JOIN THE EVOLUTION!!!
A SHIFT: FROM PUTTING OUT FIRES…
TO REALIZING OUR TRUE ROLE
GRASSROOTS
LEADERSHIP FOR TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE
See: Lama collaboration workshop
GRASSROOTS JERUSALEM
((((( The site is coming soon )))))
Grassroots Jerusalem (“Grassroots”) strives to be an information, communication and co-
operation centre providing grassroots social change activists from East and West Jerusalem
with opportunities for meeting, sharing, education, capacity raising, empowerment, co-
ordination and co-operation on issues of common concern. Grassroots staff will produce and
disseminate information covering three areas:
1. Existing Initiatives in Jerusalem
2. International organisations dealing with similar issues
3. Unmet needs defined by Jerusalem’s diverse communities and neighbourhoods. Grassroots
staff, predominantly Palestinian, will concentrate and disseminate this information through
an online, interactive map of Jerusalem, a living representation of Jerusalem’s civil society.
Importance/Relevance:
Defy the Separation. The Grassroots centre will be the only place equally accessible for
both Israeli and Palestinian activists to meet in Jerusalem. It will defy the myriad of barriers
separating Israelis and Palestinians and serve as a basis to counter those Israeli policies that
perpetuate the physical separation of Palestinians from Israelis. The centre will provide
a home or heart for all the city’s residents, and office space for projects that community
activists develop, whilst also providing resources (internet, library, info-centre, etc.) for all.
The centre will be located in East Jerusalem, in the Wadi Joz area, which is convenient for
all.
Unity Through Knowledge. The reality of occupation and separation is also expressed in
the type of knowledge available to people. Israeli maps only show Western Jerusalem in a
detailed manner, most often portraying East Jerusalem as empty streets and open spaces.
UN agencies provide very detailed maps of East Jerusalem but leave West Jerusalem out.
The map that Grassroots will produce will be the first detailed map of Jerusalem in its
entirety.
Learning from Each Other. The fragmented nature of Jerusalem’s civil society means
that local activists in Jerusalem are often unaware of each other’s existence, even when
struggling with similar issues causing each organisation to reinvent the wheel. By creating
a unified picture and providing information about different initiatives in Jerusalem, activists
will be able to network, co-ordinate, exchange information and develop joint innovative
approaches to common problems.
Easier to Get Involved. Whether they are visitors from other countries, neighbouring
cities, or locals eager to get involved, many people who search for ways to contribute
to social change initiatives in Jerusalem don’t know where to begin. As a concentration
of information and social change initiatives in Jerusalem, Grassroots will make finding
organisations easier for supporters.
Seeing our Blind Spots. By providing tools and training for communities to map their needs
and assets themselves, local empowerment, ownership and capacity building is ensured.
Grassroots can provide activists with vital information possibilities for new initiatives. The
needs assessments will provide additional information about what people living in different
communities need and how they define their problems. This information should help
increase the relevance of work currently undertaken and work towards sustainability in the
communities. For instance, communities will be taught GPS technology to enable them to
map their communities themselves, as changes occur.
The key to Grassroots is community-based information, organisation, and action. We meet
community needs, as defined by the community itself, with community and local civil society
assets.
Relationship to Other Organisations: Grassroots is not an umbrella organisation or a
federation, it is a separate NGO committed to providing services to, and producing information
about, Jerusalem’s grassroots social change community. Grassroots will seek community
involvement in the management and activities of the centre, which we envision as an
interactive, co-operatively managed space.
Grassroots will include, host, and welcome any and all initiatives that (1) do not violate
universal human rights and (2) push for systemic change rather than only humanitarian
services.
______________________________________________________________________________
Contact Information:
Micha Kurz, Co-director:
Khaled Farraj, Co-director:
Angela Godfrey-Goldstein,
Advocacy Officer:
micha@grassrootsjerusalem.org | +972 547 451 912
khaled@grassrootsjerusalem.org | +972 544 612 169
angela@grassrootsjerusalem.org | +972 547 366 393
Grassroots Panel at the Taos Peace Week
Dear friends and family,
I’m writing to invite you to an open a panel and discussion on Thursday, the 28th which is the Grassroots Jerusalem Day of the Taos World Peace Week. The panel will take place at the Rio Grande Hall room #1 at the Taos Convention Center at 10am.
