'Shalom by email: sf-bayarea@btvshalom.org
LOS ANGELES - March 15 - 16
March 15, 7:30 pm, Leo Baeck Temple, 1300 North Sepulveda Boulevard, Los Angeles
Sponsor: Los Angeles Area Chapter of Brit Tzedek v'Shalom. Co-sponsor: Leo Baeck Temple, The Progressive Jewish Alliance, and Americans for Peace Now. For more information, contact Claire Gorfinkel by email cgorfinkel@earthlink.net
March 16, 2:30 - 4:30 pm, Event with Los Angeles Brit Tzedek at the home of Arthur and Edith Stern. RSVP required by email: cgorfinkel@earthlink.net
DENVER - March 17
March 17, Time TBA, Political Science Department of Metro State College, Tivoly Center. Sponsor: Colorado Chapter of Brit Tzedek v'Shalom. For more information, contact Mark Belkin by email: belkinme@comcast.net
7:00 pm, B' nai Havurah, 6445 E Ohio Ave, Denver. Sponsor: Colorado Chapter of Brit Tzedek v'Shalom. For more information, contact Mark Belkin: belkinme@comcast.net
NEW YORK CITY AREA - March 23 - 25
Events with New York City Brit Tzedek v'Shalom Sponsors: New York City Chapter of Brit Tzedek v'ShalomFor more information, contact Sherry Alpern alp140@aol.com
PROVIDENCE - March 26
March 26, 7:00 pm, Temple Beth El, 70 Orchard Avenue, Providence. Sponsor: Rhode Island Chapter of Brit Tzedek v'Shalom. Co-sponsor: Temple Beth-El. For more information, contact Judith Kaye: judithkaye@aol.com
Brit Tzedek v'Shalom, The Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace
info@btvshalom.org
www.btvshalom.org
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