Brit Tzedek v'Shalom
Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace
Chapter Activities
Capital District (Albany-Schenectady-Troy) of New York Chapter
THE JEWISH WORLD (Albany, NY)
Jan. 9, 2003Article
Brit Tzedek v'Shalom plans first meeting
ALBANY - An area chapter of Brit Tzedek v'Shalom, the Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace, will hold its first open meeting Sunday, Jan. 12, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Campus Center of Sage Colleges, Room 347, New Scotland Avenue, Albany.
According to the Brit Tzedek mission statement: "Brit Tzedek is a national organization of American Jews deeply committed to Israel's well-being through the achievement of a negotiated settlement to the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We are guided by the mitzvah, or obligation, to pursue peace and justice that is rooted in both secular and religious Jewish traditions."
"We formed a chapter of Brit Tzedek to broaden the range of views heard about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict in the Capital District Jewish community," says Judy Wienman, co-chairperson of the local chapter. "We want to encourage open discussion of what constitutes support for Israel, and to promote tolerance for diverse political opinions."
Ethan Bloch, spokesperson for the local chapter, said, "It is very unfortunate that most Americans hear only two hard-to-believe extreme voices on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict: right-wing support for Israel that uncritically endorses all Israeli government policy, and is often anti-Palestinian; and left-wing criticism of Israeli government policy that is often anti-Israel."