The panel will be geared toward open discussion. We will not shy away from discussing challenging issues and preconceived notions. I would like to welcome members of Another Jewish Voice, New Mexico and the Taos Jewish Center, as well as everyone who has strong opinions and passionately cares about resolving this ever escalating conflict. I hope that together we can come up with workable strategies. This discussion provides an opportunity to learn how we can be involved and influence the outcome of today’s hardships.
We are honored to host these participants who have traveled far to be with us:
Ilan Fathi is the director of educational programs for Breaking the Silence, a group that organizes tours to Hebron and surrounding area. They have developed various programs to educate people about the high price of the ongoing conflict– physically, morally and environmentally. Ilan also works with Ta’ayush, an Arab-Israeli humanitarian organization. Meeting with Arab families who knew him as an Israeli soldier, he enjoys meeting them without wearing a uniform or carrying weapons, just human to human.
Fareed Bitar is a poet and a social worker. He was born in Jerusalem in ’61. For the past fifteen years, he has worked for the AIDS department in New York City. Fareed writes from the heart – about how he feels about his homeland, the pain and suffering of his people and proposes real solutions between the Palestinians and the Israeli’s. In 1996, he edited a book of poetry about love and beauty, Treasury of Arabic Love: From the time of Jahiliah to the present. He also produced FATOOSH, a CD that narrates personal and collective experiences dealing with the ongoing bloodshed and war in the West Bank and Gaza for the past 60 years. He is currently working on a book that is a collection of his poems that deal with nature, love, war and peace. Fareed hopes to reach out and touch American audiences, by offering them eyewitness accounts of three wars.
Hilia Tsedaka is the founder of the Jerusalem Communities Network (Mosaic). By working with education, culture and tourism, the group hopes to ease tensions between Jews and Arabs, between religious & secular Jews, and between new immigrants– Ethiopian, Russian, as well as older ones. Mosaic wants to create an economically thriving Jerusalem that is safe for everyone. Hillia received an honorary mention from MIT for her work.
Miriam Stanley is an American Jew with a Yeshiva background, who has family living in Israel. She is part of Farid Bitar’s Fatoosh Ensemble. She has performed in NYC, Tel Aviv,and Metula (a town in northern Israel). She has read at several colleges in the United States. Her love of Eretz Yisrael (the land of Israel) is strong, but she opposes the policies of the current Israeli government. “I believe this as much as I believe in the book of Exodus”. She understands that compassion and justice are intrinsic to Israel’s survival. She believes that Jews and Arabs are relatives and that this “family fight” is ancient, tragic, and solvable. For this reason, she is empathic to both sides of the conflict.
I will be facilitating the panel. I am a former Israeli soldier, co-founder of Breaking the Silence and the director of Grassroots Jerusalem, a group that is creating a “map” of the many grassroots organizations already working on the ground. Grassroots Jerusalem hopes to coordinate efforts towards justice, human rights, social and environmental sustainability because a realistic peace must address these issues.
I currently live in El Rito, New Mexico. I believe that there is a strong connection between the communities in northern New Mexico and Jerusalem politically, historically and spiritually. Hoping to see you at the Taos World Peace Week.
Many blessings,
Micha Kurz, Director
Farmers Market, Friday April 10th
Come and help us continue the peace alliance between farmers and organic vegetables lovers.
لنتشارك ونتواصل في صنع المحبة والسلام بين المزارعين ومحبي الطبيعه والخضرة
בואו ועזרו לנו להמשיך את הברית בין חקלאים לאוהבי ירקות אורגניים בני כל העמים
The market will take place on Friday, April 10, from 10:00 till 16:00
(in case of rain, it will be postponed to the following week)
Getting there
From Jerusalem: Coming from Malha train station, near the shopping mall, pass the railway station and go towards Ein-Yael. After the railway station it should be about 3 kilometer until you reach the checkpoint. Immediately after passing the checkpoint there is a dirt road on the left that goes up the hill, 250 meters later it is Abed’s land.
From Bethlehem: Coming from Ras Beit-Jalla, turn right to Crimsan Monastery, pass it and continue downward to find Abed’s land on the right side of the dirt road.
