NEW EVENTS ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN RED
Link to VFHL March 17th Online Film Salon video on Israeli Apartheid in Action: Water Control
https://www.voicesfromtheholyland.org/salonrecordings
***
Fridays 10:30 AM Eastern: KKFI Radio
KKFI Radio Show: "Understanding Israel Palestine"
Featuring: Weekly radio interview show with Jamie Jackson and Margot Patterson. Archived episodes at www.kkfi.org/program/understanding-israel-palestine/
For more info: http://www.kkfi.org
Episcopal Church passes important resolution addressing War on Gaza
Featuring: The Executive Council is the entity responsible for formulating church policy between General Conventions.
***
Listen to the podcast
APN Podcast: "Troubling Reports-with Sandy Tolan"
Featuring: Sandy Tolan is the author of The Lemon Tree and Children of the Stone. APN discusses his books, college campus protest and what it's like to be a journalist in today's climate.
For more info: https://default.salsalabs.org/Td3825f61-17f3-4e64-8f81-ef4b709de08e/1dfcc2f4-d850-4d4d-b2fa-0429f62dac9f
***
Watch the video
Transcript of Balfour Project's "What Price the Two-State Solution"?
Featuring: Sir Vincent Fean's personal comments on ceasefire and solutions.
For more info: www.balfourproject.org/two-state-solution
***
Link to statement
CMEP Executive Director highlights Three Palestinian Christian Legal Cases
Featuring: Rev. Mae Elise Cannon public statement regarding Shadi Khoury and others.
For more info: https://default.salsalabs.org/Tc014e91f-bcc1-49a2-aecf-05d48b4e94b3/45eaad3a-4924-4d2a-bf41-a13b91a42645
***
4/29/24 6:00 PM: Register for link
AAI hosts Naomi Shihab Nye and Heather Raffo for Arab American Heritage Month
Featuring: Art is integral to connection and Arab American artists are culture bearers helping us to better understand ourselves and our world. As art is always informed by the artists' experiences and identities, Arab American artists’ often provide a healing space for Arab Americans while educating others about the community’s heritage, narrative, hopes, and dreams.
***
4/30/24 11:30 AM EDT: Register to learn
Webinar "Humanitarian and Health Realities in Gaza & the West Bank: A Report from Catholic Development Agencies"
Featuring: Catholic development agencies are working amid the current war in the Holy Land to provide food, healthcare, and other aid to the Palestinian population. In this webinar, we’ll hear from representatives of Catholic Relief Services and Caritas Baby Hospital, who are dealing with these challenges firsthand. Gain a better understanding of what is currently happening on the ground, what can be done to prevent things from getting worse, and how we can have a positive impact.
For more info: https://default.salsalabs.org/T9def45ee-6b98-4823-b419-d987637c672f/45eaad3a-4924-4d2a-bf41-a13b91a42645
***
4/3024 12:00 PM: Georgetown University campus ICC 141 CCAS Boardroom and on ZOOM
ACMCU hosts Dr. Ussama Makdisi on his book "Age of Coexistence: The Ecumenical Frame and the Making of the Modern Arab World"
Featuring: Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, in partnership with the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies and the African Studies Program, is hosting a conversation with University of California Berkeley Professor of Middle East History and Chancellor’s Chair Dr. Ussama Makdisi. Dr. Makdisi was previously Professor of History and the first holder of the Arab-American Educational Foundation Chair of Arab Studies at Rice University in Houston.
For more info: Zoom: https://georgetown.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__7sBgh3TRj-qXK0Q51hpjA#/registration
***
4/30/24 6:00 PM: Busboys and Poets, 450 K St NW, Washington DC
Busboys and Poets hosts Ussama Makdisi on "Zionist, Liberalism and Genocide"
Featuring: Busboys and Poets continues its Gaza Lecture Series with a conversation with Edward Said’s nephew Ussama Makdisi. The discussion is entitled “Zionist, Liberalism and Genocide.” Makdisi is a professor of History and chancellor’s chair at the University of California Berkeley.
For more info:
***
4/30/24 7:00 PM: Learn more and watch livestream
Washington National Cathedral hosts "An Evening with Author Ray Suarez" - in-person and live-streamed
Featuring: Join us for an evening forum with author Ray Suarez on his new book, Becoming American in the 21st Century: An Oral History. Copies of the book will be sold onsite by Politics & Prose, and the author will be signing copies following the event. This ticketed event is pay-what-you-wish.
***
5/1/24 10:00 AM EDT: Link to register
Balfour Project presents webinar "Getting Aid into Gaza" with Mr. Andrea De Domenico
Featuring: Mr. De Domenico is head of OCHA operations in the OPT
For more info: www.balfourproject.org/getting-aid-into-gaza
***
5/1/24 2:00 PM: Link to register
Jim Zogby discusses this week's Washington Watch column "The Impact of the Student Protests on Biden's Re-election
Featuring: University student protests against US support for Israel’s war in Gaza have spread like wildfire. At last count, there have been sustained demonstrations on over 200 campuses...What’s been most striking is not only the way this effort has spread, but also the amazing diversity of the students involved in the demonstrations.
***
5/2/24 9:00 AM - noon: Register for event: https://middleeastinstitute.my.site.com/Registration/s/Event/701Uh000007ZeRZ/managing-regional-escalation-amid-the-war-in-gaza
Middle East Institute in-person forum, "Managing Regional Escalation Amid the War in Gaza”
Featuring: How can the US and its partners attempt to de-escalate tensions and avoid a regional war? What are the future prospects for Gaza following this horrific conflict? Can the region return to the de-escalatory and integrationist trends that were increasingly defining it prior to Oct. 7? In partnership with Southern Methodist University, the Middle East Institute is proud to host a half-day conference addressing these pressing issues and more.
For more info: 1763 N St NW, Washington DC 20036
***
5/2/24 12:00 PM: Register
Just World Educational hosts "Understanding Hamas & Why That Matters"
Featuring: Just World Educational launches its latest public-education project for the Anglophone public worldwide. This will be a series of weekly online conversations, co-hosted by our board member, the veteran Palestinian-American journalist Rami G. Khouri and Helena Cobban, with a range of super-thoughtful experts on the theme of "Understanding Hamas and Why That Matters." First off is Dr. Paola Caridi, Lecturer at the University of Palermo and a founding member of the News Agency “Lettera22”. She was their correspondent in Cairo, 2001-03, and in Jerusalem, 2003-12.
