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Peace Not Walls
WHAT CAN WE DO?
Webinar series from the Lutheran World Federation, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land
Saturdays, April 25-May 30, 10 am MDT - Join current webinar/watch past webinars!
- April 25: Augusta Victoria Hospital and Lutheran World Federation on Healthcare challenges in light of COVID-19 Wach here
- May 2: ELCJHL Bishop Azar and Pastors Munther and Ashraf, on the impact of the pandemic on the church and the wider community Watch here
- May 9: Lutheran schools, impact and response Watch here
- May 16: Lutheran mission personnel - Pastors Carrie Ballenger (Jerusalem) and Gabi and Meghan Aelabouni (YAGM Country Coordinators) on what they are experiencing in Jerusalem and West Bank Watch here
- May 23: Pastors in Amman, Jordan and Jerusalem on the impact of the pandemic for their congregations Watch here
- May 30: Pastor Mitri Raheb, Executive Director of the DIyar Consortium, on the impact on the church, educational institutions, and the wider community Watch here
ELCA Churchwide Assembly Passes Actions Related to Israel and Palestine, 2019
Four actions related to Palestine and Israel, including the one we passed at our RMS assembly in May, "No Way to Treat a Child" (see below). Time now to write to our elected officials, especially Members of Congress, where they have an opportunity to co-sponsor Rep. Betty McCollum's bill, H.R. 2407, "Promoting Human Rights for Palestinian Children Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act." (see "Take Action" below)
2019 Memorial to ELCA Churchwide Assembly - No Way to Treat a Child
Protecting the Human Rights of Palestinian Children Living Under Israeli Military Occupation - Each year Israel arrests and prosecutes around 700 Palestinian children. The No Way to Treat a Child campaign seeks to challenge and end Israel’s prolonged military occupation of Palestinians by exposing the widespread and systematic ill-treatment of Palestinian children. Since 1967, Israel has operated two separate legal systems in the same territory. In the occupied West Bank, Israeli settlers are subject to the civilian and criminal legal system whereas Palestinians live under military law.
Learn more:
- Text of the Memorial passed at the May, 2019 RMS Assembly
- Fact sheet to accompany 2019 Memorial
- Watch Detaining Dreams - 15-minute documentary about Palestinian child detentions by Israeli military
- Read about Palestinian child detentions and the No Way to Treat a Child Campaign: https://nwttac.dci-palestine.org
- Watch the trailer of documentary film, Imprisoning a Generation
Take action:
- Become a citizen co-sponsor of HR 2407, "Promoting Human Rights for Palestinian Children Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act"
- Resources for learning and talking about HR 2407 from Rep. Betty McCollum
- Tell your lawmaker to co-sponsor HR 2407
- Contact Zelda Edmunds to show the 50-minute documentary, Imprisoning a Generation, in your congregation: https://www.anemoia.net
- Plan educational events in your congregation. Contact the Peace Not Walls team to arrange for a speaker/discussion leader: millerjan68@gmail.com
Thomas Mass Liturgy
The Thomas Mass is a Lutheran worship liturgy designed for contemplation, prayer, and questioning. It is named for the Apostle Thomas because of his questions in faith. The bulk of this service is an Open Phase during which worshippers are invited to participate in different worship stations as they feel compelled. This particular Thomas Mass has been developed by the Rocky Mountain Synod’s Peace Not Walls committee. The service may be adapted for use throughout the year in various worship settings.
Direct Support to Palestinian Lutheran Ministries
Opportunity Palestine - supporting Lutheran schools in Bethlehem, Beit Jala, Beit Sahour and Ramallah: http://opportunitypalestine.org.
Bright Stars of Bethlehem - supporting ministries of Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem - K-12 school and after school programs, elder care programs, Dar Al-Kalima University College and more: http://brightstarsbethlehem.org
Two 2016 Churchwide Assembly Actions
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Peace with Justice in the Holy Land: Urging the US to make our foreign aid to Israel contingent on Israel's cessation of settlement construction in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem
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Justice for the Holy Land through Responsible Investment: Asking for development of an ELCA human rights social criteria investment screen, specifically addressing Israel and Palestine
Read a FACT SHEET about the two memorials.
WHAT IS PEACE NOT WALLS?
In the Rocky Mountain Synod, we participate in a special ELCA campaign working for justice and peace in Palestine and Israel, through
Accompaniment- Advocacy
- Awareness-raising
Peace Not Walls connects us with our Palestinian Lutheran companions—promoting dignity, full respect for human rights, healing and reconciiation. With our companions in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), we also accompany Palestinians and Israelis, Jews, Christians and Muslims working together for peace with justice. Learn more about the ELCA campaign.
Some other ways you and your congregation can be involved:
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IMPLEMENT the ELCA resolutions on Israeli settlements and responsible investment - read a FACT SHEET on the Memorials
- WATCH a video introduction to Peace Not Walls
- CONTACT a speaker
- STUDY the KAIROS PALESTINE document, the Palestinian Christians' call to Christians around the world, asking for support in their struggle for human rights
- SUPPORT Lutheran ministries and schools in Bethlehem through Bright Stars of Bethlehem
- SUPPORT Lutheran schools of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) through Opportunity Palestine
- WHY have more than 200 Israeli settlements been built on Palestinian land? Watch "The Iron Wall" documentary
- WHY is a two-state solution unlikely? Watch a two-minute video: "Israel-Palestine, a Land in Fragments"
- Watch 1948: Creation and Catastrophe
- Watch The Occupation of the American Mind
- Summary of ELCA churchwide actions on Palestine
Documents:
Resources:
Take Action
- Become a citizen co-sponsor of H.R. 2407
- Ask your Representative to co-sponsor H.R. 2407
- Support Augusta Victoria Hospital in East Jerusalem
Churchwide Assembly Memorials
Some resources and links for your congregation to study the issues and implement the resolutions. Members of the PNW working group (listed below) are available to help you plan.
- ***NEW*** Four 2019 Churchwide Assembly Actions
- From 2016 - FAQs on the two ELCA Churchwide Assembly actions
- Kairos Palestine document in English
- Kairos Palestine document in Spanish
- Study guide for reading the Kairos Palestine document - see Resources above
Travel
- Bridges Not Walls, Holy Land Delegation for Young Adults ages 15-35 - July 26-August 6 2019 - Join an alternative pilgrimage of peace and justice in the Holy Land: More information and application.
- Witness Visit to Israel/Palestine - June 12-25, 2019 - Visit the holy sites in the Old City of Jerusalem - the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and the Dome of the Rock. Experience the realities of the Palestinian community living under Israeli occupation: the Wall, settlements, checkpoints, confiscated land and demolished homes, refugee camps, and environmental degradation and meet with Israeli and Palestinian groups working for peace. More: http://sabeelcolorado.org/?q=node/14
- Contact Jan Miller for more trips or to create one for your congregation
News Sources
- B'Tselem, the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights
- Haaretz English language newspaper
- JStreet - pro-Israel/pro-peace advocacy
- Al-Jezeera News
- Palestine News Network
- International Middle East Media Center
- The Jerusalem Post
RMS Peace Not Walls working group
- Jan Miller
- Jo Ann Wacker-Farrand
- Doug Wheeler