---------- Messaggio inoltrato ----------
Da: "Jimmy Pasch, Jewish Voice for Peace" <jimmy@???>
Data: 28/giu/2016 21:26
Oggetto: Churches are not backing down
A: pilarcastel@???
Cc:
[
https://org.salsalabs.com/o/301/images/2015horizontallogo.png]
Dear Pilar,
How’s this for a contrast:
Over the last few months, politicians all over the country have mobilized to attack, slander, misrepresent, undermine, blacklist, and otherwise condemn the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement working to hold Israel to basic standards for international law and human rights.
“The BDS movement is deplorable,” according to a rep for New York Governor Andrew Cuomo - illustrating both how vitriolic and out-of-touch this coordinated attack has been.
But that side is losing. And I know because the evidence of what happens when communities truly examine this issue, with open hearts and minds, was on full display last week in Portland, where the Presbyterian Church (USA) met for their biennial gathering, and in Columbus, where the Unitarian Universalist congregation held their general assembly.
As I sat in the Presbyterian committee hearings, listening to commissioners discuss resolutions after hearing heart-breaking and inspiring testimonies from members of Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace, Jewish Voice for Peace, PC(USA) Israel Palestine Mission Network, and the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship -- it was clear that the oppression of Palestinians and their humanity was no longer up for debate, only what the church’s role would be in addressing violations of Palestinian rights and dignity.
As an interfaith cohort of Jews, Palestinian Christians and Palestinian Muslims working alongside our partners in the Presbyterian Church, we lived together, cooked meals for each other, coached and supported each other during our week in Portland. We became like family, and presented a beloved community in support of BDS and Palestinian human rights.
[
http://org.salsalabs.com/o/301/images/Portland%20Group%20Photo%20600px.jpg]
In the end, both faith communities took huge steps forward.
In Columbus, a majority of delegates affirmed a decision made earlier this year by the Unitarian Universalist Association Committee on Socially Responsible Investing to use a human rights-based investment screen for its Common Endowment Fund, which screens out companies profiting from Israeli occupation. That move was historic. And, just as in Portland, we came out in force as an interfaith coalition of JVP, Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace and Friends of Sabeel North America. We worked hard to lift up Palestinian voices and experiences in the larger conversation, and supported with voices of Jews, UU-affiliated and not, who supported divestment.
And in Portland, Presbyterians moved forward on six resolutions including committing the church to prayerful study of the Palestinian civil society call for boycott, divestment and sanctions, urging the IRS to investigate so-called “charities” in the US that fund illegal settlements, urging the US government to enforce existing laws requiring correct labeling of settlement products, and asking Congress for hearings into the use of US military and police equipment by the Israeli government.
This is exactly why we’re seeing such strong-arm tactics to shut down the conversation about BDS - because when communities actually engage this issue, they see that these tactics are an effective and ethical way to compel attention to the urgent need for justice and equality.
[
http://org.salsalabs.com/o/301/images/Columbus%20UU%20Backs.jpg]
When we look at this decades-old human rights catastrophe together, when we think together about the different ways we are all connected to it, and when we listen to Palestinians leading their own struggle for freedom and equality–that’s when we can begin to think truly creatively about every lever of power we have to make change happen.
I don’t expect that politicians like Cuomo are going to suddenly wake up and ask Presbyterians or UU’s what they think they’ve learned, much less follow their example. In fact, it seems more likely that they’ll step up those attacks.
But I feel more confident today that they’re going to lose. And that justice, freedom, and equality will win.
It’s up to us to make that happen. As G.J. Tarazi, one of our partners from Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace, told the Presbyterian Church’s Middle East committee: “You are God’s hands bending the long and often stubborn moral arc of the universe toward justice.”
Onward,
Jimmy
[
http://org.salsalabs.com/o/301/images/HEADSHOTS/Jimmy%20Headshot.jpg]
Jimmy Pasch
West Regional Organizer
Jewish Voice for Peace is a national membership organization inspired by Jewish tradition to work for the freedom, equality, and dignity of all the people of Israel and Palestine. Become a JVP Member today<
http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=np0dXO1yXq73XsQOEreR0vKdJ1PRVQU3>.
* Donate<
http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=ZNF75ZFOvb1%2Fn6whr7foTfKdJ1PRVQU3>
* Facebook<
http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=ZrMbj5rI%2BojlvqxE8JBXGvKdJ1PRVQU3>
* Twitter<
http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=A7wQ0o4Md8Kb%2B6cP1ZLAmvKdJ1PRVQU3>
* Forward to a friend<mailto:Enter+email+address+here?subject=FWD%3A+Check+This+Out&body=I+thought+you+might+be+interested+in+this+message+https%3A%2F%2Fhq-org.salsalabs.com%2FblastContent.jsp%3Femail_blast_KEY%3D1347241>
www.Jewishvoiceforpeace.org<
http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=qOCDbQU0cG6%2FdfCeQmg4wvKdJ1PRVQU3>
1611 Telegraph Ave. Suite 1020 Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 465 1777
This email was sent to pilarcastel@???
We use email to build our grassroots power - don't hesitate
to share your feedback and campaign suggestions<
mailto:info@jvp.org>.
You can update your subscription options<
http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=UCN9tVG85UcUrS0AJSbOPPKdJ1PRVQU3> or unsubscribe<
http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=IOjLFknsPlTZ%2BQ5bttbPyvKdJ1PRVQU3> anytime.
[empowered by Salsa]<
http://www.salsalabs.com/?email>