For more info: https://bit.ly/Understand-H
***
5/2/24 12:30 PM: Register
Museum of the Palestinian People seminar, "Rediscovering Jerusalem through a Palestinian Lens"
Featuring: Jerusalem Story tells the story of a unique city through a new lens—that of the city’s large and diverse indigenous Palestinian community.
Speakers: Kate Rouhana - Founding Director, Jerusalem Story; Amina Abdulhaq - Researcher/Writer, Jerusalem Story; Arda Aghazarian - Writer, Jerusalem Story; and Nadim Bawalsa - Researcher/Writer, Jerusalem Story
For more info: https://museumofpalestinianpeople.app.neoncrm.com/nx/portal/neonevents/events#/events/4898
***
5/2/24 1:45 PM: Register for event and buy tickets
Balfour Project online screening of “The Tinderbox” by Gilliam Mosely
Featuring: The screening will be followed by a panel discussion and Q&A in which our panelists discuss why, from historical, legal and human perspectives, the Gaza War was all too predictable.
For more info: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/medialab/1207471
***
5/2/24 3:45 PM: Register for event
Americans for Peace Now hosts "A Discussion on Middle East Policy & Congress with Senator Chris Van Hollen"
Featuring: Senator Van Hollen and APN CEO Hadar Susskind will discuss the role of Congress in shaping US-Middle East policy and how conversations about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have changed on Capitol Hill.
For more info: https://default.salsalabs.org/Tc8afdbc1-b9d3-4e63-959f-f84fbcde3a3a/1dfcc2f4-d850-4d4d-b2fa-0429f62dac9f
***
5/3/24-5/12/24: Link for information
Arab Women in the Arts Annual Showcase Online
For more info: https://arabwomen2024.eventive.org/welcome?mc_cid=a6228980b6&mc_eid=9d718af3b5
***
5/4/24 8:00 AM: Meet at Lock 5 on C&O Towpath
Iqraa (Read! In arabic) first training run (1-3miles)
Featuring: Local running group supports Palestinian university students in Palestine and Jordan.
For more info: For more info: kirkscruachan@gmail.com; https://iqraadc.org/
***
5/4/24 12:30 PM: Register for event
Friends of Sabeel North American Webinar, “Challenging Christian Silence Regarding the Gaza Genocide”, with Munther Isaac and Shane Claiborne.
Featuring: The moral courage and consistent prophetic witness displayed by Munther and Shane during these past months has put the western church to shame. May we learn from and follow their example.
For more info: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMude-rqD4vHtdtqt-6OawG0o_tIFcLzV-P#/registration
***
5/5/24-6/23/24: Register for event
Partners for Progressive Israel Spring 2024 Israel-Palestine Symposium, “The Day After: Towards a Shared Future”
Featuring:
For more info: https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/OVvODwGAiXDUmlfUO43JAg
***
5/8/24 10:00 AM: Register for event
Middle East Institute hosts webinar "Israel's Regional Relations and the War in Gaza: the Economic Dimension"
Featuring: Seven months after the outbreak of the war, the Middle East Institute’s webinar will assess the current state-of-play in Israel’s regional economic relations. It will convene leading Israeli experts and practitioners to assess the current state of bilateral ties and multilateral frameworks, draw lessons and make recommendations for the future, and identify opportunities for the post-war era.
For more info: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_W4Sd6XbZR-OS2J4qr467QA
***
5/8/24 - 5/18/24: Rescheduled from Oct 2023 - Contact Laurie Salameh for more info: lauriesalam@gmail.com
Seraj Tour of the Holy Land
Featuring: Seraj Executive Director Laurie Salameh and her staff have set the date for the 2024 Seraj Tour. View a short (9 minute) video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=easOKBPYViE from the 2022 tour, shot in various locations, with heartfelt testimonies from several participants. Clear your calendar for the tour dates and we’ll send more information soon.
For more info: lauriesalam@gmail.com
***
5/9/24 10:00 AM: National Press Club, 529 14th Street NW, Washington DC; in person and Zoom
Arab Center Washington DC, “Covering Palestine: A Shireen Abu Akleh Memorial Symposium”
Featuring: This symposium will focus on the challenges of covering Palestine. The panels in this conference will focus on both the journalists at risk on the ground and as well as an assessment of Western media coverage of Palestine and in particular the war on Gaza.
For more info: In person: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/2qs5hug?source_id=5540f57b-21b1-45f7-a555-dbf884125a22&source_type=em&c=ppP3cw26gfyjzPT-rI7XHM_C60m1aujTkQQ85o0A29168G7CWywyzw==; Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/9017132798413/WN_V9OgAHV2TOe1eRkrUGmoeA#/registration
***
5/9/24 11:00 AM: 1400 Quincy Street NE, Washington DC 20017-3041; Register for event
Franciscan Monastery Annual Spring Luncheon
For more info: https://myfranciscan.org/spring-luncheon-2024/?mc_cid=52b806cc7f&mc_eid=029c305605
***
5/12/24 1:30 PM EDT: Register for event streaming online
Israeli-Palestinian Joint Memorial Day Ceremony
Featuring: The Israeli-Palestinian Joint Memorial Day Ceremony is the largest Israeli-Palestinian peace event in history. Featuring presentations by Israeli and Palestinian artists and speakers, this year’s event will be broadcast on May 12, 2024. The Ceremony is organized by Combatants for Peace and the Parents Circle–Families Forum, and Churches for Middle East Peace is proud to be a sponsor. Especially now, when the world seems so dark, the ceremony offers us hope to remember the sanctity of all life and a way to heal together. Register today and help build a better future based on peace, freedom, and dignity for all.
For more info: https://default.salsalabs.org/Tdd75c8ad-698e-4fda-a1de-416896773481/45eaad3a-4924-4d2a-bf41-a13b91a42645
***
6/5/24 9:00:00 AM EDT: Buy tickets
Balfour Project Annual Conference, “Peace With Justice - How to Get There”, online
***
6/23/24 - 7/6/24:
"Living Stones" Solidarity Tour - Palestine and Israel
Featuring: Pilgrimage tour to the Holy Land. Dr. Spath is Executive Director of the Indiana Center for Middle East Peace and has led over 30 trips to Palestine/Israel.
For more info: Contact Dr. Michael Spath, lmichaelspath@gmail.com
***
10/22/24-11/1/24: For more info
CPT Delegation to Palestine
Featuring: Witness firsthand CPT’s on-the-ground experiment in non-violence. Travel for 7-14 days and connect with communities striving for peace. CPT delegations offer a unique opportunity to be part of something bigger than yourself.