השוק יתקים ביום שיש 10 באפריל, מ 10:00 עד 16:00
אם ירד גשם השוק ידחה לשבוע הבא
:איך מגיעים
נוסעים לתחנת הרכבת הסמוכה לקניון מלחה. במעגל תנועה, בכביש הלוקח מהקניון ותחנת הרכבת לכיוון גן החיות וגבעת משואה, פונים שמאלה לכיוון עין יעל והר גילה. קצת אחרי “עין יעל” מגיעים למחסום. ישר לאחריו יש משטח עפר גדול, וממנו מתחיל לטפס שביל של כ250 מטר עד לחלקה של עבד. מיד לאחר חצית פסי הרכבת ניתן לתפוס טרמפים עם כלי-רכב שנוסעים בכיוון
الوصول من الاراضي الفلسطينية عن طريق بيت جالا : الدخول الى دير كريمزان لمسافة 300 متر والمرور حتى نهاية طريق كله مشجر وعندنهاية الطريق يتم سلوك طريق ترابي يمين القادم
Contacts:
Abed 052-2458216, Nimrod 050-2600590, Ayala 054-6223652, Ofer 054-7872779
مسيرة الربيع
يوم الأثنين 4/13 – السير من منطقة عين عميت عن طريق سهل رفايم بيتار، لعين حنية، نوم في أرض عبد.
يوم الثلاثاء 4/14 – السير من عين حنية حتى عين كارم والنوم هناك .
للاستفسار الرجاء الاتصال على (احتمال تغييرات في المسار – الرجاء الاتصال قبل الوصول) يوآب 0506518800 § راحيل 0544948914
מעגל הדרך – מסע אביב 2009 9-15.4.2009
13.4.2009 – יום ב’ – הליכה ממבוא בית”ר דרך עמק רפאים, בתיר, לעין חניה, ולינה בחלקה של עבד.
14.4.2009 – יום ג’ – הליכה מהחלקה של עבד דרך עין לבן ולינה בעין-כרם.
יתכנו שינויים בתכנית בכל עת – יש ליצור קשר לפני ההגעה למסע:
יואב טריפון – 050-6518800 רחל בן שי טרית – 054-4948914
תכנית מלאה של המסע ניתן למצוא ב: www.geocities.com/aliya_laregel
Pathway Circle Pilgrimage, ٍSpring 2009
Monday 13.4.2009 – walk to Ein Kobi, and through Batir and Emek Refaim, Ein-Haniya, to Abed’s land and camp there
Tuesday 14.4.2009 – walk from Ein-Haniya to Ein-Kerem, and camp in the Roman grove.
For contact details and updates on the hours and route of the journey
(there may be changes in the route; please contact us before joining)
call: Yoav Trifon – 050-6518800 § Rachel Ben-Shitrit – 054-4948914
See complete route at: www.geocities.com/aliya_laregel
Paul Hawken says it best:
Active local grassroots groups in Jerusalem are Part of a growing global grassroots network.
Jerusalem is a city in disaster with the potential of being a Beautiful city of Balanced Justice for all who live in it, Eastern, Western, Muslim, Russian, Gypsy, Christian, Israeli, German, Ethiopian, Palestinian, Jewish, Armenian, Religious, Secular, new Immigrant, old Native…Women and Men! It is our business to help make it work!!! Whether you realize it yet or not yet, you are a part of the Grassroots Network. What role do you play?
Womens gathering- Jerusalem Communities Network
עברית בהמשך يسرنا دعوتكن للقاء النسوي من أجل” قدس أفض
Dear Friends, You are invited to a gathering of women for a Better Jerusalem, We hope to see you all, many beautiful women from diverse communities sharing your talents with each other and your traditional music and foods (please bring something traditional to eat or drink (this will be a small gathering). Within these crazed times of hardships, we will discuss ways to Strengthen the Actions of Non-Violence for a Better Jerusalem and Conduct Prayers from Different Faiths. The meeting will be held This Tuesday, March 24. at 15 Naomi Street in Abu Tor at 15:30 on Please let us know if you can come.
