Global, Justice

22-City Tour with Combatants for Peace

In case the earlier post sparked any interest:

Brit Tzedek v’Shalom is pleased to announce that our 22-city speaking tour with Combatants for Peace will launch today in Atlanta, Georgia. The tour will then proceed to metropolitan areas across the country: Raleigh, New York City, Philadelphia, New Haven, Bridgeport, Amherst, Albany, Providence, Detroit, Ann Arbor, Kalamazoo, Chicago, St. Louis, Columbia, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Portland, Eugene and finally Seattle.

See tour schedule below.

The Combatants for Peace movement was founded in 2005 by Israelis and Palestinians who were once actively involved in perpetuating the cycle of violence. They decided to put down their weapons, and to fight instead for peace through dialogue, reconciliation and educational outreach. In addition to organizing countless meetings between Israeli and Palestinian veterans, the Combatants for Peace have worked together to raise the consciousness in both larger Israeli and Palestinian societies of the aspirations and fears of those on the “other side,” and in so doing to create partners in dialogue.
Combatants for Peace Tour Speakers:
Sulaiman Al Hamri is the Palestinian coordinator for Combatants for Peace. He spent four-and-a-half years in Israeli prisons for his involvement in anti-occupation protests and demonstrations before deciding to pursue a non-violent approach to resolving the conflict.
Elik Elhanan (Jan. 8-27) is the Israeli coordinator of Combatants for Peace. He is familiar with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict both as a fighter and as a victim: from 1995 to 1998 he served as a soldier in an IDF combat unit. In 1997 his sister was killed by a Palestinian suicide bombing in Jerusalem.
Shimon Katz (Jan. 28-Feb. 9) served for four years as an officer in an elite IDF unit. After studying meditation in the Far East, he became interested in non-violent ways of living.
TOUR SCHEDULE OF PUBLIC EVENTS
January 8, 2007 — ATLANTA, GA
5:45 PM radio interview on “Just Peace” 89.3 WRFG Atlanta
7.30pm, Congregation Beit Haverim/Central Congregational Church, 2676 Clairmont Rd.
Sponsor: Atlanta Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
January 9, 2007 – RALEIGH, NC
5pm (teens), 7:30 pm (open) Beth Meyer Synagogue, 504 Newton Road
Sponsor: Raleigh Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
Co-sponsor: Beth Meyer Synagogue Social Action Committee
For more information, contact Ellen Potter, Beth Meyer Synagogue Office Manager by phone (919) 848-1420
January 10, 2007 — BROOKLYN, NY
7pm, Congregation Beth Elohim, 274 Garfield Place (corner of 8th Ave)
Sponsor: New York City Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
For more information, contact Carinne Luck by phone (212) 366-1670
January 11, 2007 — NEW YORK CITY, NY
7 pm The Village Temple, 33 E. 12th St. (between University and Broadway)
Sponsor: New York City Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
Co-sponsor: The Village Temple
For more information, contact Carinne Luck by phone (212) 366-1670
January 12, 2007 – BERWYN, PA
7:30 pm (Shabbat services) 8:15 pm (presentation) Congregation Or Shalom, 835 Derby-Paoli Rd.
Sponsor: Philadelphia Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
Co-sponsor: Congregation Or Shalom
For more information, contact Chris MacDonald-Dennis by phone (734) 383-5034