For more info: https://cpt.org/delegations?blm_aid=64990
***
11/9/24-11/18/24: For more info
CMEP Pilgrimage to Israel and Palestine
Featuring:
For more info: https://default.salsalabs.org/Tdf78d264-737d-4722-9ee6-0b870bc803b9/45eaad3a-4924-4d2a-bf41-a13b91a42645
***
Recurring Events
***
Fridays 10:30 AM Eastern: KKFI Radio
KKFI Radio Show: "Understanding Israel Palestine"
Featuring: Weekly radio interview show with Jamie Jackson and Margot Patterson. Archived episodes at www.kkfi.org/program/understanding-israel-palestine/
For more info: http://www.kkfi.org
***
Weekdays 3:00 PM: Link to YouTube
Jewish Voice for Peace - Power Half-Hour for Gaza
Featuring:
For more info: https://www.youtube.com/@JewishVoiceforPeace/streams.
***
Wednesdays 12:30 PM: Register for event
Churches for Middle East Peace, Praying for Peace
Featuring:
For more info: https://cmep.org/wednesday-prayer/?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=211d3879-592c-4157-b9b9-cee364656004
***
Wednesdays: Link to video
The Episcopal Church Global Partnerships, seven video series, “Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus: An Easter Journey with Palestinian Christians”
Featuring: The goal of this series is to explore and understand the Easter Gospels through the unique voices of Palestinian Christians. The videos will include English and Arabic readings of the Gospel passages, as well as insights shared from each speaker about the Scripture and information about their respective contexts.
For more info: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/ministries/global-partnerships/easter-video-series/?fbclid=IwAR3524yeMZHvu9jCFxjt4uAeqA_K_WdE72x7qYdy8IDbIiyNNVZ5PkNEpIM_aem_AUIEzHSVom8z_xTIRN568E_pjSYr37hQ0os16DAmX1cMPS5yMBAr92dQcsjNJ4awsuyrqJ0XmIvTruRKCK-hpxe8
***
Thursdays 10:00 AM: Register for event
Churches for Middle East Peace, Weekly Briefings
Featuring:
For more info: https://cmep.org/thursday-briefing/?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=211d3879-592c-4157-b9b9-cee364656004
***
Fridays 12:00 PM: Register for event
AFSC Action Hour- Ceasefire Now
Featuring: Join AFSC staff every Friday at 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT to hear updates from Gaza. Then, take action with us as we contact our elected officials and call for an immediate cease-fire and humanitarian access to Gaza. Our elected officials need to keep hearing from us.
For more info: https://afsc.org/events/action-hour-cease-fire-now
***
Other Items
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Link to article
Read in The Guardian, “A New Abyss: Gaza and the hundred years war on Palestine” by Rashid Khalidi
Featuring:
For more info: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/11/a-new-abyss-gaza-and-the-hundred-years-war-on-palestine
***
Link to video
Just Vision video honoring the work and sacrifice of Gaza’s journalists
Featuring:
For more info: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5gJ2bWAHWt/?igsh=YjViY3R6c3I0bG0z
***
Link to videos
Recordings of Bishop Hosam at Christ Church Greenwich on 4/14/24
Featuring:
For more info: Holy Eucharist service: https://events.locallive.tv/events/139522 & Sunday Forum: https://events.locallive.tv/events/143801
***
Link for recording
Non Violence International recording of Freedom Flotilla update from Istanbul
Featuring: If you did not attend the NVI live update from Istanbul on Saturday, you can see the video here. Inspiring speakers included Ann Wright, Dr. John Reuwer, Huawaida Arraf, Lisa Fithian, Wynd Kaufmyn, Cassandra Nixon, and Shabnam Mayet. 14 years ago, the Israeli government executed 10 nonviolent volunteers on the Mavi Marmara when they attempted to break the blockade. As nonviolent activists, we will not give up despite the suffering and killing by others. PLEASE contact your lawmakers today to ensure their safety and success.
For more info: https://www.nonviolenceinternational.net/global_movement_to_break_siege_of_gaza?utm_campaign=flotilla_update_follow_up&utm_medium=email&utm_source=nonviolenceinternational
***
Link for recording
Balfour Project webinar recording, “What Price the Two State Solution”
Featuring:
For more info: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxWSoh_3gXI
***
Link to YouTube
View Balfour Project film “Gaza: A Story of Love and War”, with Mike Joseph and Sami Abu Salem
Featuring: Two journalists meet to share stories over a Zoom link. One is Welsh and unable to get into Gaza. The other is Palestinian and unable to get out.
For more info: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwT3gAO1XX4
***
Link for recording
Arab Center Washington DC recording of Webinar, “Where Does the Palestinian National Movement Go from Here?”
Featuring:
For more info: https://arabcenterdc.org/event/where-does-the-palestinian-national-movement-go-from-here/
***
Link for information
Museum of Palestinian People position available: office administator
Featuring:
For more info: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/3891344557/
***
Link to Spotify
PalCast - One World, One Struggle hosted by Yousef Aljamal and Helena Cobban
Featuring:
For more info: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Ds0A1iqsArKTeNEOiRWEE
***
Link for information
Read “Kolot: Voices of Hope” series from Partners for a Progressive Israel
Featuring: Kolot: Voices of Hope features those remarkable Israelis and Palestinians, Jews and Arabs, in the West Bank and Gaza and/or within the Green Line, who continue to stand up for these progressive principles and for the communities most endangered by their erosion.
For more info: https://www.progressiveisrael.org/what-we-do/kolot-voices-of-hope/
***
Link for recording
Watch video recording of Partners for Progressive Israel webinar “Keeping the Peace During the Gaza War: Preventing Jewish-Arab Violence within the Green Line”.
Featuring:
For more info: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGrnETLKWZc
***
Link to article
Mohammed El-Kurd in The Nation, “What Was Palestine Before The Nakba?”
Featuring: A stunning photo archive reveals a time before the walls and checkpoints, when Palestine was not defined by its ailments but by its industries and cultures
For more info: https://www.thenation.com/article/world/palestine-before-the-nakba/?custno=&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Weekly 3.15.2024&utm_content=B&utm_term=weekly
***
Link to video
Balfour Project recording of webinar, “Resist! Palestinian Women and Non Violent Resistance to Occupation” with Rula Salameh
Featuring: Rula Salameh is a veteran journalist, community organiser, and the Education and Outreach Director in Palestine for Just Vision, an organisation that fills a media gap in Israel-Palestine through independent storytelling and strategic audience engagement.
