What We Do

Mideast Peace

It is unthinkable not to include women, large numbers of women, in the upcoming peace process. You need us, because if the goal is not simply the absence of war, but the creation of a sustainable peace by fostering fundamental societal changes, we are crucial to everyone's security concerns.

Terry Greenblatt, Director of Bat Shalom, before UN Security Council 5/07/02 15:31

Who We Are

The Mideast Peace Action Circle began in 2005 as an education circle for Progressive Jewish Funders. In our first audio conference, we discussed domestic giving and Jewish social justice work. We exchanged personal funding strategies, and shared best practices in progressive Jewish philanthropy. Within this framework, we raised the problems of anti-Semitism, and talked about the need to honor our Jewish feminist identities at progressive tables, and articulate our progressive feminist identities at Jewish tables. After a conference call with Terry Greenblatt in July 2006, we felt the need to move from education to action.

Mission

In July 2007, we reframed the circle as the Mideast Peace Action Circle to:

• Fund progressive peace initiatives for a just, sustainable, and non-violent resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, using a feminist lens.
• Create a framework for an on-going process that includes learning and dialogue, and an opportunity to respond to the conflict in a way that feels authentic, informed and constructive, and acknowledges a variety of perspectives.

What We Do

Funding Actions

• Funded the first U.S. Tour of the International Women’s Commission (IWC). October, 2007

Education Actions

• Video Conference: International Women's Commission (IWC). The International Women’s Commission brings together Palestinian, Israeli and international women dedicated to an end of the Israeli occupation and a just peace based on international law, human rights and equality.
• Audio Conference: Progressive Jewish Giving in the U.S.
• Audio Conference: Mideast Peace update with Terry Greenblatt, Director, Bat Shalom.
• Audio Conference: Progressive Jewish Giving in the Middle East.

Resources

Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan

The single most important book beautifully laying out the deeply rooted claim both Israelis and Palestinians feel for "the" land and the place. A must read. 

Broken Promises, Broken Dreams by Alice Rothchild

As the subtitle states this is a compilation of stories of Jewish and Palestinian trauma and resilience. The forward also chronicles the author's own evolution from devout Jew to peace and justice activist.

The Iron Cage by Rashid Khalidi

A look at the US involvement in the Middle East in the context of two centuries of foreign occupation.

Once Upon A Country by Sari Nusseibeh

This was inspired by Oz's memoir and tells the story from a Muslim perspective, the author is a direct descendant of the family that has held the key to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre since the 7th century!

Dark Hope by David Shulman

Written by a MacArthur fellow who moved from Iowa to Israel as a young man and is now a world renowned Sanskrit scholar who became a reluctant activist after the 1977 electoral victory of Begin's Likud Party. His book chronicles his work from 2002 to 2006 with Ta'ayush, an Israeli-Palestinian group that brings convoys of food and medicine into the West Bank and helps Palestinian farmers harvest their wheat and olives. His dairy tells of daily injustices, which together tell a sweeping story of "appalling dimension."

The Mideast Peace Action Circle reflects WDN’s key theme of Global and Peace Issues: Highlighting the interconnectedness of all communities and working to ensure that people throughout the world can live in a world free of violence and strife. This is one of our seven key areas of work and study.