http://btvshalom.org The Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace http://www.btvshalom.org/ga_messages/ga_20090602.html As President Obama prepares for his first official visit to the Middle East, he has left no doubt about where he stands: "...I think there have been times where we are not as honest as we should be about the fact that the current direction, the current trajectory in the region, is profoundly negative, not only for Israeli interests but also U.S. interests." http://www.btvshalom.org/ga_messages/ga_20090528.html The Obama Administration is tackling the contentious settlement issue head on. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated yesterday that President Obama "wants to see a stop to settlements -- not some settlements, not outposts, not 'natural growth' exceptions...We think it is in the best interests [of the peace process] that settlement expansion cease. That is our position. http://www.btvshalom.org/ga_messages/ga_20090521.html Change is underway in American foreign policy: During their first White House meeting, President Obama pulled no punches in clarifying to Prime Minister Netanyahu that a two-state resolution of the Israel-Palestinian conflict has his full, unwavering support -- and he didn't hesitate to take on contentious issues, either, even while expressing his "great confidence" that Netanyahu will "rise to the occasion." http://www.btvshalom.org/ga_messages/ga_2009015.html This Monday, Benjamin Netanyahu and President Obama will have their much anticipated first meeting at the White House. On their agenda is three major issues: 1. Is there a need for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? 2. Reinvigorated peace negotiations 3. Continued settlement expansion http://www.btvshalom.org/ga_messages/ga_20090507.html Diane Balser, executive director of Brit Tzedek v'Shalom, the country's largest and most vibrant grassroots Jewish peace movement, issued the following statement today in response to Vice President Joseph Biden and Sen. John Kerry's (D-Mass.) addresses to the national conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). http://www.btvshalom.org/ga_messages/ga_20090505.html As American Jews and friends, we have a very exciting opportunity to support the President of the United States in his efforts to promote a pro-Israel, pro-peace agenda! We now have a president whose Middle East agenda is in line with the majority American Jewish opinion, which supports a two-state solution and diplomatic engagement, and so now is the time to act! http://www.btvshalom.org/ga_messages/ga_20090430.html President Obama has just completed his first 100 days in office. For the first time in U.S. history, an administration has made a negotiated 2-state resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and visible on-the-ground change a top priority from Day 1. http://www.btvshalom.org/ga_messages/ga_20090427.html Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israel's Memorial Day and Independence Day, fall in the period of the counting the Omer, the holy period between Passover and Shavuot. During these weeks, we ritualistically count each day as it goes past, in a state of semi-mourning for ancient losses, and on Yom Hazikaron, we grieve anew the tragic loss of young Israeli lives in the decades' long Israeli-Arab conflict. Traditionally, Jews do not get married during the Omer -- but an exception is made for Yom Ha'atzmaut, a day too joyful to allow such sorrow. http://www.btvshalom.org/ga_messages/ga_20090424.html What? Two days of grassroots organizing and activism training with leading community organizing and pro-Israel, pro-peace movement activists. Grassroots Training and Organizing Institute, July 26-27, 2009, Chicago, IL http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=40119000 I believe that we are at a real turning point for peace. With a grassroots organizer in the White House, delivered by the power of millions of ordinary Americans organizing for real change, these are heady days for grassroots empowerment. And to top it off, it's now Passover, the celebration of our liberation from slavery engineered by that brilliant community organizer, Moses. http://www.btvshalom.org/ga_messages/ga_20090407.html What a week...the Netanyahu coalition government finally sworn in, followed almost immediately by outrageous statements or blatant non-statements from the new leadership, calling into question even the most basic commitment to a peace process. (A position not supported by the majority of the Israeli people.) http://www.btvshalom.org/ga_messages/ga_20090405.html As the Israelites were turning their backs on servitude and walking toward freedom, God kept watch: That was for God a night of vigil to bring them out of the land of Egypt; this same night is God's, one of vigil for all the children of Israel throughout the ages. (Exodus 12:42) http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=39473322 Brit Tzedek v'Shalom's executive director, Diane Balser, issued the following statement in response to the official formation of Israel's governing coalition today. http://btvshalom.org/ga_messages/ga_20090330.html Dr. Rashid Khalidi distills from his historical research on the region what he sees as the key lessons the Obama Administration must consider in its