For more info: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9dGtuxf9yk
***
Link for podcast
Arab Center of Washington DC podcast, “An Insider’s View on US Weapons Sales to Israel”.
Featuring: Josh Paul and Yousef Munayyer discuss US weapons sales to Israel during the war on Gaza. Paul is the former director of congressional and public affairs at the US Department of State's Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, which oversees arms transfers to foreign nations.
For more info: https://arabcenterdc.org/resource/an-insiders-view-on-us-weapons-sales-to-israel/
***
Link for podcast
Podcast, “Hamas, Explained” with Tareq Baconi and Max Freedman
Featuring: In this episode, originally published in 2019, producer Max Freedman speaks with Tareq Baconi, author of the book Hamas Contained: The Rise and Pacification of Palestinian Resistance. They discuss the origins of Hamas, how Hamas governs the Gaza Strip, and its complicated relationship with the state of Israel.
For more info: https://www.unsettledpod.com/episodes/2021/5/17/tareq-baconi-hamas-explained
***
Link to report
Read CAIR’s annual civil rights report, “Fatal: The Resurgence of Anti-Muslim Hate”
Featuring:
For more info: https://islamophobia.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2024_Fatal_The_Resurgence_of_Anti-Muslim_Hate-1.pdf?ms=Dev_CivilRightsReport_4.2.24&sourceid=1041570&emci=79375101-28f1-ee11-aaf2-002248223353&emdi=fadaa002-e4f1-ee11-aaf2-002248223353&ceid=51078
***
Link for podcast
Al-Shabaka podcast, “Rethinking Palestine”
Featuring: Tariq Kenney-Shawa, Al-Shabaka’s US policy fellow, joins host Yara Hawari to discuss Israel’s information warfare tactics, used to influence public perception of its ongoing genocide in Gaza.
For more info: https://rethinkingpalestine.buzzsprout.com/1433386/14761306-israel-s-disinformation-apparatus-with-tariq-kenny-shawa
***
Link for recording
Jerusalem Fund Discussion, “How the World Failed Gaza: The Great March of Return Six Years On - A Conversation With Dr Norman Finkelstein”
Featuring:
For more info: https://thejerusalemfund.org/2024/04/how-the-world-failed-gaza-the-great-march-of-return-six-years-on-a-conversation-with-dr-norman-finkelstein-2/
***
Link for information
Become a Human Rights Monitor in Palestine
Featuring: Human rights monitors, called Ecumenical Accompaniers, spend three months monitoring for human rights violations. Applications for 2025 being accepted for this program administered and run by the Quakers.
For more info: https://www.quaker.org.uk/our-work/eappi/get-involved
***
Link for information
Apply for Charles Bronfman IPF Atid Conveners Program
Featuring: The Charles Bronfman IPF Atid Conveners Program is a selective cohort experience for North American young professionals to engage in high-level policy discussions with analysts, diplomats, elected officials, and other Middle East regional experts and to build the next generation of leaders committed to a secure, Jewish, and democratic Israel.
For more info: https://israelpolicyforum.org/atid/programs/bronfmansummit/
***
Link for job description and application
US Campaign for Palestinian Rights position open: Operations and Bookkeeping Manager
Featuring: cohort experience for North American young professionals to
For more info: https://uscpr.org/work-with-us/?emci=4e7ca3d1-06db-ee11-85f9-002248223197&emdi=a68f9087-17db-ee11-85f9-002248223197&ceid=1624131
***
Link for podcast
Palestinian Deep Dive podcast “What is Zionism?” With Mohammed El-Kurd
Featuring:
For more info: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiMOqLzvwjo
***
Voices from the Holy Land Online Film Salon Recordings
Featuring: Panel discussions focusing on “Israeli Apartheid in Action: Water Control”, “Also Happening: Oppression and Violence in the West Bank”, "Israelism", "Humanity in Gaza", "Marketing the Israeli Occupation - Part Two", "Erasing Palestine from U.S. School Curricula", "The Truth: LOST AT SEA", "My Tree", "The First 54 Years: An Abreviated Manual for Military Occupation", “NAKBA 75: Remembering the Voices”, “Marketing the Israeli Occupation - Part 1”, “The Law and the Prophets”, “The Law and the Prophets”, "Til Kingdom Come", “Is Israel an Apartheid State”, "Come and See; Go and Tell", "BOYCOTT", "Skies Above Hebron", "How to Make a Revolution", "Journalism Under Occupation - In Memory of Shireen Abu Akleh", "Palestine Poster Project", "Art & Resistance", "Of Land and Bread", "Advocate", "Soldier on the Roof", "Gaza: Still Alive", "Christians in Palestine", "1948: Creation & Catastrophe", "Bethlehem Today", "Valentino's Ghost: Why We Hate Arabs", "Stitching Palestine", "Gaza Fights for Freedom", "Radiance of Resistance", "MAYOR", "On the Side of the Road", "Occupation of the American Mind", "We All Live in Gaza", "Next Generation's Perspectives on the Occupation: Three Student Films", "Detaining Dreams" and "OBAIDA", "Objector", "The Ruins of Lifta", “Roadmap to Apartheid”, “Rock the Boat: Anatomy of a non-violent action", “Naila and the Uprising”, “It’s What We Do”, and “Home Front: Portraits from Sheik Jarrah”.
For more info: https://www.voicesfromtheholyland.org/online-film-salon-videos/online-film-salon
***
Link to film resource list
Just Vision offers films and in depth discussion guides
Featuring:
For more info: https://justvision.org/films
***
Link for information
Video tool tracking damage to Gaza
Featuring: A new tool, originally developed to estimate damage in Ukraine, has now been adapted and applied to Gaza. The tool can estimate the number of damaged buildings and the pre-war population in a given area within the Gaza Strip.