January 13, 2007–CHERRY HILL, NJ

8pm House Party at home of Dr. Dan Gottlieb
Sponsor: Philadelphia Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
Co-sponsor: Congregation M’kor Shalom
For more information, call the Philadelphia Chapter at (856) 424-4220
January 14, 2007- PHILADELPHIA, PA
1pm potluck in home of Paul Shane in Germantown
Sponsor: Philadelphia Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
Co-sponsor: The Kehila for Secular Jews of Philadelphia.
For more information, contact Chris MacDonald- Dennis by phone (734) 383-5034
January 16, 2007 — ORANGE, CT
7:30pm Temple Emanuel of Greater New Haven, 150 Derby Tpke
Sponsor: Connecticut Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
For more information, contact Joe Dimow by phone (203) 878-2267, or Arlene Cohen at Temple Emanuel at (203) 878-2267
January 17, 2007– WOODBRIDGE, CT
12 noon, “Lunch and Learn,” lunch provided, Jewish Community Center of Greater New Haven, 360 Amity Rd.
Sponsors: Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven and Congregation Mishkan Israel
Please RSVP if you plan to attend to Ruth Gross at the Jewish Federation (203) 387-2424 x310
January 17, 2007– BRIDGEPORT, CT
7:30pm, Bridgeport Jewish Center for Community Services, 4200 Park Ave
Sponsor: Connecticut Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
For more information, contact Joe Dimow by phone (203) 781-8447 or Laurie Gross at JCCS at (203) 372-6567
January 18, 2007 — AMHERST, MA
7:30pm, Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk, Amherst Center
Sponsor: Western Massachusetts Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
Co-sponsor: Veterans Education Project
For more information, contact Carolyn Toll Oppenheim by phone (413) 584-0722 or Lisa Lieberman at (413) 253-4966
January 20, 2007–DELMAR, NY
4pm, Bethlehem Town Hall, 445 Delaware Ave.
Sponsor: Capitol District Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
Co-sponsor: Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace
For more information, contact Jack Alexander by phone (518) 674-8582
January 20, 2007–TROY, NY
8pm, Congregation Berith Sholom, 167 Third Street
Sponsor: Capitol District Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
Co-sponsors: Congregation Berith Sholom, Temple Gates of Heaven of Schenectady
For more information, contact Jack Alexander by phone (518) 674-8582
January 21, 2007–PROVIDENCE, RI
4pm, Jewish Community Center of Rhode Island, 401 Elmgrove Ave
Sponsor: Rhode Island Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
For more information, contact Judith Kaye by phone at (401) 751-8665
January 22, 2007–OAK PARK, MI
7:30pm, Congregation Beth Shalom, 14601 West Lincoln Rd.
Sponsor: Detroit Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
Co-sponsors: Ameinu, Congregation Beth Shalom
January 23, 2007–ANN ARBOR, MI
7:30pm, Jewish Community Center of Washtenaw County, 2935 Birch Hollow Dr.
Sponsor: Ann Arbor Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
January 24, 2007–KALAMAZOO, MI
7:30pm, House Party at home of Tamara Normal
Sponsor: Kalamazoo Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
January 25, 2007–EVANSTON, IL
7:30pm, Beth Emet The Free Synagogue, 1224 Dempster (at Ridge)
Sponsor: Chicago Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
Co-sponsors: Beth Emet The Free Synagogue, Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation, Congregation Hakafa, Lakeside Congregation for Reform Judaism, North Shore Coalition for Peace and Justice
For more information, contact Aliza Becker through the Brit Tzedek national office at (312) 341-1205