With Love and Respect, Hilia and Elana Jerusalem Communities Network and Trust-Emun hilianurit@gmail.com, 054-6373010 elana@trust-emun.org, 052-2861779 http://jerusalem-mosaic.org
يسرنا دعوتكن للقاء النسوي من أجل” قدس أفضل نأمل مشاركتكن معنا في هذا اللقاء الذي يشمل نساء من مختلف الأجناس والمشاركة بقدراتكن بالموسيقى والأطباق المميزة الرجاء إحضار مأكولات او مشروبات شعبية وفي ظل الأحداث الصعبة التي نمر بها سنتحاور سويا للبحث عن طرق و أطر للعمل من أجل الحد من العنف من أجل قدس أفضل وسنصلي الصلوات المختلفة سويا سيعقد اللقاء في تمام الساعة 15:30 من يوم الثلاثاء القادم 24/3/2009 في شارع نعومي 15 أبو طور الرجاء إرسال إيميل لتأكيد المشاركة مع كل الحب والتقدير هيليا و إيلانا شبكة جماهير القدس و إمون ترست
חברות יקרות, אנו שמחות להזמינכן למפגש של נשים למען ירושלים טובה יותר, אנו מקוות לראות אתכן, נשים רבות מקהילות שונות, משתפות זו את זו בכישרונותיכן, במוזיקה ובמאכלים הייחודיים שלכן (אנא הביאו מאכל או משקה מסורתי). בתקופה לא-פשוטה זו, אנו גם נשוחח על הדרכים לחיזוק עשייה לא-אלימה- ליצירת ירושלים טובה יותר, ונערוך תפילות מן המסורות השונות. המפגש ייערך ביום ג’ הקרוב ה- 24/3/09 , בשעה 15:30. ברחוב נעמי 15, אבו תור. אנא חזרו אלינו ואמרו לנו אם ביכולתכן להגיע. באהבה וכבוד, היליה’ אילנה ואיבטיסאם, רשת קהילות ירושלים ואמון-טראסט
hilianurit@gmail.com, 054-6373010 elana@trust-emun.org, 052-2861779
Middle East Political Camp
Dear all,
We are glad to present you the first Middle East Political Camp in Palestine: Bridges, not walls.
It is organized by The Alternative Information Center (AIC), an internationally oriented, progressive, joint Palestinian-Israeli activist organization. It is engaged in dissemination of information, political advocacy, grassroots activism and critical analysis of the Palestinian and Israeli societies as well as the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The AIC strives to promote full individual and collective social, economic, political and gender equality, freedom and democracy and a rejection of the philosophy of separation.
The most urgent regional task is to find a just solution to the century-old colonial conflict in Palestine and confront the ongoing Israeli occupation-regime within its international framework. The AIC method of action develops from the awareness that local struggle must be practically and analytically situated within the framework of the global justice struggle.
The internal AIC structure and working relationship aims to reflect the above mentioned values.
In this frame we decided to organize a political camp, in which attendants can reach a good level of knowledge of the conflict and the culture throughout several lectures, conferences, meetings with local grassroots associations along with politicians.
Please find attached the proposal and the program of the Camp, as well as the application form.
The deadline for submission is 25 MARCH 2009.
For more info, do not hesitate to contact us:
ahamda@alt-info.org (Arab and English)
flavioibba@virgilio.it (Italian)
stella46uk@yahoo.com (English, Italian, French, Spanish)
we are glad to announce that the political camp scheduled for Easter Period is now open to EVERYONE who wants to participate.
The amount is 320 Euros instead of 420 and the program has been changed due to logistic reasons.
Please spread the news!
Thanks to everybody. You
AIC staff
To download poster, invitation and application form
http://www..alternativenews.org/content/view/1598/381/
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Urgent message from Eliyahu Mclean, Jerusalem Peace Makers
Hello friends and supporters, While most news you receive from the Holy Land in the aftermath of the Gaza war is awful, the peacemakers continue their work, invisible to the eyes of the world. This has been a difficult time, the gap of mistrust and anger between the Israelis and Palestinians is as wide as ever.