For more info: https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2023/11/15/a-new-tool-allows-researchers-to-track-damage-in-gaza/
***
Link to video
Middle East Institute video, “US Diplomacy and the Israel-Hamas War: Policy Options and Preparing for the Day After”
Featuring:
For more info: https://www.mei.edu/events/us-diplomacy-and-israel-hamas-war-policy-options-and-preparing-day-after
***
Link to article
“Listening to the Voices of Young People From Gaza”, article by Zeina Azzam about We Are Not Numbers
Featuring:
For more info: https://time.com/6330411/young-people-gaza-storytelling-essay/?fbclid=IwAR21QuYnZ3ACoITTE4mZmx3XIA9ojpEVBjw6g1YDEaKesa4fi5a7ZTXnZE0
***
Link to video
Arab Center of Washington DC recording of discussion with Hanan Ashrawi and ACW Executive Director Khalil Jahshan, “The Gaza War, the West Bank, and the Day After”
Featuring:
For more info: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9E3kUf08m7s
***
Link for information
Samidoun Calendar of Resistance for Palestine - Events and Actions around the world
Featuring:
For more info: https://samidoun.net/2023/10/calendar-of-resistance-for-palestine-events-and-actions-around-the-world/
***
Middle East Books and More book list for understanding history of Gaza and US support for Israel
Featuring:
For more info: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzGtxdZHmqXQQfqwGKWpqvdQLhxH
***
PALESTINE TOUR INFORMATION
as of March 17, 2023
Information compiled by Voices From the Holy Land.
Table of Contents
Scheduled Tours for 2023 ........................................................................................................................1 Tour Organizations..................................................................................................................................4 Virtual (Online) Tours..............................................................................................................................6 Handbooks, Maps, and Guides ................................................................................................................6
Scheduled Tours for 2023
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RCA Immersion Tour of Palestine Nov. 5-18, 2023 This trip will be led by Rev. Joshua Vis, Ph.D., who serves as Church Engagement Facilitator in Israel and Palestine with RCA Global Mission. He stands alongside Palestinian and Israeli individuals and organizations who seek an end to the Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza, in a ministry of peace with justice. He leads immersion tours that include a deep dive into both the history and archaeology of the Bible and the history and current realities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. https://www.rca.org/global-mission/missionaries/josh-sally-vis/ Register here: https://sforce.co/3y0mxDe For more information and to request flyer, contact Stephanie: ssoderstrom@rca.org |
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Joint Advocacy Initiative Youth Journey for Justice - Palestine July 8-16, 2023 Youth, 17 - 30, from all over the world are invited to join the Journey for Justice in Palestine. https://www.jai-pal.org/en/advocacy-visits-trips/advocacy-programs-palestine/journey-for-justice |
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9-Day Architectural Tour of Palestine (Siraj Tours) Oct. 6-15, 2023 Visiting: Nazareth, Nablus, Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jericho, Hebron, Jerusalem. Tour covers Palestine's architectural heritage and “the architecture of the occupation.” It will be centred in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem but will also include a couple of days in Nazareth (a predominantly Palestinian city in Israel), where guided by a Palestinian architect we’ll visit the site of Palestinian villages destroyed in 1948 and explore the newly regenerated old city. Link to photos from previous tours: https://bit.ly/Palestine_snapshot Contact: karena.batstone@gmail.com |
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Travel2Palestine Tours Encounter Palestine Tour May 28 – June 1, 2023 Aug.27 – 31st, 2023 Oct. 29th – Nov. 2, 2023 Palestinian Citizens of Israel Tour Nov. 5 – 9, 2023 We run small expert-led tours. Our mission is to educate and inform on the situation in Palestine and Israel, specifically on the impact on human rights. We have Palestinian and Israeli guides and UK organisers. We focus mainly on occupied Palestine, but also look at human rights of Palestinians living within Israel. We take you to refugee camps, settlements, checkpoints and villages under attack by settlers. You get top-level briefings from Palestinian and Israeli NGOs and from the United Nations. You meet politicians and experts and activists. The focus is very much on the occupation and the conflict, with only basic sightseeing (tour participants can stay on to do sightseeing on their own). https://travel2palestine.org/bookvisit/ Contact: Martin director@t2ptravel.com or Mary organiser@t2ptravel.com |
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St. John’s Church, Lafayette Square and Christ Church, Georgetown Co-sponsored pilgrimage Sept. 29 - Oct. 11, 2023: The voyage will offer pilgrims the opportunity to visit many of the major sites of our faith. The group will be guided by Iyad Qumri, a Palestinian Christian who has been leading pilgrims through this special place for more than 25 years. For more info: https://www.iyadqumripilgrimages.com Sign up: https://stjohns-dc.org/contact-paulbarkett/ |
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Holy Land Franciscan Pilgrimages 12 pilgrimages planned for 2023 When you travel with us, your pilgrimage benefits the Christians who live in the Holy Land in a couple of ways. First, you can support their livelihood because we’re able to direct you to Christian-owned businesses and restaurants. And secondly, any support to the Holy Land Friars supports the work they do in the Holy Land, work in providing education, healthcare, care for children and the elderly, and maintenance of the holy shrines themselves. https://holylandpilgrimages.org/upcoming-pilgrimages/ For more info: info@holylandpilgrimages.org |
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“Living Stones” Tour of Palestine-Israel June 11-24, 2023 Featuring Dr. Michael Spath, founder of the Indiana Center for Middle East Peace https://indianacmep.org For more info: lmichaelspath@gmail.com |
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Americans for Peace Now Dual-Narrative Tour of Israel, Palestine And Morocco March 2023 The tour will combine the traditional elements with new, exciting programming that takes advantage of MEJDI Tours' expertise. Meet Israeli and Palestinian elected leaders and other officials at the Knesset and in Ramallah, and Palestinians in East Jerusalem, Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan. For more info: kpaul@peacenow.org |
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Community Peacemaker Team Delegation Visits to Palestine Nakba Day May 10-22, 2023 Multifaith Peacemaking Sept. 27 – Oct. 9, 2023 Olive Harvest Nov. 3-15, 2023 CPT sends short-term (7-14 day) peacemaker delegations into crisis settings around the world. These delegations link communities experiencing violence with individuals and groups. Delegations offer participants a first-hand experience of CPT’s on-the-ground experiment in non-violence. https://cpt.org/delegations/palestine |