pursuit of a two-state resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. http://btvshalom.org/ga_messages/ga_20090326.html Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has wasted no time in pushing for substantive on the ground changes in Gaza and East Jerusalem. Thank Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for her important first steps to lay the groundwork for Israeli-Palestinian peace and urge her to press for enforcement of a settlement freeze. http://btvshalom.org/ga_messages/ga_20090323.html Dr. Daniel Kurtzer, Obama presidential campaign advisor and former U.S. ambassador to Israel and Egypt, assesses the Administration's engagement in the region to date and speculates on possible future directions. http://btvshalom.org/ga_messages/ga_20090308.html Daniel Kurtzer, former U.S. Ambassador to Israel, discussed What Might We Expect from the Obama Administration the role of the U.S. Administration. http://btvshalom.org/ga_messages/ga_20090305.html Since its inception, Brit Tzedek has organized among Jewish Americans in preparation for this moment in history. For six years, we have been building and strengthening a powerful grassroots network, advocating for new foreign policy around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. http://btvshalom.org/ga_messages/ga_20090227.html The electoral success of MK Avigdor Lieberman in the recent Israeli elections has caused concern among many working for Israeli-Palestinian peace. We share with you Brit Tzedek's policy statement, an interview with policy analyst Daniel Levy on Liebermanism, a chronology on Lieberman's political rise to power, and an overview of the U.S. Jewish communal response. http://btvshalom.org/ga_messages/ga_20090225.html Last night, in his address to the nation, President Obama offered real hope for peace in the Mideast: "In words and deeds, we are showing the world that a new era of engagement has begun..." http://btvshalom.org/ga_messages/ga_20090217.html According to Haaretz, the Obama Administration "is preparing to put heavy pressure on the new government to freeze all settlement construction and keep its promises to lift roadblocks." If the Administration is to play an aggressive role in moving toward Mideast peace, it must have the backing of Congress. http://btvshalom.org/ga_messages/ga_20090209.html Naomi Chazan, former Deputy Speaker of the Knesset, discussed how the results of the Feb. 10 Israeli elections may impact Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts, and in particular, the role of the U.S. Administration. http://btvshalom.org/ga_messages/ga_20090205.html Call Congress: Support Bill for Aggressive U.S. Peacemaking. The U.S. is now engaged in aggressive Mideast peacemaking. Just days after being appointed U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East, Senator George Mitchell traveled to the region to listen to key stakeholders. Mitchell will return soon after the Israeli elections to establish a regular and sustained U.S. presence advocating for peace. http://btvshalom.org/ga_messages/ga_20090204.html On February 4, Mitchell Plitnick, the Director of the U.S. Office of B’Tselem, The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, who gave an update on the humanitarian situation on the ground in Gaza and discussed the response of B'Tselem and other NGOs, both in the Mideast and the U.S. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=35942334 Congratulations to the activists of Brit Tzedek v'Shalom and allied organizations for establishing a base in the Jewish world that gives President Obama the necessary support to take aggressive first steps towards peace. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=35794212 The country’s largest grassroots Jewish peace movement today praised the appointment of Senator George Mitchell as Special Envoy for Middle East Peace, as another sign of President Barack Obama’s seriousness of purpose in renewing U.S. leadership to achieve a negotiated, two-state resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=35707361 In Jewish tradition, the thirtieth day after the funeral of a loved one, or shloshim, is a time for special remembrance and reflection, a reminder that we carry the spirit of our loved one with us always. Saturday marks the shloshim of Rabbi Arnold Jacob Wolf, z"l, after his unexpected death on December 23, 2008. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=35643054 Dear Mr. President, as you begin your Presidency, we send you a videotaped message from a cross-section of the more than 1000 rabbis, cantors, and Jewish seminary students who signed "Time to Choose Peace," a rabbinic letter recently delivered to you. The letter underscores the urgency of your declared intention to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict beginning today, this first day of your Administration. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=35863317 We Jewish, Christian, and Muslim-Americans, many of whom feel a strong personal connection to the Middle East and its people, share the belief that this is a unique moment and that you have been presented with a unique opportunity. We trust, we pray, you will seize it." http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=35632884 In response to the announcement this weekend that both Israel and Hamas would cease fire in Gaza, Diane Balser, executive director of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom, issued the following statement: “We welcome Israel’s decision Saturday to cease fire in Gaza, as well as Hamas’s announcement yesterday that they will follow suit. The crisis in Gaza has reminded the world of the threat that the unresolved Israeli-Palestinian conflict poses not just to the Israelis and Palestinians, but to the stability of the entire region and all those who have a stake in it. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=35501465 Nathan J. Brown is a professor of political science and international affairs at George Washington University and a world-renowned expert on Palestinian politics. Please join us as he discusses the the long-term challenge of working with Hamas in the context of the current political situation. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=35421721 It is hard, when reading about the violence in Gaza and Israel, to get a genuine sense of what the people on the ground are experiencing, their terror, their sorrow, their hopes for tomorrow. In order to try to bridge that gap, we bring here two first-person accounts, one relating the realities in Gaza, the other in Israel. It’s important to note, however, that this is not the only source for such information. Please also take a look at: http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=35307839 Our growth into a significant political force was clearly evident last week. Brit Tzedek supporters from across the country, together with those of J Street, made well over 4,000 phone calls requesting inclusion of our pro-Israel, pro-peace message in impending House and Senate resolutions on the Israel-Gaza crisis. Collectively our voices changed the status quo. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=35180121 For the sake of Israel, the U.S. government must take leadership in conjunction with the international community to bring about an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza. Below are some ways that you can get involved: on you own or with like-minded people. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=35129645 These are extraordinarily difficult days for those of us who care deeply about working for peace in Israel as the fighting escalates and more people are harmed. Together, we are presenting a principled alternative to what it means to be pro-Israel and what is in the best interest of Israel, raising a voice of conscience and purpose in the American Jewish community. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=35141644 On Monday we wrote asking you to call your Representatives and Senators about the crisis in Gaza – large numbers of you did, and if you were one of them – thank you! If you haven’t called yet, please call your Senators and Representative TODAY with a strong pro-Israel, pro-peace message. Ask them to call for U.S. leadership in negotiating an immediate ceasefire. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=28535283 The following pieces are based on presentations given by Cherie Brown, Board Chair of Brit Tzedek's Chapter Development Committee and Tammy Shapiro, Executive Director of the Union of Progressive Zionists at Brit Tzedek's Grassroots Leadership Training Institute on June 22, 2008. http://ga3.org/campaign/dont_violate_settlement_commitments/nq07d7wn5x? Last week, Israel approved the construction of a new settlement deep in the West Bank. Contact President Bush today and urge the U.S. to intervene and hold Israel to its commitment to freeze all settlement construction! http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=27955457 The mission of Brit Tzedek v'Shalom is to promote a negotiated two-state resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As part of this work, we have at times been compelled to address regional conflicts that have a significant impact on the Israeli-Palestinian situation, e.g. the Lebanon War of 2006 and recent Israeli-Syrian peace overtures. The implications for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict of the rising threat of Iran's nuclear program and the potential of a U.S. or Israeli attack against Iran have compelled us to broaden our scope yet again. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=28151174 This year both the Democratic and Republican parties are offering mechanisms for grassroots feedback on their political platforms prior to adoption at their respective national conventions. You can help put Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking and a two-state solution at the top of the political agenda of our nation's major political parties for the next four years through your participation! http://ga3.org/campaign/make_obama_mid_east_visit_count During Senator Barack Obama’s upcoming visit to Israel and the West Bank, he plans to meet with several Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, as well as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Sign this petition BY MONDAY, JULY 21ST, 11PM EST, to urge Senator Obama, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, to demonstrate his intent, during this trip, to make Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking a national foreign policy priority during his presidency! http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=27810108 This piece is based on a talk given by Rabbinic Cabinet co-chair Rabbi Julie Saxe-Taller at Brit Tzedek's Grassroots Leadership Training Institute on June 22, 2008. Appended further below is a brief report from a meeting Rabbi Saxe-Taller facilitated with members of Brit Tzedek's Rabbinic Cabinet during the conference. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=25069046 The following is a transcript of the keynote presentation delivered by Yossi Beilin at the opening of Brit Tzedek’s National Advocacy Days on June 22, 2008, at the Sixth and I Historic Synagogue in Washington, DC. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=27454275 From June 21st to 24th, over 140 Brit Tzedek activists from across the country converged in Washington, D.C. to take part in 3 1/2 intense days of organizing, training, networking, and advocating to promote the pro-Israel, pro-peace message. Now our second year with two combined conferences – the Grassroots Leadership Training Institute and National Advocacy Days – Brit Tzedek’s voice is stronger and louder than ever before. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=26992967 The past few weeks have witnessed a cluster of positive events in the Middle East that, taken as a whole, provide a welcome dose of hope. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=27029565 Brit Tzedek v’Shalom, the Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace, welcomes today's commencement of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, brokered by Egypt. Diane Balser, Brit Tzedek’s executive director, issued the following statement today. http://btvshalom.org/advocacy/advocacy08.shtml#Agenda Join us in Washington to build our movement and spread our message during this critical election year. Help us to build on our momentum as we bolster the political will of the present Congress. Help us maintain the momentum to enable the next administration to move Israeli-Palestinian peace to the top of the agenda. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=26797554 The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, one of the most powerful lobby groups in the United States, just concluded its annual Washington conference. It drew a long line of administration officials and the presidential candidates to its doorsteps, all touting orthodox lines on what it means to be pro-Israel—messages carefully crafted to please the lobby. Now is a good time to ask, what exactly does 'pro-Israel' mean, and who is pro-Israel in the United States today? http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=26654440 When U.S. Representatives David Price (D-NC) and Raymond LaHood (R-IL) recently circulated a letter to President Bush in May signed by more than 50 members of Congress calling on him to reinvigorate Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking and find solutions to the crisis in Gaza and southern Israel, Brit Tzedek activists quickly mobilized support, helping it reach its final total of 52 cosponsors! http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=26337785 There is a danger of saying something so often that we forget its history. A "two-state solution”? Where did it come from? What does it mean? It’s often forgotten that the birth of Israel was in fact predicated on the notion of two states for two peoples. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=25968550 We're constantly faced with choices: As pro-Israel, pro-peace activists, we long ago chose to go against the grain, to insist that violence cannot be the answer to Israel's problems. We stand with Israel and want what's best for her -- and we know that sometimes, love means making the difficult choice. http://ga3.org/campaign/timetochoose "Time to Choose,” the latest campaign from Brit Tzedek v’Shalom, calls on American Jews to vote for a referendum on peace and pledge to take action to make a two-state solution a reality. The referendum asks American Jews to cast their vote in support of concrete steps to bring about a peaceful solution to the key aspects of the conflict: a settlement freeze, sharing Jerusalem, ending the blockade and reaching a ceasefire in Gaza, and active U.S. engagement in final status negotiations. Most importantly, “Time to Choose” is about translating that choice into action. Once you cast your vote for peace, you can pledge in a number of different ways to get involved in working for a two-state solution with Brit Tzedek v’Shalom. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=25650621 As President Bush goes from one photo-op to another in his Mideast tour and rockets hit Ashkelon again this week, over 50 Members of Congress have demanded real solutions to end the violence: a Hamas-Israel ceasefire, an end to the Gaza blockade, and a genuine Israeli-Palestinian peace process. http://ga3.org/campaign/peacemaking_takes_more/naz7winjmn? "A Palestinian state is a high priority for me and my administration...I'm confident it can get done...I appreciate a chance to talk about peace." (President Bush, 4/24/08). Offering pleasantries about peace won't be enough to make real progress towards a two-state solution. Please contact President Bush today and demand vigorous U.S. engagement to produce tangible, on-the-ground changes in the West Bank and Gaza now! http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=24308899 The Biblical story of Pesach, the story and the very notion of exodus from Egypt, stand at the root of what is today known as "liberation theology," faith ideas about a Divine imperative to free the slave, the weak, the small, the few, from the master, the strong, the giant, the many. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=24237517 Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations are in a tenuous position. Yet, in this election season, the candidates are talking about almost every key domestic and foreign policy issue except the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Help us build the momentum of people to enable the next administration to move Israeli-Palestinian peace to the top of the agenda. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=24051150 Advocating for peace between Israel and the Palestinians has never been simple, or easy. We often have to work against conventional wisdom and harmful policies, sometimes with little open support from our decision makers. It's a lot like the peace negotiations themselves. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=22988593 Gershon Baskin and Hanna Sinioria, co-directors of the Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information (IPCRI), will continue touring with their message of hope and peace to Los Angeles, Denver, New York City, and finally Providence. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=22760552 After weeks of violence and tragedy in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza, hopes for a final peace agreement by the end of this year are fading rapidly. Nevertheless, Brit Tzedek continues to organize and advocate in the American Jewish community for a two-state solution, and we are pleased to share an exciting development that demonstrates a real move towards peace in the American Jewish landscape. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=22426059 Steve Masters, President of Brit Tzedek v'Shalom, the Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace, issued the following statement in response to today's terrorist shooting at the Mercaz Harav yeshiva in Jerusalem that left 8 students dead and many wounded. http://ga3.org/campaign/hamas_israel_ceasefire_now/ In the past week, Palestinian militants fired over 700 rockets into Israel -- killing one father of four, wounding many, and reaching as far as the city of Ashkelon -- and the Israeli military engaged in its largest operation in Gaza in two years, leaving over 100 Palestinians killed, including many civilians and children. To prevent the violence from escalating even further, the U.S. must diplomatically intervene and call for a Hamas-Israel ceasefire now. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=22094048 Brit Tzedek v'Shalom is pleased to announce that our 10-city speaking tour with Gershon Baskin and Hanna Sinioria, co-directors of the Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Development (IPCRI), will launch March 1 in Atlanta, Georgia. The tour will then proceed across the country: Boston, Western Massachusetts, Ann Arbor, Detroit, San Francisco Bay area, Los Angeles, Denver, New York City, and finally Providence http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=21661665 Brit Tzedek v'Shalom is co-sponsoring an exhibit and organizing chapter events with members of the Israeli group Breaking the Silence/Shovrim Shtika (BTS) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Cambridge, MA. The exhibit includes over 100 photographs and video testimonies by current and former Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers documenting their experiences in the occupied territories. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=21031435 In the groundbreaking new book, Righteous Indignation: A Jewish Call for Justice, leading rabbis, intellectuals, and activists explore the relationship between Judaism and social justice. Significantly, the book contains an entire section dedicated to exploring the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including a chapter (excerpted below) by Brit Tzedek's Interim Executive Director and former National Advocacy Chair, Diane Balser. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=21220961 Akiva Eldar, chief political columnist and editorial writer for the Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz, will give us his on-the-ground perspective of the recent events in Gaza and southern Israel, including the Gaza blockade and breach of the Gaza-Egyptian border, the recent suicide bombing in Dimona, and the fallout from the Winograd report in a town hall conference call this Sunday, February 10. http://ga3.org/campaign/end_gaza_blockade/ This week, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians flooded out of Gaza through the recently breached border crossing with Egypt in order to purchase food, medicine, cement, mattresses, and household supplies. Last week, over two hundred Qassam rockets were launched by Palestinian militants into Sderot and elsewhere in Israel's northern Negev.This escalation of violence and punishment must end, and for that to happen, the U.S. must intervene. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=20226649 Brit Tzedek v'Shalom, in a pilot partnership with Meretz USA, is co-sponsoring a symposium in Israel and the West Bank this week. The delegation is meeting with Israeli and Palestinian political and grassroots leaders of the peace movement, as well as seeing first hand the effects of the occupation to gain an understanding of the realities affecting Israeli and Palestinian lives on a daily basis. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=15492594 Diane Balser, interim executive director of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom, the country’s largest and most vibrant grassroots Jewish peace movement, issued the following statement today in response to President Bush’s first visit as president to Israel and the West Bank this week, during which he met with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. http://ga3.org/campaign/bush_visit_action For the first time in his presidency, President Bush will travel to Israel and the West Bank this coming week (January 8 and 9) in a clear effort to accelerate negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Please urge President Bush use his visit to bring Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations back on track and ensure that all sides live up to their commitments to peace! http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=19810537 It's never been easy to talk within the American Jewish community about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, particularly during those difficult years in which the Israeli government itself was obstructing or actively opposing substantive peace talks, and the U.S. government failed to engage on almost any level. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=19705600 Among the most extraordinary aspects of Brit Tzedek's work has been the deep involvement of rabbis and cantors. We have put considerable effort into organizing Jewish spiritual leaders across the nation and they have become one of our key constituencies. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=19554430 The American Jewish community has been one of Israel’s most stalwart supporters since its foundation. We rightly see the Jewish State as our spiritual home, and in times of trouble, never fail to stand by Israel’s side. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=19342073 Senator Chris Dodd (CT) is circulating a powerful sign-on letter to Secretary Rice that applauds her work at the Annapolis peace conference and calls on her to press both Israelis and Palestinians to honor their commitments to reach a final status agreement, including a freeze on all settlement construction. Please call YOUR Senators today and urge them to sign the Dodd letter to Secretary Rice! Do not wait! http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=19270675 Brit Tzedek Calls on U.S. to Move Peace Process Forward, Oppose Actions that Undermine Peace, and Support an Israel-Hamas Ceasefire. “The events of the past weeks, which have so clearly created obstacles to relaunching peace talks, underscore the critical need for sustained and active U.S. engagement to ensure that both sides abide by their commitments under the Roadmap and avoid taking actions that undermine the peace process,” said Brit Tzedek president Steve Masters. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=18882872 As we prepare for Chanukah, American Jews have greater hope for a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict than we have had in years. When the holiday is over, the bilateral negotiations arranged at Annapolis are to begin. It is, indeed, as if a candle has been lit in the darkness. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/alert-description.html?alert_id=17926064 Daniel Levy, Senior Fellow and Director of the Middle East Policy Initiative at the New America Foundation and the lead Israeli drafter of the Geneva Initiative, provides an in-depth analysis of the Annapolis peace conference in Brit Tzedek’s Town Hall Conference Call. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/alert-description.html?alert_id=17926064 Brit Tzedek's Rabbinic Cabinet has raised a resolute call to American Jews, Kindle the Lights of Peace, urging their support for efforts to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks at the Annapolis peace conference and encouraging all of the presidential candidates to support Israeli-Palestinian peace. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=18281349 Brit Tzedek asked two of our allies, Naomi Chazan, professor of Political Science and former Member of Knesset with the Meretz party in Israel, and Rafi Dajani, the Executive Director of the American Task Force on Palestine, to answer several questions about the upcoming Annapolis peace conference, tentatively scheduled for November 27. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=18281124 If we support Annapolis rather than succumb to our skepticism, if we demonstrate beyond a shadow of a doubt to the White House, to Members of Congress, and to the presidential candidates that American Jews stand behind genuine peace efforts - we can change history. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=18324233 Thanks to your advocacy, 135 Members of Congress signed on to the Ackerman-Boustany letter to Secretary Rice in support of the Annapolis peace conference. That is more signers on a constructive pro-peace, pro-Israel letter than we have seen in years! http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=17903338 One my favorite Civil Rights Era anthems has the refrain: “keep your eyes on the prize, hold on.” As we look back on our impressive accomplishments from our first five years, it is abundantly clear that we've held on and kept our eyes on the prize. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=17696196 Stepping down from her role as founding president, Marcia Freedman offers her reflections on the past five years and says "thank you" to Brit Tzedek v'Shalom. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=17609844 It is time to pack your suitcase and join Brit Tzedek on a very special trip to Israel in January 2008 to meet with policymakers and peace activists to see firsthand what is happening on the ground in Israel. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=17472326 Representatives Gary Ackerman (D-NY) and Charles Boustany (R-LA) are circulating a sign-on letter to Secretary Rice commending her efforts to reinvigorate the Israeli-Palestinian peace process by convening an international conference this fall and calling for additional steps to ensure its success. http://btvshalom.org/resources/Hamas_FAQ.shtml The specter of Hamas - what they will and will not do - haunts nearly every discussion about a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict...In order to answer our questions, we researched and developed this "backgrounder" on Hamas. We hope it provides an overall understanding of their origins and what the future may hold in store for them and for those of us who advocate a negotiated settlement in the Middle East. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=17307694 Brit Tzedek v'Shalom welcomed Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's call for the Israeli government to clarify its plans to expropriate a significant swath of Palestinian land in the West Bank, known as the E-1 region. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=17192647 Brit Tzedek v'Shalom is launching a new campaign,"Let's Talk to the Candidates," to move beyond general platitudes about supporting Israel into discussing the specifics of what we believe is a truly pro-Israel position-bringing lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians. http://ga3.org/campaign/SRes321 Senators Feinstein and Lugar reintroduced their important Senate resolution calling for active U.S. engagement to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and now is the time to give it a new momentum! http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=16840039 Simchat Torah marks the end, and the beginning, of the endless cycle of Torah reading in our communities. It's easy to see such delight, such light-hearted pleasure, as a momentary respite from the serious work of tikkun olam, repairing the world, to which we are called. http://ga3.org/campaign/support_ceasefire_now/ Another deadly round of fighting seems imminent in Gaza, as Israel threatens a major military invasion and Hamas threatens a massive response. Urge President Bush to prevent this escalation of violence before it starts and to support an Israel-Hamas ceasefire now! http://www.btvshalom.org/pressrelease/2007/20070928pr.shtml Brit Tzedek v’Shalom, the Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace, calls on the White House to urge Israel to reach a ceasefire with Hamas, whether through backchannel talks, a neutral third-party or other indirect forms of diplomacy. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=16517993 With Yom Kippur just behind us, our thoughts turn now to the festival of Sukkot (sometimes known as the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles). http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=16158214 Read the latest news about Brit Tzedek v'Shalom's work on the local, national and international level. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=15540233 Just before the shofar is sounded in the third movement of the Shofar Service on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish people plead "Lead us with song to Zion Your city, with everlasting joy to Jerusalem, the place of Your sanctuary..." http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=15495560 Brit Tzedek's Deputy Director Aliza Becker spoke with Palestinian Legislative Council member Jihad Abu Zneid about her assessment of the present situation. Abu Zneid is a Fatah council member from East Jerusalem and the founder and director of the Women's Center of the Shuafat Refugee Camp in East Jerusalem. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=14821860 Surprisingly, the violent military takeover of Gaza by Hamas in early June and the formation of a national emergency government in the West Bank, led by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, has led many in Israel and the US to see a new "window of opportunity" for peace amidst the upheaval. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=14485796 Due to the grave humanitarian situation in Gaza as well as the welcome increase in US engagement in Middle East diplomacy, Brit Tzedek v'Shalom sent the following letter to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Friday, August 10, 2007. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=14312819 The Senate did not vote on the Feinstein/Lugar Resolution before it adjourned for its August recess. When the Senate comes back from recess after Labor Day, Brit Tzedek will be prepared to renew our strong advocacy for passage of the resolution, building on the momentum of having 36 cosponsors. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=14050742 The Feinstein/Lugar resolution is significant for its constructive, pro-engagement content in a Congress that regularly introduces legislation that demonizes Palestinians, places sanctions on desperately needed aid, and otherwise undermines U.S. efforts to promote peace negotiations. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=12681624 From June 16th to 19th, 120 Brit Tzedek activists from across the country converged in Washington, D.C. to take part in four intense days of organizing, training, networking, and advocating in support of our pro-Israel, pro-peace message. Check out the links below for more info on the Grassroots Leadership Training Institute and National Advocacy Days 2007. http://www.btvshalom.org/pressrelease/20070525pr.shtml Brit Tzedek developed the “Rabbinic Guide to 40 Years of Occupation” as a way of engaging congregations in considering the unintended political consequences of Israel’s occupation and to frame the discussions rabbis will be leading across the country in the coming weeks. http://letstalk.btvshalom.org/petition "Let’s Talk" urges the Bush Administration, in its final two years, to urgently promote and facilitate talks between Israel and the Palestinians, as well as Israel and Syria, and Israel and Lebanon. It is also a campaign to encourage dialogue among American Jews about the path to peace for Israel. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=11528794 It is already hot in Hebron at 11 a.m. as 300 of us disembark from the comfortable bullet-proof buses which started out in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Be'er Sheva, buses which passed through the checkpoints outside Kiryat Arba and inside Hebron itself, and -- accompanied by IDF and police vehicles -- down one of the main thoroughfares of the city, past Palestinians gathered outside their small stores and auto repair shops, past young boys carrying containers of soup given out on Tuesdays, past Christian tourists in red baseball caps. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=10902657 On behalf of the board of directors, I would like to congratulate Steven David Masters on his becoming President-Elect of Brit Tzedek v'Shalom. As Brit Tzedek's first President-Elect, Steve will serve as a member of the Executive Committee, will continue to be a leader of Brit Tzedek's advocacy efforts, and will play a leading role in our fundraising efforts. He will become our second President in November of 2007. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=9527357 These two installments of a tour report covering our travels in Israel and the occupied territories this past March and April. In the first installment, you?ll find highlights of conversations with leaders and activists involved in a variety of initiatives aimed at resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and addressing the damage the conflict has done. In the second installment we try to convey in pictures and in words some of what we experienced. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=6929519 I would argue, though, that without active dialogue and struggle over what is the best course for American policy vis-a-vis Israel, we will not be able to find the true path towards a genuine peace, an end to the conflict, and the acceptance of Israel in the Arab world. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=6092007 Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA) introduced a powerful resolution calling on President Bush to appoint a special envoy for Middle East peace, H.Res.143. A high-level, permanent U.S. envoy to the Middle East could help break the current impasse between Israelis and Palestinians by providing vigorous and persistent engagement to return both sides to the negotiating table. Please tell your Representative to cosponsor H.Res.143 today! http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=6536129 Brit Tzedek was pleased and proud to host a 22-city speaking tour with the Israeli-Palestinian group Combatants for Peace in Jewish communities across the United States. The tour, from January 8 to February 9, 2007, was a resounding success, bringing the voices of Israeli-Palestinian reconciliation to the heart of our community. http://ga3.org/btvshalom/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=3535885 Brit Tzedek v'Shalom since its founding has consistently given recognition to the leading role that the Israeli and Palestinian women's peace movements have played in advancing the cause of a non-violent and just resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The establishment a year ago of The International Women's Commission for a Just and Sustainable Israeli-Palestinian Peace (IWC) composed of of 20 Palestinian, 20 Israeli and 20 internationally prominent women, is a new and important development in this trajectory.