In the face of all of this though, we have
Eliyahu Mclean is a Long time Rodef Shalom- Pursuer of Peace
deepened our commitment to work for peace. As Elias Jabbour, director of the House of Hope puts it, “its up to us to keep the torch of hope alive, we have no other other choice.” Take the time to read this update about the sacred work of our family of peacebuilders, hope you will be inspired.
ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS GATHER FOR SOLIDARITY AND CELEBRATION AT THE DEAD SEA, January 30-31 Eighty Palestinians and Israelis came together for the Gathering of Light and Unity on Metzukei Dragot beach, an oasis of beautiful fresh and saltwater pools on the Dead Sea shore. This area is easily accessible for both Israelis and Palestinians who came from across the West Bank without the need for travel permits. For two days we shared meals, music and dance, prayers and speaking from the heart together. This gathering, organized by Ilana Meallem, brought together many people yearning to connect as a family of human beings in light of all thats happened recently.
HEALING ABRAHAM’S FAMILY PRAYER AND HOSPITAL VISIT, AT TEL HASHOMER HOSPITAL, TEL AVIV, January 26 Forty people came together as Jerusalem Peacemakers joined with Rabbis for Human Rights to organize a prayer gathering at Tel Hashomer hospital in Tel Aviv. This event was advertised in Israeli media: “Muslim, Jewish and Christian Religious Leaders Raise Their Voices Together for: A Cry of Mourning; Affirmation of Responsibility to work for Reconciliation, Human Rights and Peace, a Future of Hope and Healing of the Wounds between our People”. We read traditional prayers for mourning of the dead in the Jewish, Christian and Muslim traditions and offered personal prayers followed by a group prayer for peace in Hebrew and Arabic. We then split up, some going to visit a wounded Israeli soldier and many others visiting Izzedin Abuelish and his daughter, the Gaza doctor whose 3 daughters were killed in the Gaza violence, with a fourth daughter being treated in Tel Hashomer hospital. Read more about our event in this LA Times article: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2009/01/israel-interfai.html
JERUSALEM PEACEMAKERS WEST JERUSALEM CENTER HOSTS TALKS AND PEACE GATHERINGS At our West Jerusalem peace center recently, we hosted study sessions with Rabbi Marc Gopin on ‘The Source of Peace’ and a text study session with Rabbi Daniel Roth from the Pardes Institiute. On December 22nd we hosted an inter-religious Hannukah peace celebration with over 50 Israelis and Palestinians joining for dialogue, music and prayer. THIRD
WORLD CONGRESS OF IMAMS AND RABBIS FOR PEACE IN PARIS, FRANCE, December 15-17 We joined the Third World Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace in Paris, organized by Hommes de Parole. One hundred Imams and Rabbis came from all over the world to bring the voice of Judaism and Islam to build a bridges of dialogue and help solve conflicts motivated by religion in the Middle East, Europe and the world. Leaders included Sheikh Abdallah Nimr Darwish, founder of the Islamic movement in Israel and Rabbi Avraham Yosef, son of Sephardic rabbinic authority Ovadiah Yosef. There were plenary sessions, a visit to a Paris peace monument and a mosque and synagogue. Politics tended to divide us, the evenings of sharing in the music of Andalucia, the mutual Jewish and Islamic heritage, brought us together. See great pictures from the Tel Aviv prayer event, Hannukah peace celebration and World Congress of Imams and Rabbis at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jerusalem_peacemakers/sets/
SHEIKH BUKHARI HELPS FAMILIES IN GAZA REBUILD THEIR LIVES Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bukhari has a wide family and community network in Gaza. His wife is from Gaza, his sister and his daughter are both married and live in Gaza. They are part of the Sufi, Uzbek and wider communities in Gaza that have seen their homes and lives shattered in the recent fighting. Sheikh Bukahri has been collecting donations and sending it directly to families in need in Gaza.