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Tour Organizations
Kairos Recommended trips to Israel/Palestine
https://www.kairosresponse.org/recommended_trips-1.html
Adventure tours
Abraham Palestine HeritageTrail
https://phtrail.org/trail/
Amos Trust Palestine Marathon
https://www.amostrust.org/amos-travel/run-palestine-2023/
Amos Trust Travel
https://www.amostrust.org/amos-travel/
Amos Trust
https://www.amostrust.org/amos-travel/experience-palestine-2023/
Bike Palestine
https://bikepalestine.com/
Siraj Center
https://sirajcenter.org/
Walk Palestine
https://www.walkpalestine.com/en
Human Rights/Factfinding Tours
Alternative Tourism Group
http://atg.ps/
Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (3-month stays, coordinated by the World Council of Churches)
https://www.quaker.org.uk/our-work/eappi
Eyewitness Palestine
https://eyewitnesspalestine.org/
The Palestine Committee (Norway)
https://palestinakomiteen.no/ [website is in Norwegian]
To Be There
https://tobe-there.com/
Travel2Palestine (UK)
https://travel2palestine.org/
UCC Palestine/Israel Network
https://www.uccpin.org/witness-trips
USPCR
https://uscpr.org/activist-resource/ethical-travel-to-palestine-challenging-apartheid-tourism/
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Wi’am
https://www.alaslah.org/tours/
YMCA and YWCA
https://www.jai-pal.org/en/advocacy-visits-trips/advocacy-programs-palestine/journey-for-justice
Zaytoun (UK)
https://zaytoun.uk/visit-palestine/
Responsible Religious Pilgrimages
Center for Jewish Nonviolence
https://cjnv.org/
Churches for Middle East Peace
https://cmep.org/travel/
Community Peacemaker Teams
https://cpt.org/delegations
Footsteps of Jesus (Disciples of Christ)
http://www.footstepsofjesustour.org/
Friends of Sabeel Witness Trips)
https://www.fosna.org/come-see-visit-the-holy-land friends@fosna.org
Holy Land Franciscan Pilgrimages
info@holylandpilgrimages.org
Laila Tours & Travel (Bethlehem)
https://www.lailatours.com/
Lightline Pilgrimages (UK)
https://www.lightline.org.uk/
Living Stones (Holy Land Trust)
https://www.fosna.org/come-see-visit-the-holy-land
Living Stones Pilgrimages (Pilgrims of Ibillin)
https://www.pilgrimsofibillin.org
Living Stones Tours (United Methodists for Kairos Response)
https://www.kairosresponse.org/tours.html
McCabe Pilgrimages (UK)
https://www.mccabe-travel.co.uk/
Network of Evangelicals for the Middle East
https://neme.network/
Pilgrimage People (UK)
https://pilgrimagepeople.org/
RCA Immersion Tours of Israel-Palestine
https://www.rca.org/global-mission/missionaries/josh-sally-vis/
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Tangney Tours (UK)
https://www.tangney-tours.com/
Tree of Life Journeys (First Congregational Church of Old Lyme)
https://tolef.org/
Virtual (Online) Tours
Green Olive Tours
https://greenolivetours.com/online-events/
Visit to Deir al Balah, Gaza (ANERA, video)
https://www.anera.org/blog/a-visit-to-deir-al-balah-gaza/
We Are Not Numbers (video shorts)
https://www.youtube.com/@wearenotnumbers2698
Handbooks, Maps, and Guides
“Palestine & Palestinians” Guidebook (ATG)
http://atg.ps/guidebook
Comprehensive information on Palestinian culture, history, archaeology, religion, architecture, and politics, along with practical information (transport, hotels, cafes, restaurants, museums, hiking routes, cultural centers, etc.) to travel responsibly.
Wujood “Existence/Presence” (Grassroots Jerusalem)
https://www.grassrootsalquds.net/wujood
Political tourist guide of Jerusalem, emphasizing the city’s unique attractions while drawing a picture of the realities of Palestinian Jerusalemite communities from a grassroots perspective. It invites visitors to take an active role in supporting Palestinian freedom by supporting the Palestinian economy or volunteering.
Interactive Map of Jerusalem (Grassroots Jerusalem)
https://www.grassrootsalquds.net/
Profiles the neighborhoods, history, stories, businesses, and local organizing of Palestinian Jerusalemites.
Palestine Open Maps (Visualizing Palestine and Columbia University Studio X Amman) https://palopenmaps.org/
An online interactive map of the geography of Palestine, including present-day Palestinian localities and the hundreds of destroyed Palestinian villages often erased from official government maps.
VisitPalestine.tech
https://visitpalestine.tech/
Itineraries, logistical support, and more for travelers interested in the Palestinian technology and startup sector.
Welcome to Palestine
https://www.welcometopalestine.com
A website offering comprehensive destination guides, broken down by city and village.
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A Short Bibliography on
Israel & Palestine
This bibliography is meant as a starting point, a listing of books that some have found useful in seeking to better understand the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis
People at the birth of modern Israel, the human side of the story, a good starting place
Elias Chacour, Blood Brothers
Father Elias Chacour is a Catholic priest and the Archbishop of the Melkite Church in Israel. Born in a village in the Galilee, he and his family were expelled in 1948 as part of the ethnic cleansing of Palestine by Zionist forces. Father Chacour has stayed in Israel, devoting himself to peace through the education of Palestinian children and working for reconciliation between Palestinians and Jews. This is the memoir of an extraordinary man
Tolan, Sandy, The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East
The histories of two families, a Bulgarian Jewish family that barely escapes the Holocaust and a Palestinian family forced to flee their home during the establishment of the state of Israel, bound together in a house lived in and loved by both. Meticulous endnotes anchor the human narration firmly in the history and events of the time.
Historical works
Gershom Gorenberg, The Accidental Empire
An essential and well-written book. An Israeli journalist and historian, Gorenberg recaps Zionist History as the preamble to conditions that set up the Occupation of the Palestinian territories post-1967. He then tells the whole tragic story of fanaticism, political cowardice, and failed opportunities. A unique and courageous window into Israeli society and politics.
Ilan Pappe, The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine
Pappe is an Israeli historian. He is among a group of Jewish revisionist historians called the “New Historians” who have documented the actual actions of Zionist and then Israeli forces at the time of the founding of the State of Israel. This book relies greatly on material from Israeli military archives. It is often emotionally difficult to get through.
Allis & Ronald Rodash, A Safe Haven: Harry S. Truman and the Founding of Israel.
This book studies the politics and decision making process that led President Truman to support the founding of the modern state of Israel.
Avi Shlaim, The Iron Wall: Israel and the Arab World since 1948
Shlaim, Jewish revisionist historian and professor at Oxford, covers in detail relations between Israel and the Arabs from Israel's 1948 War of Independence to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In doing so, he shatters the “David vs. Goliath” view of the conflict so common among Israelis and the West. Criticized for being too simplistic in presenting Arab side of the conflict.
