Author: Mennonite Palestine Israel Network (MennoPIN)

In This Issue

Mennonite Action Holds Week of Action for Gaza – March 25 – 29
Join a Tree Planting Adventure in Palestine and Israel
Donate to Replant Olive Trees in Palestine!
Funding Support for Tareq Abuhalima’s Family
Prayers from Sabeel
Stay Informed on Palestine

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Mennonite Action Holds Week of Action for Gaza –

March 25 – 29

Harrisonburg-area Mennonites call for a ceasefire in Gaza in February

Mennonite congregations and communities are now organizing to take action the week of March 25-29 to address the humanitarian suffering in Gaza.  Actions directed to our political leadership include requests for increased humanitarian aid, calls for a ceasefire, a release of all hostages and political prisoners, and an end to funding of weapons of war to Israel. “Send Aid, Not Bombs!” is Mennonite Action’s theme!  Congregations will be holding actions throughout the week to show the breadth and size of our movement—and the momentum will continue to grow with each passing day.

Congregations are also creating physical symbols of the aid that our countries should be providing to Gaza – not weapons of war.  These physical symbols could include quilts, bread, or other Anabaptist forms of expression that will be delivered to political leadership throughout North America.

Connect with a Mennonite congregation and community to join an event or use the Mennonite Action toolkit to create your own.

Join a Tree Planting Adventure in Palestine and Israel

Jerusalem residents plant trees as part of an Earth Day event in 2021. Credit: Fadi Amira

Join Mennonite Men and MennoPIN February 12-27, 2025, as we travel to Palestine and Israel to plant olive trees, meet Palestinian peacemakers, and connect the land to Jesus’ way of peace. This is for anyone age 18 and older.
 
Our two-week sojourn in Palestine and Israel will bring us into multifold contact with this land. Tree planting days in the West Bank will give us intimate, hand-to-soil contact with the land itself as we work with Palestinian farmers. We will learn about the occupation of Palestine through relationship building and experiential learning. We will discover the critical place of trees in the culture, economy, and ecology of the region. And we will see that the olive branch is not simply a symbol but that olive trees are essential for God’s peace in this land. Since this is the homeland of Jesus of Nazareth, we will visit ancient biblical sites—in Nazareth, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem—and make connections between the ancient land of Abraham, David, and Jesus and of modern-day Palestinians. We will also meet with Palestinian peacemakers practicing creative non-violence to bring hope and courage into their local communities. We will make time for worship and reflection together, recognizing that there will be much to process, and much about this trip that will transform us.

We hope you will support this fund-raising campaign or join us for this trip to Palestine and Israel. Learn more about the trip, including a link to sign up on MennoPIN’s website at this link. We will have an information and Q&A meeting via Zoom on March 18th at 7:30pm (EST) at https://bit.ly/palestinequestions.  Questions may also be referred to the trip organizers below:

• Steve Thomas, US Director of Mennonite Men and ISA certified arborist, SteveT@MennoniteMen.org
• Bob Atchison, Chair of MennoPIN and professional forester, robertleeatchison@gmail.com 
• Amy Yoder McGloughlin, delegation leader for CPT (Community Peacemaker Teams) in Palestine, amy.yoder.mcgloughlin@gmail.com

Donate to Replant Olive Trees in Palestine!

Israelis have destroyed over one million olive trees belonging to Palestinians. Why? To strike at their livelihoods, create economic hardships, and displace them from their land. Once trees are removed and farmers are forced to leave their land, Israelis may claim and add this land to their settlements in occupied Palestine. This is one of many aggravating factors leading to Palestinian resistance and the current war. Help MennoPIN and the Mennonite Men JoinTrees campaign raise $50,000 to replace 2,500-3,000 olive trees and enable Palestinian families to remain on their land. Click here to learn how to donate.

Funding Support for Tareq Abuhalima’s Family

Since December 2019 MennoPIN has been in relationship with Tareq Abuhalima and Youth Vision Society in Gaza as part of our Twinning Initiative to advocate for the people of Gaza.  Last year Tareq began working on a Business Administration masters at Bluffton University.  This story was recently featured in the March edition of Anabaptist World (Read the AW story here).  Since the October 7th war began Tareq has lost three of his sisters and his remaining family now live in tents in southern Gaza.  His remaining family lacks the basic necessities of life such as clean water, food, adequate clothing, and shelter.  The cold weather has exacerbated their situation pushing Tareq’s family to the brink of survival. 

The photo below is of Tareq’s niece, Farah, washing dishes from the one meal they share each day. Tareq’s brother reports “Farah is always doing something. She collects mud around the tent to protect it from falling apart due to the wind. She stands in a line to collect drinking water and collects firewood for cooking. She is always doing something, and somehow she finds something to smile about.”

As part of his Ramadan observance, Tareq is reaching out to ask for support for his family to provide a glimmer of hope amidst despair.  Tareq is using Western Union to wire money to his family. 
 
If you are willing to help, Please mail support to his address, or send money to his PayPal by opening the PayPayl app and scanning the QR below.

Prayers from Sabeel

On the 10th of March, the Muslim world marked the first day of Ramadan. Ramadan is the most important month in Islam which is observed with fasting, daily communal prayers, and recitation of the Quran, amongst other practices. Nearly every year in Palestine the month of Ramadan is marked with violence, provocation, and the obstruction of the freedom of worship by the State of Isarel against the Palestinian Muslim population. 

Holy God, we pray that all Palestinian Muslims will be able to practice their spirituality this Ramadan without restrictions and violence. We remember that our oppressors enforce rules not to protect, but to restrict. Lord, as millions fast this Ramadan let them remember the people in Gaza who are starving, and as they come together in community to break their fasts, may they be reminded of the collective strength communities possess to challenge injustices.

Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer 

People in Gaza are waiting for the outcome of ceasefire talks while Israeli attacks, starvation, diseases, and hellish circumstances continue, affecting 2.2 million people. Children are dying of starvation in northern Gaza, and many are experiencing severe malnutrition. Aid is systematically denied from entering Gaza, especially the northern part and the aid that does make it through is at times under fire from Israel’s military.   