RABBI MENACHEM FROMAN CONTINUES HIS WORK FOR A CEASE FIRE AND DIALOGUE WITH HAMAS Throughout the Gaza war, Rabbi Menachem Froman was working on efforts to bring about a cease fire between Israel and Hamas. Please read this article about his call for for dialogue with Hamas, and a new chance for peace in the wake of the recent war: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1058461.html Rabbi Froman was also recently featured in the New York Times, calling for Barack Obama to involve Israeli and Palestinian religious leaders in the renewed peace process: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/world/middleeast/06froman.html?_r=1&emI
IIBTISAM MAHAMID CONTINUES HER PEACEMAKING WORK
Ibtisam Mahamid is building a new peace center, the Tent of Hagar and Sarah in her town of Faradis in northern Israel. She initiated a project to train and empower Muslim Arab women. These women formed a women’s council and got their chosen candidate elected mayor of Faradis. During the Gaza war, Ibtisam spent hours visiting wounded children from Gaza in Israeli hospitals and joined a delegation to visit the Israeli town of Sderot. Ibtisam was chosen to receive an award, “Unsung Heroes of Compassion”, by the Dalai Lama in San Francisco in April. A message from Ibtisam: “We are the children of Abraham, family. Every day I light a candle in my heart– no anger, no hatred. We want peace, we will take peace by the hands, for the sake of our grandchildren. As a peace activist, I give compassion to myself and to the world… if you dont have inner quiet and peace in your heart, you cant give it to the world.” A MESSAGE FROM IBRAHIM ABUELHAWA We are asking God to stop the war and fighting especially in the Holy Land between the seeds of Abraham. We have to go back to God, and to study the word of God, which it is that we are all one, and we have to love one another, and especially to love our neighbors as our brothers and ourself. Thats the key for everything between the children of Abraham. Is really been hard and tough time with everyone in this land, and we wish everyone to be healthy and safe in his own home. We are doing all this work with almost no budget. Please make a contribution, small or large, to support the work of the Jerusalem Peacemakers. We count on your support, in its different forms– prayer and financial support –to empower us to continue this work in the Holy Land. In the USA, in order to make a tax-deductible contribution, write a check to: ‘Rising Tide International’, make a note on the memo line: ‘for Jerusalem Peacemakers’ and send it to: Rising Tide International, 5102 Swiss Road, Sarasota, FL 34231 To make a donation by check in the UK, AND to make a donation by credit card with Paypal from anywhere, click this link of Jerusalem Peacemakers UK. Calculate your donation in its equivalent in British pounds: http://www.spiritofpeace.co.uk/jerusalempeacema.html To send support directly and to contact us by mail: Jerusalem Peacemakers, PO Box 31894, Jerusalem, 91316 Israel For making a direct donation to help the people of Gaza, Sheikh Bukhari is collecting donations. Contact Sheikh Bukhari by email for info of how you can contribute: azizb17@hotmail.com Shalom, Salaam, Eliyahu McLean, Jerusalem Peacemakers, co-director http://www.jerusalempeacemakers..org
Gaza Surge
Statement By Israeli Women’s Organizations:
We women’s organizations from a broad spectrum of political views demand an end to the bombing and other tools of death, and call for the immediate start of deliberations to talk peace and not make war. The dance of death and destruction must come to an end. We demand that war no longer be an option, nor violence a strategy, nor killing an alternative. The society we want is one in which every individual can lead a life of security – personal, economic, and social.
It is clear that the highest price is paid by women and others from the periphery – geographic, economic, ethnic, social, and cultural – who now, as always, are excluded from the public eye and dominant discourse.
The time for women is now. We demand that words and actions be conducted in another language.
Ahoti- For Women in Israel
Anuar- Jewish and Arab Women Leadership
Artemis- Economic Society for Women
Aswat- Palestinian Gay Women
Bat Shalom
Coalition of Women for Peace
Economic Empowerment for Women
Feminancy: College for Women’s Empowerment
Feminist Activist Group – Jerusalem
Feminist Activist Group – Tel Aviv
International Women’s Commission: Israeli Branch
Isha L’Isha- Haifa Feminist Center
Itach: Women Lawyers for Social Justice
Kol Ha-Isha- Jerusalem Women’s Center
Mahut Center- Information, Guidance and Employment for Women
Shin Movement- Equal Representation for Women
Supportive Community- Women’s Business Development Center
TANDI – Movement of Democratic Women for Israel
Tmura: The Israeli Antidiscrimination Legal Center
University against Harassment – Tel Aviv
Women and their Bodies
Women’s Parliament
Women’s Spirit- Financial Independence for Women Victims of Violence
Grassroots Jerusalem 
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