Jewish experience:
Alice Rothchild, Broken Promises, Broken Dreams: Stories of Jewish and Palestinian Trauma and Resilience
Dr. Rothchild, a medical doctor who worked throughout the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem shares what she witnessed there and carefully describes how her views evolved because of what she saw.
Brant Rosen, Wrestling in the Daylight: A Rabbi’s Path to Palestinian Solidarity
Shocked by what he read about the 2008 Israeli military campaign in Gaza, American Rabbi Rosen began to publically question his long held "liberal Zionist" beliefs in his blog Shalom Rav.
Miko Peled. The General’s Son: Journey of an Israeli in Palestine
In 1997, a tragedy struck the family of Israeli-American Miko Peled: His beloved niece Smadar was killed by a suicide bomber. That tragedy propelled Peled onto a journey of discovery. It pushed him to re-examine many of the beliefs he had grown up with, as the son and grandson of leading figures in Israel’s political-military elite.
Other
Jimmy Carter, Peace Not Apartheid, and We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land
The former president reflects on the actions necessary to bring a true peace to a troubled region he knows well.
Mitri Raheb, I am a Palestinian Christian
Pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, he conveys an “active hope” even through the long Israeli military occupation.
Phyllis Benni’, Understanding the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: A Primer
Helpful to those who want to know the basic story of the conflict. She provides a great deal of information in a very short book – unfiltered by ideological lenses. This is an excellent book for someone who wants a brief but thorough overview.
Rashid Khalidi, Brokers of Deceit: How the U.S. has Undermined Peace in the Middle East
Dr. Khalidi has written a relatively short, readable and frankly depressing overview of the more than 35 years of U.S. diplomacy in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The noted Columbia University historian provides important empirical evidence and sobering analysis that shatters the mythology that the United States has a genuine desire for a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
Dr. Naim Ateek, Justice and only Justice: A Palestinian Theology of Liberation
This work sets the biblical foundation for Palestine’s liberation theology movement. Dr. Ateek is the Canon of St. George’s Cathedral in Jerusalem and founder of Sabeel, an ecumenical and international organization committed to shedding light on the occupation and providing a Christian nonviolent response to it
SELECTED DOCUMENTARY FILMS
Voices Across the Divide - 57 min. Filmmaker Alice Rothchild is an American Jew raised on the tragedies of the Holocaust and the dream of a Jewish homeland in Israel. The film follows her personal journey as she begins to understand the Palestinian narrative while exploring the Palestinian experience of loss, occupation, statelessness, and immigration to the US. The documentary is both a personal journey to understand the Palestinian narrative as well as the implications and contradictions of deeply held cultural beliefs in the Jewish community. Rothchild interviews those who participated in the Nakba – and those affected by it.
Budrus (2009) - 70 min. Budrus is an award-winning feature documentary film about a Palestinian community organizer, Ayed Morrar, who unites local Fatah and Hamas members along with Israeli supporters in an unarmed movement to save his village of Budrus from destruction by Israel’s Separation Barrier
Peace, Propaganda and the Promised Land (2004) - 80 min. This video shows how the foreign policy interests of American political elites-working in combination with Israeli public relations stratgies-influence US news reporting about the Middle East conflict. Combining American and British TV news clips with observations of analysts, journalists and political activists, Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land provides a brief historical overview, a striking media comparison, and an examination of factors that have distorted U.S. media coverage and, in turn, American public opinion.
With God On Our Side (2010) - 82 min. With God On Our Side takes a hard look at the theology and politics of Christian Zionism, which teaches that because the Jews are God's chosen people, Israeli government policies should not be questioned, even when these policies are unjust.
Life in Occupied Palestine - 55 min. Anna Baltzer, a Jewish-American Columbia graduate and Fulbright scholar, presents her discoveries as a volunteer with the International Women's Peace Service in the West Bank, documenting human rights abuses and supporting Palestinian-led nonviolent resistance to the Occupation. Baltzer's presentation provides those interested in the Israel/ Palestine conflict with critical information and documentation that can be difficult to obtain through mainstream Western media sources, and to encourage dialog towards taking action on the issue. Topics discussed include checkpoints, settlements, Israeli activism, Zionism, 1948 War & refugees, censorship, the Wall, the ongoing annexation of Palestinian land, and the almost unbearable living conditions under the occupation.
Little Town of Bethlehem (2010) - 75 min. The documentary shares the gripping story of three men, born into violence, willing to risk everything to bring an end to violence in their lifetime. A Christian, a Muslim, and a Jew-shaped by events of their Palestinian and Israeli upbringing-find inspiration in the words and actions of Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi. Sami, Ahmad, and Yonatan believe that violence can indeed be stopped but recognize their own struggles will remain. Yet they will struggle together to discover a common humanity through non-violent action. In the city of Bethlehem where it is said God became man, these men stand alongside others whose central desire is to be accepted and treated as fully human.Their story brings fresh hope to the ongoing conflict between Palestine and Israel while taking a stand against violence throughout the world.
The People and the Olive - 70 min. What do olive trees mean to Palestinian farmers? Olives are their livelihood, their source of sustenance and the way they root themselves, historically and spiritually, to the land. But Palestinians are denied access to nearly 30 percent of their beloved olive trees in the West Bank as they struggle to live under Israeli military occupation. How do they persevere? And what should the international community understand about Palestinian olive farmers, who love their land and harvest it every season to feed their families — just as farmers across the world do?
On the Side of the Road - 103 min. Filmmaker Lia Tarachansky is a Jew who was born in Kiev. When she was six her family moved to the Ariel settlement in the West Bank. Her mother wanted to contribute to Zionism, Lia said. Tarachansky turns the camera on herself as she revisits settlements and interviews current residents. She says her goal is just to examine and narrate.
Occupation Has No Future - 84 min. Through conversations with Israeli conscientious objectors, former soldiers, and Palestinians living under occupation, Occupation Has No Future creates a survey of the current atmosphere in Israel and the West Bank. The film explores the Israeli social environment that creates heightened militarism and leads to fear and aggression; and examines the consequences of Israeli policies for the Palestinian people as well as for Israeli civil society. Additionally, this documentary looks at the Israeli anti-militarist movement and Israeli youth refusing conscription, refusing orders, and partnering with a growing grassroots Palestinian campaign of civil disobedience against the occupation
Checkpoint - 80 min. Documentary filmmaker Yoav Shamir's depiction of the checkpoints that the Israel Defense Forces man in the Palestinian Authority.