God of the oppressed, the full extent of the suffering in Gaza is unknown. Lord, we come to you like the Psalmist asking “Why, O Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1). Lord, we hold on to our faith that the depths of agony and pain are only truly known by you and the people of Gaza. Lord, deliver the people of Gaza and stop the starvation they are experiencing. Keep us from growing numb to the suffering that is occurring.

Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer  
 

Stay Informed on Palestine

MennoPIN keeps you informed about Palestine through our monthly update, special alerts, calls to action, important resources and tour possibilities, all from an Anabaptist perspective. But there are additional excellent organizations and web publications that can keep you informed, some on a daily basis. We invite you to explore these groups and visit the web publications as another way to keep current and active for the people of Palestine. Here are some MennoPIN recommends:

Organizations

• Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA)
• Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center (Sabeel)
• Mennonite Central Committee Palestine and Israel
• Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT)
• U.S. Campaign for Palestine Rights (USCPR)
• Kairos Palestine
• Kairos USA
• Americans for Middle East Understanding (AMEU)
• Christian Zionism
• Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace
• Palestine Portal

Web Publications

• Mondeweiss
• The Electronic Intifada
• +972 Magazine
• B’Tselem
• Palestine InSight

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Mennonite Palestine-Israel Network
mennopin@gmail.com | mennopin.org | facebook.com/mennopin | twitter.com/mennopin

Steering Committee:
Bob Atchison (Manhattan Mennonite Church, Manhattan, KS)
Dorothy Jean Weaver (Community Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, VA)
Dave Janzen (Fellowship of Hope, Elkhart, IN)
Jonathan Kuttab (Palestinian lawyer and human rights activist, Manheim, PA)
Lydia Brenneman (Lima Mennonite Church, Lima, OH)
Rod Stafford (Portland Mennonite Church, Portland, OR)
Zachary Murray (Mennonite Central Committee, Washington, DC)
Lydia Miller (Kalamazoo Mennonite Fellowship, Kalamazoo MI)

In This Issue

Mennonite Action and MennoPIN – Such a Time as This…
MennoPIN and Mennonite Men’s Tree Planting Initiative and Trip to Palestine/Israel
An Anabaptist Response to Christian Zionism
MennoPIN Announces New Communications Coordinator!
Prayers from Sabeel
Stay Informed on Palestine

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Mennonite Action and MennoPIN – Such a Time as This…

Mennonite Action protestors in DC on January 16

Mennonite Action is a new grassroots movement of Mennonites bonded by a common belief that we must be public about our peace values.  Mennonite Action has created a new space and a new voice for so many Anabaptists who are seeking to be faithful to Jesus’ non-violent teachings.  Since their first action on December 19th to the January 16th action in Washington, DC, the movement has grown and at the time of this post collected 5,882 signatures asking for a ceasefire in Gaza.  If you haven’t already plugged into this amazing work, check it out at https://www.mennoniteaction.org/get-involved.

MennoPIN and Mennonite Men’s Tree Planting Initiative and Trip to Palestine/Israel

In Palestine, Olive Trees are a symbol of peaceful resistance. Copyright: Ryan Rodrick Beiler

Raise Funds to replace olive trees in Palestine
Israelis have destroyed over one million olive trees belonging to Palestinians. Why? To strike at their livelihoods, create economic hardships, and displace them from their land. Once trees are removed and farmers are forced to leave their land, Israelis may claim and add this land to their settlements in occupied Palestine. This is one of many aggravating factors leading to Palestinian resistance and the current war.  Help MennoPIN and the Mennonite Men JoinTrees campaign raise $50,000 to replace 2,500-3,000 olive trees and enable Palestinian families to remain on their land. See the flyer and more information on the MennoPIN website at this link. 
 
Travel with us to Palestine and Israel
Join Mennonite Men and MennoPIN February 12-27, 2025, as we travel to Palestine and Israel to plant olive trees, meet Palestinian peacemakers, and connect the land to Jesus’ way of peace. This is for anyone age 18 and older.
 
Our two-week sojourn in Palestine and Israel will bring us into multifold contact with this land. Tree planting days in the West Bank will give us intimate, hand-to-soil contact with the land itself as we work with Palestinian farmers. We will learn about the occupation of Palestine through relationship building and experiential learning. We will discover the critical place of trees in the culture, economy, and ecology of the region. And we will see that the olive branch is not simply a symbol but that olive trees are essential for God’s peace in this land. Since this is the homeland of Jesus of Nazareth, we will visit ancient biblical sites—in Nazareth, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem—and make connections between the ancient land of Abraham, David, and Jesus and of modern-day Palestinians. We will also meet with Palestinian peacemakers practicing creative non-violence to bring hope and courage into their local communities. We will make time for worship and reflection together, recognizing that there will be much to process, and much about this trip that will transform us. Learn more about the trip, including a link to sign up on MennoPIN’s website at this link

We hope you will support this fund-raising campaign or join us for this trip to Palestine and Israel. See attached flyers for more information. We will have an information and Q&A meeting via Zoom on March 18th at 7:30pm (EST) at https://bit.ly/palestinequestions.

For more information about the trip or about fundraising, reach out to

• Steve Thomas, US Director of Mennonite Men and ISA certified arborist, SteveT@MennoniteMen.org
• Bob Atchison, Chair of MennoPIN and professional forester, robertleeatchison@gmail.com 
• Amy Yoder McGloughlin, delegation leader for CPT (Community Peacemaker Teams) in Palestine, amy.yoder.mcgloughlin@gmail.com

An Anabaptist Response to Christian Zionism

Image of a American woman with an Israeli flag around her shoulders. Copyright: Ted Eytan

Thanks to the work of MennoPIN’s Christian Zionism Committee, we are now offering a publication that provides an Anabaptist perspective to Christian Zionism which challenges the perspective that Jewish people alone have sovereignty over historic Palestine and the sole right to a state.  The publication is available at https://mennopin.org/christian-zionism/.  

Prayers from Sabeel

Israel confirmed last week that its troops are pumping seawater into a network of tunnels in Gaza, a method, environmentalists say violates international law and cause dire long-term environmental consequences in Gaza. This raises questions about Israel’s plans to rescue the Israeli captives and adds to the lasting devastation of Gaza.

