Brit Tzedek v'Shalom

Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace

Cambridge woman to head U.S. group favoring 'negotiated' pact on Israeli conflict

The Jewish Advocate
July 29-August 4, 2005

CAMBRIDGE – Diane Balser of Cambridge has been appointed chief executive officer of Brit Tzedek v'Shalom, a national grassroots organization of American Jews committed to "promoting a peaceful, negotiated settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict."

Balser, a professor of women's studies at Boston University, founded and built the Women's Legislative Network of Massachusetts, a state network of individuals and organizations representing women on public policy issues. Balser also has a long history of liberal Jewish activism and was one of the founding members of Brit Tzedek in 2002. She has served as the organization's national vice president, chair and co-chair of its national advocacy committee, and co-chair of its Boston chapter.

"I am immensely proud to lead a wonderful team," Balser said. "We are all committed to generating greater dialogue within the American Jewish community and helping to direct U.S. foreign policy toward the realization of a just peace."

Balser believes that Brit Tzedek, which claims 28,000 members and supporters as well as 30 chapters nationwide, is having a significant impact. Locally, the organization has recently been accepted as a member of Boston's Jewish Community Relations Council; nationally, it offers an alternative to the more hawkish positions of the traditional Washington-based Israel advocacy organizations.