Defamation (2009) - 101 min. Intent on shaking up the ultimate 'sacred cow' for Jews, Israeli director Yoav Shamir embarks on a provocative - and at times irreverent - quest to answer the question, "What is anti-Semitism today?"
Encounter Point - 85 min. Film follows a former Israeli settler, a Palestinian ex-prisoner, a bereaved Israeli mother and a wounded Palestinian bereaved brother who risk their lives and public standing to promote a nonviolent end to the conflict. Their journeys lead them to the unlikeliest places to confront hatred within their communities. The film explores what drives them and thousands of other like-minded civilians to overcome anger and grief to work for grassroots solutions
Occupation 101: Voices of the Silenced Majority - 90 min. A thought-provoking and powerful documentary film on the current and historical root causes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and U.S. political involvement.
Five Broken Cameras - 90 min. When his fourth son, Gibreel, is born, Emad, a Palestinian villager, gets his first camera. In his village, Bil'in, a separation barrier is being built and the villagers start to resist this decision. For more than five years, Emad films the struggle, which is led by two of his best friends, alongside filming how Gibreel grows. Very soon it affects his family and his own life. Daily arrests and night raids scare his family; his friends, brothers and himself are either shot or arrested. One Camera after another is shot at or smashed, each camera tells a part of his story.
Living under the Occupation: Daily Life in Occupied Palestine - 27 min. A film made by EFA MEPs (Members of the European Parliament) François Alfonsi, Jill Evans and Ana Miranda during their visit to the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Promises (2002) -106 min. Several Jewish and Palestinian children are followed for three years and put in touch with each other, in this alternative look at the Jewish-Palestinian conflict. The three filmmakers followed a group of seven local children between 1995 and 1998. These seven children tell their own story about growing up in Jerusalem. When the protagonists speak out in an epilogue a couple of years later, it becomes apparent that all have lost their childlike innocence.
Salt of the Earth: Palestinian Christians in the Northern West Bank (2004) - 193 min. Marthame and Elizabeth Sanders lived in the Christian Palestinian village of Zababdeh from August, 2000, through December, 2003. Volunteers with the Presbyterian Church (USA), their ministry was one of ecumenical support to the Church in the land of its birth. The film documents the lives of nine Palestinian Christians living in the northern West Bank. This film grew out of a desire among their Palestinian neighbors to share their stories, and a desire among Christians in the West to hear them. The Sanders describe the project as "a labor of love, a response to the graciousness, warmth, hospitality, and welcome we received from our Palestinian neighbors and colleagues."
The Colour of Olives - 97 min. Like many Palestinian families, the Amers live surrounded by the infamous West Bank Wall where their daily lives are dominated by electrified fences, locks and a constant swarm of armed soldiers. Constructed with a combination of verité scenes and re-enactments, this poignant and richly crafted film offers its audience a much needed opportunity to reflect on the effects of racial segregation, the meaning of borders and the absurdity of war.
The Gatekeepers - 101 min. A documentary featuring interviews with all surviving former heads of Shin Bet, the Israeli security agency whose activities and membership are closely held state secrets
The Law In These Parts (2013) - 105 min. What is legal and what is just? The wide gap between the two is explored meticulously by this Israeli investigation of the legal structure created after the 1967 Six Days War, specifically to treat the West Bank and Gaza Strip as occupied territories. Speaking with some of Israel’s most respected lawyers and judges – men who helped to craft and later interpret these laws – filmmaker Ra’anan Alexandrowicz asks tough, pointed questions and gets even tougher answers. He asks his subjects to consider the consequences of their actions in a highly politicized environment. This documentary takes the position that unjust laws create unjust realities. Laws that everyone admits are not perfect but are the best that can be done under difficult circumstances may result in tragedy for everyone: both the judges and the judged.This film is winner of the Best Documentary Award at the Sundance and Jerusalem Film Festivals.
It's Better to Jump - 75 min. There is a centuries-old seawall in the ancient port of Akka, located on Israel's northern coast. Today, Akka is a modern city inhabited by Muslims, Christians, Jews, and Baha'i, but its history goes all the way back to rule of the Egyptian Pharaohs. Young people dare to stand atop the 40' one-meter thick block structure and risk their fate by jumping into the roiling sea. This perilous tradition has continued for many generations, and has become a rite of passage for the children of Akka. "It's Better to Jump" is about the ancient walled city of Akka as it undergoes harsh economic pressures and vast social change. The film focuses on the aspirations and concerns of the Palestinian inhabitants who call the Old City home.
Home Front – Portraits From Sheikh Jarrah - Getting beyond the sensational headlines and broad generalizations that normally dominate discussions of Jerusalem, Home Front captures voices rarely heard, of those struggling to stop settlement expansion in East Jerusalem and build a future of pluralism and equality in the city. Featuring the accounts of a Palestinian teenager forced to give up half his home to Israeli settlers, an American-born Israeli mother who gets drawn into the demonstrations after her children’s arrest, a Palestinian community organizer who brings local women to the forefront of the struggle, and a veteran of the Israeli army who becomes one of the campaign’s leaders, Home Front chronicles the resolve of a neighborhood, and the support it receives from the most unexpected of places.
Censored Voices - The 1967 'Six-Day' war ended with Israel's decisive victory; conquering Jerusalem, Gaza, Sinai and the West Bank. It is a war portrayed, to this day, as a righteous undertaking - a radiant emblem of Jewish pride. One week after the war, a group of young kibbutzniks, led by renowned author Amos Oz, recorded intimate conversations with soldiers returning from the battlefield. The recording revealed an honest look at the moment Israel turned from David to Goliath. The Israeli army censored the recordings, allowing the kibbutzniks to publish only a fragment of the conversations. 'Censored Voices' reveals the original recordings for the first time.
Teaching Ignorance - 2015, 52 Minutes. This powerful film follows several Israeli and Palestinian teachers over the course of an academic year. It asks: How do the Palestinian, Israeli Arab, and Israeli Jewish educational systems teach the history of their peoples? By observing teachers, the film shows us their exchanges and confrontations with students as they transmit the values of religion, politics, and nationalism in the classroom. In Teaching Ignorance, educators from all sides of the conflict debate their peoples’ official curriculum, wrestling with is restrictions. This film offers an intimate glimpse into the profound and long-lasting effect that the Israeli/Palestinian conflict transmits to the next generation.