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FALL - WINTER 2011

CATALOGUE
Q: What is the Jewish Voice for Peace-Community Center (JVP-CC)? A: The JVP-CC is the home for the educational & community-building work of the JVP organizing program.
We imagine coming together tocelebrate the unique beauty of diverse Jewish communities, history, andculture while at the same time being aplace to spark our connection tobroader struggles for justice. We dream of Jewish communitieswhere we build connections with each other, educate ourselves, and strive fora better world. It turns out, that is exactly what we are doinghere at JVP! A central value of the organizing program at JVP is that the best organizing happens when we deepen our relationships to each other and our understandings of the issues. As we listen to each others voices andideas on conference calls, shareknowledge and deepen political understanding in study groups, transform ritual into political education, orgather together inperson for aregional leadership retreat orcampaign strategy session when webuild community and share political educationwe are creating anew kind of Jewish community center--the JVP-CC. The JVP-CC is the home for the educational and community-building work of our organizing program. Open to Jews and non-Jews alike, the JVP-CC is a sometimes virtual, sometimes physical space where we deepen our connection to each other and oursupport for Palestinian liberation & self-determination. Welcome to the JVP-CC!

WHATS INSIDE:
Institutes: Regional Leadership Development Institutes, Chapter Development Institutes Political analysis workshops, book groups, and education sessions National Workgroups: Tech Team, Welcoming Committee, Safety Training Online Community Alternative Jewish Ritual
Jewish Voice for Peace members are inspired by Jewish tradition to work together for peace, social justice, equality, human rights, respect for international law, and a U.S. foreign policy based on these ideals. JVP opposes anti-Jewish, anti-Muslim, and anti-Arab bigotry and oppression. JVP seeks an end to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem; security and selfdetermination for Israelis and Palestinians; a just solution for Palestinian refugees based on principles established in international law; an end to violence against civilians; and peace and justice for all peoples of the Middle East.

INSTITUTES
REGIONAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTES
JVP Regional Leadership Development Institutes (LDI) are JVP member-only gatherings for core organizers and leaders working with JVP on one of three tracks: 1. TIAA-CREF Campaign 2. Rapid Response Actions 3. Youth Wing of JVP Sessions at the LDI include: messaging and communications, grassroots organizing skills, chapter-building strategies, and antioppression analysis. Upcoming dates: Pacic Northwest/Northern California Region, January 27-29, 2012 in Portland, Oregon July 2012 will be in the Southwest/Southern California Region: Location & dates TBD January 2013 will be on the East Coast: Location & dates TBD For more information or to join your regions planning team, contact Rabbi Alissa Wise at alissa@jewishvoicepeace.org.

FIRST LDI IN THE MIDWEST WAS A HUGE SUCCESS!

The first ever LDI was held in St. Paul, MN in July 2011 with 30 participants from St. Louis, Louisville, Chicago and beyond! Here is what a few participants had to say:

The LDI reminded me what great power we have organizing together. Coming from varied organizing backgrounds, we energized each other to develop solid campaign strategies, and also had a blast getting to know each other. - Liza Behrendt The LDI was a reminder for me that being Jewish is not dependent on having a connection to Israel. It was a reminder for me that there are Jews who are willing to do the hard work to liberate themselves and support Palestinians. And it was a reminder for me that we can't do this work alone. - Liz Schulman The LDI gave me real hope that we can build an effective, powerful voice against Israeli human rights violations among young Jews in the US. Putting our minds together and realizing how much impact we can have was an amazing experience. - Michael Deheeger

CHAPTER DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE

This online webinar series is a chance to come together with JVP veterans and brand new members alike to review the fundamentals of effective organizing. We'll discuss everything you need to know to get your chapter off the ground or back in gear. The first half of each workshop is intended for members from multiple cities to share their triumphs, obstacles, and strategies 2on the road to building strong, effective, vibrant chapters. Well swap stories, share strategies, vent frustrations, and get down to planning the concrete details of chapter organizing. The second half of each workshop will be a skill-building training about a related topic from a staff person, member, or outside expert. The next CDI begins in early November. To apply to be a part of it, complete this form. For more information, email Stefanie Fox at stefanie@jvp.org

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PAST POLITICAL EDUCATION SESSIONS

In the past few months JVPers have gathered over the internet for a number of poltical analysis sessions including: - A "reading group" on Malcolm Gladwell's article on social media and organizing, facilitated by Rebecca Subar - A special three-part Nakba commemoration webinar series hosted by JVP and facilitated by the US-Zochrot Working Group, inspired by a study guide called "How Do We Say Nakba in Hebrew?" recently released by the Israeli organization Zochrot. - Pinkwashing: Interrupting Israels Queer Public Relations. A workshop led by Nava EtShalom - Power, Privilege & Positionality in the Palestine Soldarity Movement led by the youth leaders of JVP - Walls still standing: confronting anti-Jewish oppression in the Palestinian solidarity movement. A workshop/ discussion on anti-Jewish oppression led by the youth leaders of JVP.