January 26, 2007–BURBANK, IL

7 pm, Beit Iksa Association Center (lower level), 6000 W. 79th Street
Sponsor: Chicago Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
Co-sponsors: Palestinian American Women’s Society, Beit Iksa Association, Lifta Association, Mosque Foundation Bridgeview, National Arab American Journalists Association, American Task Force on Palestine
For more information, contact Saffiya Shillo through the Brit Tzedek national office at (312) 341-1205
January 28, 2007–ST. LOUIS, MO
2:30pm, Central Reform Congregation, 5020 Waterman Ave.
Sponsor: St. Louis Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
Co-sponsor: Children of Abraham
For more information, contact Lois Levine (314) 968-9917
January 29, 2007–ST. LOUIS, MO
7:30 pm. Ursa’s Fireside, Shepley Drive, Washington University.
Sponsors: St. Louis Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom, Washington University Students for Israeli-Palestinian Peace
For more information, contact Aviva Joffe by (610) 308-3765
January 30, 2007–COLUMBIA, MO
12 noon, Stotler Lounge, Memorial Union, University of Missouri-Columbia
Sponsor: Kansas City Chapter of Brit Tzdek v’Shalom
Local Sponsors: Boone Tikkun, University of Missouri-Columbia Peace Studies Department, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, GRO, Fellowship of Reconciliation
For more information, contact Carol Greenspan by (573) 874-5077
January 31, 2007–LOS ANGELES, CA
8pm. Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N Sepulveda Blvd. (Amy Wilentz will be moderating and Yuval Ron, Craig Taubman, and Palestinian vocalist Saleem will be performing.)
Sponsor: Los Angeles Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
Co-sponsors: Dr. Jordan Farkas Foundation, Americans for Peace Now, Rabbi Neil Comess-Daniels of Beth Shir Sholom (for identification purposes only), Muslim Public Affairs Council, Islamic Center of Southern California, CODEPINK: Women for Peace, Rabbi Haim Beliak’s JewsOnFirst.org, B’nai Horin-Children of Freedom, Rabbi Steven B. Jacobs’ Progressive Faith Foundation, Levantine Cultural Center
February 1, 2007–LOS ANGELES, CA
7:30pm Temple Israel of Hollywood, 7300 Hollywood Blvd., between La Brea and Fairfax Ave.
Sponsor: Los Angeles Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
February 2, 2007–SANTA CRUZ, CA
12:30pm, Santa Cruz Hillel, 222 Cardiff Place
Sponsor: Santa Cruz Hillel Foundation
Co-sponsor: Santa Cruz Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
February 2, 2007–SANTA CRUZ, CA
8pm (following 7pm Shabbat Services), Quaker Meeting House, 225 Rooney St.
Sponsor: Santa Cruz Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
Co-sponsor: Chadeish Yameinu, The Jewish Renewal Community of Santa Cruz
February 3, 2007–SAN FRANCISCO, CA
TBA
Sponsor: San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of Brit Tzdek v’Shalom
February 4, 2007–OAKLAND, CA
12 noon, Grand Lake Theatre, 3200 Grand Avenue (Cross Street: Lake Park Avenue)
Sponsor: San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of Brit Tzdek v’Shalom
February 5, 2007–PORTLAND, OR
7:30pm, Congregation Neveh Shalom, 2900 SW Peaceful, Lane
Sponsor: Portland Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
For more information, contact Sandy Polishuk or (503) 249-1957/ (503) 504-5118
February 6, 2007– PORTLAND, OR
3pm, Portland State University MultiCultural Center, 228 Smith Memorial Student Union
Sponsor: Portland Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
For more information, contact Sandy Polishuk by email or (503) 249-1957/ (503) 504-5118
February 7, 2007–EUGENE, OR
Evening TBA, Temple Beth Israel, Portland Street & 25th Ave
Sponsor: Eugene Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
For more information, contact Ellen Rifkin or or (541) 343-8005
February 8, 2007–SEATTLE, WA
7pm, Schaffer Auditorium, Lemieux Library Building, Seattle University, 12th Ave East & E. Marion St., guest parking entrance
Sponsor: Seattle Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
For more information, contact the Seattle Chapter by (206) 442-2077
February 9, 2007–SEATTLE, WA
TBA
Sponsor: Seattle Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
For more information, contact the Seattle Chapter or (206) 442-2077

8 thoughts on “22-City Tour with Combatants for Peace

  1. Hey KFJ, thanks for bringing this organization to my attention. I checked out their website, it really sounds like these guys might be for real. Doing the right stuff the right way. I e-mailed them for more info, and possibly to join, being a ‘combatant for peace’ myself I guess. Anyone out there know anything more about them, their rep., etc.?

  2. They are completely legitimate. I think their website has a video of the first meeting.
    They were in Philly a few months ago. Actually, the Israeli couldn’t get out of the country, so it was just the Arab. There was no media coverage. Baruch HaShem for the internet…
    Most people are sick of the fighting, of the terror tactics, of the occupation.

  3. “Combatants for Peace”… as opposed to the IDF combatants who love war of course. The new group certainly seems skilled at quickly framing the terms of a debate.
    Shouldn’t they more accurately call themselves Leftist Combatants for Peace? Or the Bicultural Association of Retired Soldiers and Terrorists?

  4. “Most people are sick of the fighting, of the terror tactics, of the occupation.” That is at most a self-evident truism…but it means nothing practical at all.

  5. Eric is closer to the money — Breaking the Silence and the like are IDF soldiers, whereas Combatants for Peace includes both Israelis and Palestinians.
    I heard the Atlanta event with 600 Jewish high schoolers went great and that Elik in particular was an inspirational speaker.

  6. Your schedule left out an event
    January 30, 2007–OVERLAND PARK, KS
    7:00pm, Jewish Community Campus, 5801 West 115th St
    Sponsor: Kansas City Chapter of Brit Tzdek v’Shalom
    For more information, contact Allan Abrams by email [email protected]

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