Divine creator, Israel’s disregard for the consequences of their actions reveals their twisted intention. Your children and creation are victims to the sin of Israel’s military actions. Help us steward your good creation by resisting the sin of oppression and working for the redemption of all forms of life, human and ecological.

Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer

On the 7th of February, many Muslims around the world marked the Israʾ and Miʿraj, or the Night Journey, and Ascension of the Prophet Muhammad. Many Muslims believe that the night journey and ascension was a miraculous occurrence during which prophet Muhammad travelled from Makkah to Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem before ascending to heaven, all in one night. This year the commemoration was sombre as many worshipers were denied access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and police and settler violence in the old city are frequent.  

God of love, we are angered and saddened that our Palestinian Muslim siblings are prevented from their right to worship, and at times harassed and attacked by settlers and Israeli police. Lord, you wept over Jerusalem, and we continue with that cry today as Jerusalem has become a city of intolerance and hate.

Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer  
 

MennoPIN Announces New Communications Coordinator!

The MennoPIN Steering Committee is excited to welcome Lydia Miller, of Kalamazoo, MI as our new communications coordinator.  Lydia is married to Grant Miller, the pastor of Kalamazoo Mennonite Fellowship, she currently works as an independent business software consultant and is finishing up an MBA program at the University of Michigan. Along with several MennoPIN Committee members, Lydia has been actively engaged in Mennonite Action including her presence in the DC action. We are blessed to have Lydia join our Steering Committee and help us improve our outreach in these critical times.

Stay Informed on Palestine

MennoPIN keeps you informed about Palestine through our monthly update, special alerts, calls to action, important resources and tour possibilities, all from an Anabaptist perspective. But there are additional excellent organizations and web publications that can keep you informed, some on a daily basis. We invite you to explore these groups and visit the web publications as another way to keep current and active for the people of Palestine. Here are some MennoPIN recommends:

Organizations

• Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA)
• Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center (Sabeel)
• Mennonite Central Committee Palestine and Israel
• Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT)
• U.S. Campaign for Palestine Rights (USCPR)
• Kairos Palestine
• Kairos USA
• Americans for Middle East Understanding (AMEU)
• Christian Zionism
• Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace
• Palestine Portal

 
Web Publications

• Mondeweiss
• The Electronic Intifada
• +972 Magazine
• B’Tselem
• Palestine InSight

---

Mennonite Palestine-Israel Network
mennopin@gmail.com | mennopin.org | facebook.com/mennopin | twitter.com/mennopin

Steering Committee:
Bob Atchison (Manhattan Mennonite Church, Manhattan, KS)
Dorothy Jean Weaver (Community Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, VA)
Dave Janzen (Fellowship of Hope, Elkhart, IN)
Jonathan Kuttab (Palestinian lawyer and human rights activist, Manheim, PA)
Lydia Brenneman (Lima Mennonite Church, Lima, OH)
Rod Stafford (Portland Mennonite Church, Portland, OR)
Zachary Murray (Mennonite Central Committee, Washington, DC)
Lydia Miller (Kalamazoo Mennonite Fellowship, Kalamazoo MI)

MennoPIN Update – December 19, 2023

In This Issue

There Will Be No Christmas in Bethlehem This Year
The Deaths in Gaza Get Personal
MennoPIN Needs Your Help on this Update!
Prayers from Sabeel
Stay Informed on Palestine

There Will Be No Christmas in Bethlehem This Year

Creche in the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem

Every year Christmas in Bethlehem, birthplace of Jesus, is a large celebration with thousands of people attending the festivities and a tall brightly decorated tree in the center of Manger Square. But not this year.  With all that has happened since October 7 in Gaza especially, but also in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, Christian leaders in the region have called for a somber celebration of Christmas this year.

In the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church, near the traditional site of Jesus’ birth, the creche at the front of their worship space has the baby Jesus wrapped in a Palestinian keffiyeh amidst concrete rubble like that all over Gaza. Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac is the pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church, Academic Dean of Bethlehem Bible College and Director of Christ at the Checkpoint Conference. In a sermon earlier this Advent, he preached on why they chose this creche scene this year. English subtitles translate the Arabic here.

The Deaths in Gaza Get Personal

Doaa Al-Massri

MennoPIN received the tragic news this week of the death of a member of the Youth Vision Society (YVS) staff, Doaa Al-Massri, who was killed by the Israel Defense Forces in their ongoing carpet bombing and unfolding genocide of the people of Gaza. The Manhattan Mennonite Church (KS) developed a years-long relationship with YVS and we are deeply saddened by her senseless and indefensible death, similar to those of nearly 20,000 Gazans and counting. One of her colleagues, with heavy heart, wrote this about Doaa:

“The YVS team is deeply saddened to let you know that Doaa Al-Massri has been killed along with her mother and siblings. Doaa was the YVS project manager and such an influential leader who led change and innovation so passionately.
Doaa was a voice that should have never been suppressed.
Doaa was so kind so she should not have been hurt.
Doaa was so ambitious so she should not have been forced to spend her youth under the Gaza blockade.
Doaa was so generous so she should not have been displaced.
Doaa was a peace-maker so she should not have been bombed.
Doaa was so brave that Israeli occupation forces were afraid of her.
Rest in peace, Doaa. We trust God you are in a better place now.“

MennoPIN Needs Your Help on this Update!

MennoPIN wants to get this Update out more frequently, but we need help to do that. If you have experience in working with MailChimp and Word Press, you would be ideal in creating regular issues of MennoPIN Update and maintaining our website. Even if you don’t have direct experience with these two platforms, but would be willing to learn, we would love to hear from you. Each issue typically takes 3-5 hours of time gathering materials, writing copy, finding appropriate photos and publishing the Update through MailChimp. If you are interesting in exploring this possibility further, please write us at mennopin@gmail.com. Hope to hear from you soon!

Prayer from Sabeel

As the violence in Gaza continues to intensify, the colder weather and heavy rains have caused flooding, worsening the humanitarian crisis. UNRWA has stated that its shelters for internally displaced persons in the middle and southern areas of the Gaza strip are over nine times their capacity, hosting the 1.9 million internally displaced persons. Additionally, the spread of disease has increased, with health authorities documenting 360,000 cases of infectious diseases in shelters, including diarrhea, influenza, meningitis, hygiene related conditions such as lice, and 1,500 cases of intestinal disease are reported daily due to food shortages. 

