http://mejdi.net/diplomacy/

ICPJ’s Common Ground group is considering a tour to Palestine and Israel potentially in May 2010 and is inviting you to be a part of this process. The tour would be led by Arab and Jewish partners equally, and is designed to accomplish three goals at once:

1. Educate tour participants in two narratives equally as they seek to understand and play a constructive role as global citizen diplomats and peacemakers.
2. Support local, fair-wage businesses in the marketplaces we will visit.
3. Network with local peacemaking organizations to determine the most effective way for participants to assist in the promotion of peace in the area.
4. Return to our community with a renewed ability to engage in effective action for peace on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.

These tours have been co-created by Rabbi Dr. Marc Gopin, a recognized figure in conflict resolution, and Aziz Abu Sarah, a leading Palestinian peacemaker. Dr. Gopin was one of the three main speakers at the Morikawa Conference in Ann Arbor a year ago. Their organization, The Middle East Justice and Development Initiative will conduct the tour. For more information see www.mejdi.net/diplomacy.

We envision the tour as a way to unite a diverse interfaith team by sharing a powerful experience with the hope that, through this experience, team members will develop mutual understanding and build common ground.  We look forward to releasing a renewed energy and a sense of how to better engage our respective communities in common action in support of a just and mutually beneficial peace in Israel/Palestine.

Would you like to be involved in this effort? Please review the options below, and contact Grace Kotre – email gracek@icpj.net or call (734) 663-1870 – to let us know how you’d like to be a part of this effort!

1 — Attending the trip - able to cover costs on your own (or with your own personal fundraising). Timing and trip itinerary will be determined by those attending.

2 — Attending the trip – NOT able to cover costs on your own (will need support in fundraising and possible scholarship). We cannot guarantee there will be any scholarships, but it is something we will continue to look into together.

3 — Sending us contact information for people you know who might have interest in this trip. (This is a great way to help out if you can’t go yourself!)

4 — Helping to provide funding for the trip. If you or your organization is able to offer funds in any amount for this special trip opportunity (outside of any regular giving to ICPJ), it would be greatly appreciated. Please let me know if this is something you’d consider to allow others to attend.

Thanks so much for your support and interest in making this important work possible.

(c)istockphoto.com/steinphoto

This week, ICPJ signed on to a national advocacy campaign asking Senator Stabenow to work for a shift in the national budget toward real security spending (diplomacy, development, and international cooperation; human needs; and green jobs, environmental protection and energy efficiency). The campaign was initiated by Friends Committee for National Legislation (www.fcnl.org).

View a copy of the letter to Senator Stabenow.

If  you are a member of an organization/group that would like to sign on, let us know! (Email gracek@icpj.net) If you sign on by Dec. 15th, your letter can be presented in an upcoming delegation to Senator Stabenow’s office.

You can also individually sign on to this campaign to challenge Congress to reformulate budget priorities away from war spending and towards spending to meet our communities’ needs. Just visit www.fcnl.org/action/memberwelcome/.