Brit Tzedek v'Shalom

Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace

Chapter Activities

Western Massachusetts

Western Massachusetts Chapter of Brit Tzedek v'Shalom News

During the summer and fall, the Western Mass. chapter organized and co-sponsored several community events that attracted substantial audiences in the Northampton/Amherst area. On August 9, in conjunction with the Smith College School for Social Work, we presented Robi Damelin and Nadwa Sarandah, two women from the Bereaved Parents' Forum. After a powerful and moving dialogue between Robi and Nadwa, we joined the local commemoration of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Both women made brief remarks to the gathering at the college's Paradise Pond. On September 9, two of our members, Nancy Felton and Joel Dansky, gave a talk and slide show about their recent trip to Israel/Palestine as part of a delegation organized by Faculty for Israel/Palestine Peace. They discussed their encounters with Israeli and Palestinian peace activists, university faculty and students, and adminstrators and staff of various NGOs. In November, we organized a brunch for our membership at which Noam Bahat, a 21-year-old member of the Israeli Refuser Solidarity Network, reflected on his decision to refuse service in the IDF and about the consequences of his actions. On November 9, many of us attended a passionate speech by former speaker of the Knesset, Avraham Burg, given at the University of Mass. Several made Brit Tzedek's presence known during the question and answer period.

Our chapter is currently working, in conjunction with Rabbis for Human Rights (North America), Congregation B'nai Israel (Northampton), and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst Office of Jewish Affairs to organize two speaking engagements for RHR Executive Director Rabbi Arik Ascherman on November 21. We have extended invitations to local congregations to hear Rabbi Ascherman speak at Congregation B'nai Israel that morning and have invited the general public to hear him at the University that afternoon.

Our core group of about 12-14 people continues to meet monthly (and sometimes more frequently) to plan events and keep up to date with the national activities of Brit Tzedek. We will have a membership meeting on December 14 to celebrate Hanukah and to discuss recent political developments in Israel and the Palestinian Territories. Many of our core group members have expressed interest in attending Brit Tzedek's national conference in February.

Joel Dansky
Western Massachusetts Chapter, Brit Tzedek v'Shalom
November 10, 2004

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