Almighty God, we call to you in anguish over the sickness and suffering your people in Gaza are experiencing. How long, O Lord? We remember that you were born in the likeness of humans, and you know what it is to experience pain and bodily suffering. Bring healing to all who are sick and bring protection to all who seek shelter. Ultimately, we pray for a ceasefire and for lasting healing that will come only through your complete justice.  

Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayer. 

On the 16th of December, two Christian women, Nahida Anton and her daughter Samar Anton, were shot and killed by Israeli military snipers as they walked within the grounds of the Holy Family Parish in Gaza. Seven others were shot and injured as they tried to protect those sheltering inside the church compound. Earlier the same morning, a rocket fired from an Israeli tank targeted the Convent of the Sisters of Mother Teresa, damaging the building and displacing the 54 disabled persons who live there.  

Almighty God, we are distraught over the deaths of Nahida and Samar, and there are no words that can be said to express our grief and outrage. We trust that you are weeping now with the families of the martyrs, and we hold onto your words from Matthew, “blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Comfort the Christians in Gaza who continue to seek shelter in the Holy Family Parish and provide for all the disabled who were displaced by the attack on the Convent.  

Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayer.  

Stay Informed on Palestine

MennoPIN keeps you informed about Palestine through our monthly update, special alerts, calls to action, important resources and tour possibilities, all from an Anabaptist perspective. But there are additional excellent organizations and web publications that can keep you informed, some on a daily basis. We invite you to explore these groups and visit the web publications as another way to keep current and active for the people of Palestine. Here are some MennoPIN recommends:
 
Organizations

• Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA)
• Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center (Sabeel)
• Mennonite Central Committee Palestine and Israel
• Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT)
• U.S. Campaign for Palestine Rights (USCPR)
• Kairos Palestine
• Kairos USA
• Americans for Middle East Understanding (AMEU)
• Christian Zionism
• Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace
• Palestine Portal

 
Web Publications

• Mondeweiss
• The Electronic Intifada
• +972 Magazine
• B’Tselem
• Palestine InSight

— 
Mennonite Palestine-Israel Network
mennopin@gmail.com | mennopin.org | facebook.com/mennopin | twitter.com/mennopin

Steering Committee:
Bob Atchison (Manhattan Mennonite Church, Manhattan, KS)
Dorothy Jean Weaver (Community Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, VA)
Dave Janzen (Fellowship of Hope, Elkhart, IN)
Jonathan Kuttab (Palestinian lawyer and human rights activist, Manheim, PA)
Lydia Brenneman (Lima Mennonite Church, Lima, OH)
Rod Stafford (Portland Mennonite Church, Portland, OR)
Zachary Murray (Mennonite Central Committee, Washington, DC)

MENNONITE PALESTINE ISRAEL NETWORK MennoPIN Update – November 24, 2023 In This IssueHostage Release Begins Did Biden Really Say That? Mennonite Action on Palestine Donate to Support Children/Families in Gaza MennoPIN Needs Your Help on this Update! Prayers from Sabeel Stay Informed on Palestine Hostage Release Begins Released Palestinian prisoners wave flags atop a car as they leave the Israeli military prison, Ofer. [Ammar Awad/Reuters] On Friday, November 24, 2023, the exchange of hostages began. Hamas released 24 hostages to Israel, mostly women and children, and Israel released 39 Palestinians, mostly from the Israeli Ofer Military Prison. Friday began a four-day pause before which, for 49 days, Israel has unleashed more than 6,000 bombs on Gaza, an area about the size of Las Vegas, NV. Upwards of 15,000 Gaza citizens have been killed, the majority of which were women and 5,000 children. It is hoped that both sides, Hamas and Israel, will adhere to the Qatar-brokered halt to the bombings. US President Joe Biden, who has been involved in the hostage and pause negotiations, stated “the chances are real” that the pause could lead to a longer cease-fire. Former CIA operations officer Marc Polymeropoulos, with extensive experience in the Middle East, believes Biden is facing considerable pressure from Democrats, Arab leaders and others in the international community to press for a permanent cease-fire, according to the New York Times. Already, 140 trucks carrying humanitarian aid, fuel and medicines have entered Gaza and, according to Biden hundreds more will follow.” Biden’s clear bias on the side of Israel came through when he said that the aid is “coming to support Palestinians who are suffering greatly because of the war Hamas started…Hamas doesn’t give a damn about [the people of Gaza].” He added that “I don’t trust Hamas to do the right thing. I only trust Hamas to respond to pressure.” Nothing about seventy-five years of Israeli lies, apartheid, and oppression of Palestinians or the seventeen years of siege and blockade of Gaza. Did Biden Really Say That? President Joe Biden speaks Friday to reporters in Nantucket, Massachusetts, about hostages freed by Hamas in the first stage of a swap under a four-day cease-fire deal with Israel. (STEPHANIE SCARBROUGH/ASSOCIATED PRESS) Late Friday, November 24, 2023, President Joe Biden held a press conference about the hostages releases. One reporter asked him about the calls from some Democrats who would like to see aid conditioned on a reduction in Israel’s bombing of Gaza. Biden’s response was: “I think that’s a worthwhile thought, but I don’t think if I would have started off with that we would have gotten where we are today. We have to take this a piece at a time.” Whether that was a Biden gaffe to be walked back soon, or if it reflects Biden’s acknowledgment that many members of his own party and the public think he should call for a cease-fire remains to be seen. But if he did mean what he said, that he might consider conditioning aid to Israel, he would be the first president since Dwight Eisenhower to even mention the possibility publicly. Mennonite Action on Palestine Mennonite Action is holding a national organizing call on November 28, 2023 at 8:00 pm (Eastern Standard Time) on Zoom. Mennonite Action is a movement of Mennonites bonded by a common belief that we must be public about our peace vows. We believe that Mennonites have a responsibility to use our voices as powerfully as possible for the cause of peace and justice. On the call hundreds of Mennonites from the United States and Canada will join to grieve the ongoing violence in Palestine, to call for a cease-fire and the end of the occupation in Palestine, and to gather together as a community to prepare to take action. If you want to join the call, sign up here.  Donate to Support Children/Families in Gaza MennoPIN encourages you to help support families in Gaza through the Middle East Children’s Alliance. All proceeds will go to Youth Vision Society. MennoPIN has been in relationship with YVS through our Gaza Twinning Initiative for four years. We affirm that both MECA and YVS are trustworthy organization who will make sure your donation will be 100% directed to families and children in dire need to food and medicines. You can donate here.  MennoPIN Needs Your Help on this Update! MennoPIN wants to get this Update out more frequently, but we need help to do that. If you have experience in working with MailChimp and Word Press, you would be ideal in creating regular issues of MennoPIN Update and maintaining our website. Even if you don’t have direct experience with these two platforms, but would be willing to learn, we would love to hear from you. Each issue typically takes 3-5 hours of time gathering materials, writing copy, finding appropriate photos and publishing the Update through MailChimp. If you are interesting in exploring this possibility further, please write us at mennopin@gmail.com. Hope to hear from you soon! Prayer from Sabeel With every minute that passes, the situation in Gaza worsens. According to several sources, Israel has dropped the equivalent of two nuclear bombs in explosives on one of the most densely populated areas in the globe. While intense bombings and fighting continues in the north of Gaza, the south is also bombed frequently. All of Gaza is facing a severe humanitarian crisis; nowhere is safe.– Sovereign Lord, the blood of the thousands of lives lost is crying out from the ground, haunting us day and night. The words of prophet Habakkuk remain true to this day, “The law is ignored and justice is never upheld…” We come to you, O Lord, asking for your liberating love, comfort, and strength. Do not let us become numb to the pain of the oppressed as time goes by. Lord, show us the way of genuine solidarity rather than pity or despair.Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer     Stay Informed on Palestine MennoPIN keeps you informed about Palestine through our monthly update, special alerts, calls to action, important resources and tour possibilities, all from an Anabaptist perspective. But there are additional excellent organizations and web publications that can keep you informed, some on a daily basis. We invite you to explore these groups and visit the web publications as another way to keep current and active for the people of Palestine. Here are some MennoPIN recommends:   OrganizationsFriends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA)Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center (Sabeel)Mennonite Central Committee Palestine and IsraelChristian Peacemaker Teams (CPT)U.S. Campaign for Palestine Rights (USCPR)Kairos PalestineKairos USAAmericans for Middle East Understanding (AMEU)Christian ZionismPalestinian Christian Alliance for PeacePalestine Portal  Web PublicationsMondeweissThe Electronic Intifada+972 MagazineB’TselemPalestine InSight