POLITICAL ANALYSIS
JVP offers webinars using innovative online meeting-room technology so that members all over the US can meet and learn together. These sessions combine cutting edge analysis, strategic thinking, and community building. Briefing on September Palestine Vote in the UN Join leading political analysts and activists for a special JVP memberonly briefing as the world awaits the UN vote on Palestinian statehood. Wednesday, September 7th 5:30 pm pacific/8:30 pm eastern RSVP: Alissa@jvp.org Storytelling as Political Act We each have a story that brought us to JVP. We each have a political narrative to tell that begins when we were children, has formative moments and people, and that when told holds and create tremendous political power. Join other JVPers to begin to tell, or for a chance to retell your personal, or political story, and how to use that story to build power for change and for justice. Wednesday, October 19th 5 pm pacific/ 8 pm eastern RSVP: stefanie@jvp.org JVP Bookgroup Spend the winter holidays reading Floodlines:Community and Resistance from Katrina to the Jena 6 by Jordan Flaherty, then join with fellow JVPers to discuss your thoughts and insights, and to draw connections and inspiration from New Orleans to JVPs work to win justice & equality in Israel/Palestine. Meeting 1: Monday, December 5th 5 pm pacific/8 pm eastern Meeting 2: Monday, December 19th 5 pm pacific/8 pm eastern Meeting 3: Monday, January 9th 5 pm pacific/8 pm eastern RSVP: Stefanie@jvp.org Solidarity Education Series Beginning in November 2011, we will be holding a montly series of hour-long webinars where we will learn about the daily experiences under occupation and the communities of resistance in Palestinian villages throughout the West Bank and Gaza. As part of an international movement of solidarity with Palestinians, we will begin the process of engaging more deeply village by village with the realities on the ground while living under the now 44 year old Israeli occupation. Our studies will lead us to take actions here in the US to support the villages. The first session in the series begins: Wednesday, November 16th, 5 pm pacific/8 pm eastern RSVP to: stefanie@jvp.org

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NATIONAL WORKGROUPS
JVP MEMBER TECH SUPPORT
The JVP tech team, made up tech-savvy JVP members, has set up a help-ticketing system, where JVP members can get support on technical issues. This will allow volunteers to keep track of the issues, and (ideally) simplify the work of answering the questions quickly and efficiently. It will also allow us to figure out common questions, and use that to set up technical resources and documentation to help JVP members with common questions. If you have a tech question or need some support, you can submit a ticket at http://support.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/ Do you have tech expertise? Do you want to join the tech team to help answer your fellow members questions? If so, please email us to join the team: support@jewishvoiceforpeace.org

FOR NEW JVPers!

JVP Member Manual The newly updated membership manual can be downloaded here New Member Buddy System Unsure where to get started? Bursting with ideas? Just want to chat with a member who has been around longer? Email your name, phone number, and whatever thoughts you might want to articulate to: newmember@jvp.org and a Welcoming Committee member will be in touch within two weeks. Orientation If you are new to JVP, we urge you to join us for a new member orientation call to learn more about JVP--who we are, how we work, and most importantly how you can get involved. The next new member orientation is: Wednesday, October 5th 5:30 pacific/8:30 eastern RSVP to: newmember@jvp.org

SAFETY TRAINING
We've grown a tremendous amount in the last year, and just one of the signs of our increasing strength and power is in the escalated level of violence and intimidation we've faced as members, staff, and chapter leaders. Incidents like the pepper-spraying of our members in the SF Bay Area or the threat poster found at a JVP members home in Los Angeles shook all of us. While most JVP members have taken these threats in stride--even using them as organizing opportunities for your chapters--we also want to provide training for how best to handle these situations. Indeed, we can see these events as an invitation to strengthen our skills and refine our practices around safety in our organizing. This is true because "safety" is not an end goal we arrive at one day, but rather a set of muscles we can work to develop-through patient practice--as individuals and an organization. A first round of safety planning trainings took place in June, and another safety planning session will be scheduled in the coming months. For more information and to RSVP please contact Stefanie Fox at Stefanie@jvp.org

WELCOMING COMMITTEE
JVP now has a "Welcoming Committee" which is comprised of members across the country to help welcome new members into JVP. The Welcoming Committee has been hard at work creating a new welcome manual, a buddy system to offer new members support from other fellow members, and a quarterly orientation conference call. Contact: newmember@jvp.org

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ONLINE COMMUNITY

JVP is excited to announce the launch of a JVP members-only, password-protected website and set of collaboration tools thanks to an open source software project called Organic Groups. With organic groups, JVP members can be in dialogue with & get to know each other (through user proles), share resources (e.g. toolkits, yers), stay informed on events (e.g. meeting or event dates, key holidays & anniversaries), and stay connected to JVP news and updates, JVP campaign work and more. These tools will allow you to not rely on JVP staff to post resources, events, and articlesyou do it yourself! Through this new, innovative JVP online community, you can get to know members nationwide, share your successes, get support on your challenges, and be in community with like-minded activists and organizers. We will have a group for all JVP members, as well as groups for discrete areas of our work such as: TIAA-CREF Divestment Campaign, the Board, chapters, the youth wing of JVP, and more! To get started, log on to https://jewishvoiceforpeace.org/user

ALTERNATIVE JEWISH RITUAL

JVP is made up of Jews across the secular to religious spectrum, as well people of various faith traditions. Many JVP members nd meaning in linking the Jewish holiday cycle, as well as signicant historical anniversaries, to our work to end the Israeli occupation of Palestine. Ritual helps us to gain inspiration, engage in ongoing education, and come together to build community to work for justice. Whether it be tashlich rituals (pictured here in Seattle) during Rosh HaShannah, Passover liberation seders, remembrances of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising or commemorating the Nakba (Palestinian catastrophe of 1948), JVP members share resources haggadot for Passover, special readings for the high holidays, powerpoint presentations, poems, and songs. You can nd resources at the bottom of this page, or contact Rabbi Alissa Wise to get involved in creating new resources or renewing existing ones.

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