MennoPIN Update – October 23, 2023

In This Issue

A Call to Repentance – An Action to Take
Prayers from Sabeel
Stay Informed on Palestine

MennoPIN encourages you to read this important letter from Palestinian Christians to Western church leaders and theologians, and to take the action they hope many of us will take. The letter begins:

“We, at the undersigned Palestinian Christian institutions and grassroots movements, grieve and lament the renewed cycle of violence in our land. As we were about to publish this open letter, some of us lost dear friends and family members in the atrocious Israeli bombardment of innocent civilians on October 19, 2023, Christians included, who were taking refuge in the historical Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius in Gaza. Words fail to express our shock and horror with regard to the on-going war in our land. We deeply mourn the death and suffering of all people because it is our firm conviction that all humans are made in God’s image. We are also profoundly troubled when the name of God is invoked to promote violence and religious national ideologies…” Please continue reading the letter and taking action here.

Prayers from Sabeel

On the evening of Tuesday, October 17, a strike on Gaza’s al-Ahli Arab Hospital, often called the Baptist Hospital, killed at least 500 people, most of them children and women. Images and videos revealed body parts scattered across the hospital grounds, doctors performing emergency surgeries without anesthesia, and parents screaming and crying at the side of their deceased children. This is one of the most tragic bombings Palestinians have ever experienced. In response, the Palestinian Authority declared three days of mourning over al-Ahli hospital.

•  Lord, we come to you with heavy hearts, praying for an immediate ceasefire and an end to all violence. We ask for wisdom and compassion to touch the hearts of those in power and influence, guiding them towards peace and justice. May a thorough investigation hold all responsible for war crimes accountable, and may the deep-rooted injustices against the Palestinian people find a path to healing and resolution.

Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer

On October 19th, an Israeli airstrike tragically resulted in the loss of at least 18 lives and numerous injuries at the Greek Orthodox Saint Porphyrius Church compound in Gaza. Before the attack, the church received multiple warnings from the Israeli military about an impending strike on the area. Sadly, due to the ongoing bombardment across the entire Gaza strip, the people at the church had no safe haven to seek refuge other than within the church itself. In the past week, 31 mosques and 3 churches have been damaged in Gaza. 

• God of Sumud, as we think and pray for the Palestinians who were bombed in the Church, let us remember Saint Porphyrius words “The love of God transforms everything; it sanctifies, amends, and changes the nature of everything.” We humbly pray for the people of Gaza, especially those affected by the recent tragedy at the church. Comfort the grieving, heal the wounded, and bring peace to their hearts.

Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer

Stay Informed on Palestine

MennoPIN keeps you informed about Palestine through our monthly update, special alerts, calls to action, important resources and tour possibilities, all from an Anabaptist perspective. But there are additional excellent organizations and web publications that can keep you informed, some on a daily basis. We invite you to explore these groups and visit the web publications as another way to keep current and active for the people of Palestine. Here are some MennoPIN recommends:
 
Organizations

• Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA)
• Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center (Sabeel)
• Mennonite Central Committee Palestine and Israel
• Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT)
• U.S. Campaign for Palestine Rights (USCPR)
• Kairos Palestine
• Kairos USA
• Americans for Middle East Understanding (AMEU)
• Christian Zionism
• Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace
• Palestine Portal

 
Web Publications

• Mondeweiss
• The Electronic Intifada
• +972 Magazine
• B’Tselem
• Palestine InSight

MENNONITE PALESTINE ISRAEL NETWORK

MennoPIN Update – October 15, 2023 In This Issue Jonathan Kuttab’s Take Take Action – Say to Joe Biden What You Think Kairos Palestine Statement on the War on Gaza A Prayer from Sabeel Stay Informed on Palestine Palestinians hurriedly leaving Gaza City — mounting donkeys, riding vehicles and walking — fleeing to the south as the Israeli military tells them to leave their homes or face death. Mahmud Hams/AFP via Getty Images Jonathan Kuttab’s Take Jonathan Kuttab, MennoPIN Steering Committee member and Executive Director of Friends of Sabeel North America, has been constantly assessing the horrifying events in Gaza. Here is his latest report. “Atrocities committed against one’s enemies, up to and including genocide, always begin with dehumanization. “I have always been aware of this, and I know there is a tendency among Palestinians to dehumanize Israelis, the settlers, and Zionists, just as there is a tendency among Israelis and their supporters to dehumanize Palestinians, the PLO, and Hamas, especially with the term “terrorist.” During the Rwanda genocide, the Hutus referred to Tutsis as “cockroaches” before they began slaughtering them. “It is therefore with great alarm that I listened to the frenzy of horrifying statements coming from Israeli commanders as they escalated their attacks on Gaza. In addition to the term “terrorist,” often irresponsibly used here in the US as well, the term being used now is “human animals.” This designation is not limited to Hamas and its fighters, but covers all the people of Gaza, as the Israeli President Hertzog said on Friday:  “It is not true civilians were not involved . . . They are collectively responsible for the attacks.”  “The Israeli Minister of Defense, Yoram Gallant, used this disgusting term, and the Israeli Army’s Commander in Chief, Herzl Halevy, preparing for the ground assault also declared, “They are human animals, and we will treat them accordingly.” In addition to the massive bombardment, he said that “there will be no water, no electricity, no food, and no medicines.” This openly illegal statement (under the laws of war) went largely unchallenged in the West, precisely because many have bought into Israel’s demonization and dehumanization of Palestinians. Support and sympathy for the civilian casualties of Hamas’ attack, however, was used as a “green light” and legitimization of Israel’s subsequent response.” Continue reading here.   Take Action – Say to Joe Biden What You Think Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) has been supplying aid and relief in Palestine since the 1950s. In addition, MCC has encouraged advocacy and action in the United States Legislative and Executive branches. They have created a direct way for you to tell President Biden, Vice-President Harris and your congressional representative how you want them to respond. Consider this quick way of express your thoughts and actions you think they should take here. A member of the MennoPIN Steering Committee wrote President Biden and her letter is posted on our MennoPIN website here. Kairos Palestine Statement on the War on Gaza Kairos Palestine is a nonviolent Palestinian Christian movement which advocates for the ending of the Israeli occupation and achieving a just solution to the conflict. They recently released their statement on what is happening now: “The war on Gaza again, but this time it started from Gaza. I has caused great suffering and destruction in Israel. Many see it as an unjust war against Israel. But the question that every human being, and every seeker of peace and justice, must ask is: Why did this war start? “We all say, No, to the War. We all say, Yes, to peace, and to working for a just and final solution to an existing conflict and to the injustice that has been imposed on the Palestinian people for more than 70 years. Israel does not see the Palestinian people as having any right to exist, and the international community is too weak to implement its decisions to find a just and final solution. “We all mourn and console all the victims on both sides of the conflict. A human being is a human being, both Israeli and Palestinian, and every human being is clear in the eyes of God, and the eyes of his family, relatives, and loved ones. “No to war, yes to a just and final peace. “What is the reason for this sudden war that started from Gaza”? Please read the entire statement here. A Prayer from Sabeel On October 7th, a historic and devastating series of events unfolded in Palestinian-Israeli history. Hamas initiated an operation known as “Al-Aqsa Flood,” launching thousands of rockets from Gaza into Israel and breaking through the electronic boarder barrier, causing the loss of hundreds of Israeli lives, and the taking of several Israelis as captives including women and children, into Gaza. In response, Israel declared “Operation Swords of Iron,” involving a brutal and continuous aerial attack on Gaza that claimed hundreds of lives. and various acts of aggression in the West Bank, resulting in the deaths of several Palestinians. The true extent of the recent events’ damage remains unknown, marking the beginning of a period of immense suffering.Heavenly Father, as this period of violence and bloodshed unfolds, we pray for Your justice and mercy. We pray for all who are suffering. We lift up all innocent people in particular the people of Gaza who are vulnerable and helpless to the Israeli airstrikes. May we remember that the recent events are connected to the long history of the Nakba and Israeli systematic oppression against the Palestinian people. Lord, only a just and lasting solution will end the cycle of violence. We call on the international community to work towards this end.Lord in Your mercy…hear our prayer Stay Informed on Palestine MennoPIN keeps you informed about Palestine through our monthly update, special alerts, calls to action, important resources and tour possibilities, all from an Anabaptist perspective. But there are additional excellent organizations and web publications that can keep you informed, some on a daily basis. We invite you to explore these groups and visit the web publications as another way to keep current and active for the people of Palestine. Here are some MennoPIN recommends:   Organizations Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA) Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center (Sabeel) Mennonite Central Committee Palestine (MCC) IsraelChristian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) U.S. Campaign for Palestine Rights (USCPR) Kairos PalestineKairos USAAmericans for Middle East Understanding (AMEU) Christian Zionism Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace Palestine Portal  Web Publications Mondeweiss The Electronic Intifada +972 Magazine B’Tselem Palestine InSight

As people committed to nonviolence, MennoPIN strongly condemns the current violence carried out both by Hamas and by the Israeli military.  MennoPIN urges an immediate ceasefire between Hamas and Israel and calls on the US and the wider international community to support a diplomatic solution to the situation at hand.
 
MennoPIN likewise recognizes that the Hamas attack was not unprovoked. For decades the people of Palestine have been oppressed by the violence and occupation of apartheid Israel against them with home demolitions, child detentions, separation walls, settler colonialism and violence, seizures of land and controls over water and food supplies. And Gaza has been an open air prison where Israel controls how much water, electricity and food Gazans can have. The extreme measures taken by the recent Netanyahu ultra-right government have made life increasingly hostile for Palestinians. The praxis of U.S. one-sided and national interest driven diplomacy and unwillingness to effectively address the apartheid reality have contributed deeply to these extreme measures. Additionally, the Biden administration’s attempts to normalize diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel have become the final straw for the militant Palestinian resistance. Ultimately, hopelessness breeds violence.
 
We pray for leadership that has the courage to address the problems, injustices and racism that perpetuates this violence. We especially pray for wisdom and restraint between Hamas and the Israeli government.

MENNONITE PALESTINE ISRAEL NETWORK

MennoPIN Update – October 10, 2023 In This Issue War in the Holy Land – MennoPIN Statement Analysis – Jonathan Kuttab 5 Things You Need to Know A Prayer from Sabeel Stay Informed on Palestine War in the Holy Land – A MennoPIN Statement SMOKE AND FLAMES BILLOW AFTER ISRAELI FORCES STRUCK A HIGH-RISE TOWER IN GAZA CITY, OCTOBER 7, 2023. (PHOTO: APA IMAGES) As people committed to nonviolence, MennoPIN strongly condemns the current violence carried out both by Hamas and by the Israeli military.  MennoPIN urges an immediate ceasefire between Hamas and Israel and calls on the US and the wider international community to support a diplomatic solution to the situation at hand.   MennoPIN likewise recognizes that the Hamas attack was not unprovoked. For decades the people of Palestine have been oppressed by the violence and occupation of apartheid Israel against them with home demolitions, child detentions, separation walls, settler colonialism and violence, seizures of land and controls over water and food supplies. And Gaza has been an open air prison where Israel controls how much water, electricity and food Gazans can have. The extreme measures taken by the recent Netanyahu ultra-right government have made life increasingly hostile for Palestinians. The praxis of U.S. one-sided and national interest driven diplomacy and unwillingness to effectively address the apartheid reality have contributed deeply to these extreme measures. Additionally, the Biden administration’s attempts to normalize diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel have become the final straw for the militant Palestinian resistance. Ultimately, hopelessness breeds violence.   We pray for leadership that has the courage to address the problems, injustices and racism that perpetuates this violence. We especially pray for wisdom and restraint between Hamas and the Israeli government. Analysis – Jonathan Kuttab (Jonathan Kuttab is on the MennoPIN Steering Committee and Executive Director of Friends of Sabeel North American, for which he wrote this analysis) Firefighters try to put out burning cars at the scene where a rocket fired from Gaza landed in a residential area in Rishon LeZion, October 7, 2023. (Yossi Aloni/Flash90) The fighting in Gaza that has shocked the world requires a clear and principled response. For FOSNA, as an organization that promotes the message of Palestinian Liberation Theology and the Christian perspective on which it is based, a number of statements need to be made: The first thing we have to say, which is intrinsic to our theology, is that violence and war are never the answer. We need to realize, Palestinians and Israelis alike, that any solution must be based on justice and not the destruction of the other party. At the very least, there must exist a clear distinction between civilian and military targets, between fighters and noncombatants. This is a rule that applies to each side; whatever the justifications, those who choose war and violence in the pursuit of their goals must use every possible means to avoid killing noncombatants or targeting civilian infrastructure. We fear we will see thousands of civilian casualties in the coming few days, primarily among Palestinians who have no access to bomb shelters and no organized state structures to defend them. We are distressed that instead of calling for a quick end to the fighting, many are praising it while doubling down on their ability to inflict maximum damage upon their enemies. Continue reading here. 5 Things You Need to Know (From the American Friends Service Committee) A Palestinian man in Gaza surveys the ruins of a bookstore destroyed by the Israeli bombardment in Gaza in May 2021.  Sameh Rahmi On Oct. 7, Palestinians from Gaza carried out attacks in Israel that killed at least 600 Israelis, injured over 2,000, and took dozens of hostages. Israeli attacks on Gaza on Oct. 7 and 8 killed approximately 500 Palestinians and injured at least 2,300 more. In the days since, violence has only escalated and those numbers continue to grow… 1. Violence did not begin with the attacks from Gaza.Even before Oct. 7, this year (2023) was one of the most violent years in Palestine in more than a decade. At least 247 Palestinians—including 47 children—had been killed by Israeli soldiers and settlers before the end of September. During the same period, Israeli settlers launched over 800 attacks on Palestinians and Palestinian-owned property. Additionally, over 1,100 Palestinians had been forcibly displaced from their homes. These actions occurred in a context where Israeli land confiscation, mass arrest campaigns, military attacks on Palestinian cities, and threats to Palestinian control over Al-Aqsa mosque—an important religious site in Jerusalem—have all increased.  Since coming to power, the far-right Netanyahu government in Israel has escalated violence against Palestinian communities while rejecting any possibility of Palestinian independence or equality. Settler leaders now hold sway in Israel and have taken concrete steps toward annexing the West Bank while pushing forward efforts to eliminate Palestinians from the majority of the West Bank.  For Palestinians, violence is an extreme, daily reality. Continue reading here. A Prayer from Sabeel On October 7th, a historic and devastating series of events unfolded in Palestinian-Israeli history. Hamas initiated an operation known as “Al-Aqsa Flood,” launching thousands of rockets from Gaza into Israel and breaking through the electronic boarder barrier, causing the loss of hundreds of Israeli lives, and the taking of several Israelis as captives including women and children, into Gaza. In response, Israel declared “Operation Swords of Iron,” involving a brutal and continuous aerial attack on Gaza that claimed hundreds of lives. and various acts of aggression in the West Bank, resulting in the deaths of several Palestinians. The true extent of the recent events’ damage remains unknown, marking the beginning of a period of immense suffering.Heavenly Father, as this period of violence and bloodshed unfolds, we pray for Your justice and mercy. We pray for all who are suffering. We lift up all innocent people in particular the people of Gaza who are vulnerable and helpless to the Israeli airstrikes. May we remember that the recent events are connected to the long history of the Nakba and Israeli systematic oppression against the Palestinian people. Lord, only a just and lasting solution will end the cycle of violence. We call on the international community to work towards this end.Lord in Your mercy…hear our prayer Stay Informed on Palestine MennoPIN keeps you informed about Palestine through our monthly update, special alerts, calls to action, important resources and tour possibilities, all from an Anabaptist perspective. But there are additional excellent organizations and web publications that can keep you informed, some on a daily basis. We invite you to explore these groups and visit the web publications as another way to keep current and active for the people of Palestine. Here are some MennoPIN recommends:   Organizations Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA) Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center (Sabeel) Mennonite Central Committee Palestine (MCC) IsraelChristian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) U.S. Campaign for Palestine Rights (USCPR) Kairos PalestineKairos USAAmericans for Middle East Understanding (AMEU) Christian Zionism Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace Palestine Portal  Web Publications Mondeweiss The Electronic Intifada +972 Magazine B’Tselem Palestine InSight

MENNONITE PALESTINE ISRAEL NETWORK

MennoPIN Update – May 26, 2023 In This Issue Is Israel Unraveling from Within? Forgotten Gaza A Learning Tour to Palestine – Peacemakers Pilgrimage to the Holy Land Washington Post Documents Extrajudicial Killings in Jenin Stay Informed on Palestine Is Israel Unraveling from Within? A demonstrator with a sign against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a march against the government’s judicial reform bill in Tel Aviv, 1 April 2023 (AFP) Is Israel beginning to unravel from within? Jonathan Cook, award-winning British author and journalist living in Nazareth, thinks so. Writing in Middle East Eye, Cook boldly states: “As Israel celebrates its 75th anniversary, the state-building project it cemented into place in 1948 by expelling 750,000 Palestinians from their homeland is showing the first signs of unravelling.” Cook argues that Israel’s deep troubles arise not from external forces, such as pressures from the international community or military attacks, but from within Israel’s internal contradictions. The current divisions in Israeli society, evidenced by the massive protests again Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s attempt to overhaul and weaken the judicial branch of government, have roots, Cook contends, deep within the very founding of Israel in 1948. Netanyahu’s recent merciless bombing of civilians in Gaza is one example of how he is trying to bring about unity through war, killing dozens of Gazans. As always, Palestinians pay the price, but the Islamic Jihad within Gaza plays right into Netanyahu’s hands when they launch their own missiles into Israel, killing a few civilians. Violence always begets violence. Read more on why Cook believes that “[Israel’s] leaders have created a monster they can no longer tame,” click here. Forgotten Gaza Crowding Around the Gaza Boarder (Public Domain) The recent daily bombing of Gaza by Israeli forces weighs heavily on the heart of Jonathan Kuttab, MennoPIN Steering Committee member and Executive Director of Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA). In addition to the horrendous pain and suffering caused by Israel’s eighteen-year-old blockade and periodic bombing of Gaza, Kuttab also laments the forgotten status of Gaza, even among supporters of Palestine: “It is truly tragic that much of the world, including those interested in Israel/Palestine, is only concerned about Gaza when there is actual fighting and deaths involved, but that as soon as a particular round of fighting subsides, it fades into oblivion…It is unconscionable how routine and forgotten Gaza has become.” He continues: “Yet, we only think of Gaza when, our of their utter desperation and, usually, as a response to some Israeli provocation, [Hamas of the Islamic Jihad] shoot some of the home-made futile rockets into Israel, which leads to a punishing response by a sophisticated Israeli army.” For Jonathan’s entire article, go here. Peacemakers Pilgrimage to the Holy Land The Holy Land is rich in sacred history, a place where one can walk in the footsteps of the Prince of Peace; but it’s also a land rife with conflict and injustice, a place where people are seeking to make Christ’s message of peace, justice, and reconciliation a reality. The “Peacemaker’s Pilgrimage to the Holy Land” will provide you with the opportunity to experience both the ancient stones of biblical history, as well as the “living stones” as embodied in the ministries of those working to promote Christ’s vision of peace with justice. Learn more about the pilgrimage here.  Washington Post Documents Extrajudicial Killings in Jenin (Washington Post) Slowly, if cautiously, the mainstream media are giving more voice to Palestinians and evidence of their suffering. In a May 26, 2023 Washington Post exclusive investigation, a careful and harrowing analysis by reporters documents the “war crimes” and “extrajudicial killings” of three people last March in Jenin, including a 14-year-old child, Omar Awadin. With graphic portrayal, the Post details every step of the attack by the elite Israel military unit known as Yamam, killing two unarmed “militants” amidst a crowded shopping area, filled with civilians, including the boy who was also killed. Yamam is under the control of Netanyahu-appointed right-wind extremist and Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir. Read the entire article here. Stay Informed on Palestine MennoPIN keeps you informed about Palestine through our monthly update, special alerts, calls to action, important resources and tour possibilities, all from an Anabaptist perspective. But there are additional excellent organizations and web publications that can keep you informed, some on a daily basis. We invite you to explore these groups and visit the web publications as another way to keep current and active for the people of Palestine. Here are some MennoPIN recommends: OrganizationsFriends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA)Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center (Sabeel)Mennonite Central Committee Palestine and IsraelChristian Peacemaker Teams (CPT)U.S. Campaign for Palestine Rights (USCPR)Kairos PalestineKairos USAAmericans for Middle East Understanding (AMEU)Christian ZionismPalestinian Christian Alliance for PeacePalestine PortalWeb PublicationsMondeweissThe Electronic Intifada+972 MagazineB’TselemPalestine InSight—  Mennonite Palestine-Israel Network mennopin@gmail.com | mennopin.org | facebook.com/mennopin | twitter.com/mennopinSteering Committee: Anthony Khair (Mennonite Central Committee, Washington, DC) Bob Atchison (Manhattan Mennonite Church, Manhattan, KS) Dorothy Jean Weaver (Community Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, VA) Joe Roos (Peace Mennonite Fellowship, Claremont, CA) Jonathan Kuttab (Palestinian lawyer and human rights activist, Manheim, PA) Lydia Brenneman (Lima Mennonite Church, Lima, OH) Rod Stafford (Portland Mennonite Church, Portland, OR) Zachary Murray (Mennonite Central Committee, Washington, DC)