Stop the War Makers. Hands Around the Lab. Hiroshima and Nagasaki: Never Again!
Aug 10, 1:30pm - 3pm, Robert Payne Park, 5800 Patterson Pass Road (at Vasco), Livermore

March for Immigrant Rights
Sep 20, 11am Assemble at Yerba Buena Gardens (Mission St. between 3rd & 4th), San Francisco; 12pm - March up Market St.; 1:30pm - Program & Festival at Civic Center.

Rally and March to Defeat Proposition 54
Sep 25, 12:00noon - Sproul Plaza, UC Berkeley

Reportback from Palestine
Sep 27, 6:30pm - Redwood Gardens Community Room, 2951 Derby Street, Berkeley

End the Occupation! Bring the Troops Home Now!
Sep 28, Noon - Dolores Park, San Francisco - 12pm. Gather at Dolores Park, march to: 2pm - Rally at Civic Center

Forum: Defend Environmntal Justice, Defeat Prop. 54!
Sep 30, 7:00 PM - Ecology Center, 2530 San Pablo Ave., near Dwight Way, Berkeley.

In Celebration of the Free Speech Movement: The Berkeley ACLU Presents Larry Fly
Oct 6, 7:00 PM - Pauley Ballroom West, Berkeley campus

Stop the FTAA and School of the Americas
November 19-23, Miami and Colombus, GA.

Buy Nothing Day
November 28, Everywhere.

Improving Israel: Ending the Occupation
Kendra Froshman

While living in Israel last year, I had the privilege of attending a Women in Black protest in Jerusalem. Women in Black have been active in Israel for over 14 years, taking a stand as women who say no to the occupation of the Palestinian territories, and yes to a just solution for peace. They congregate every Friday dressed in black and hold signs that call for an end to the occupation in Arabic, English and Hebrew.

Also present at the protest were a few dozen counter-protesters, hard core right wing Israelis who see the Women in Black statement as traitorous and anti-Semitic. I was not surprised at the presence of a counter protest. Being from UC Berkeley I have witnessed much counter protesting between students passionate about Israel/Palestine issues. What shocked me was that most of the counter protesters were young Americans.

Why are so many college aged American Jews spending their time and energy, risking life and limb to speak out around issues of Israel/Palestine? For myself, and other critical Jews who care about Israel, we feel compelled to criticize it when we see that its actions are not just. We want our voices to be heard as those who did not just stand by and let this happen. Who saw past the age old - "my suffering is more important then your suffering" - and witnessed the daily acts of humiliation and abuse that the Israeli government inflicts upon the Palestinian people.

This is, by far, the minority opinion. There is widespread disapproval of this stance from many American Jews who feel that those who struggle against the current occupation are attacking Israel and therefore the Jewish people. It is crucial at moments like these to recognize the nuances.

A new language must be created surrounding these issues. When speaking about the conflict we cannot allow ourselves to exist in over-simplified binaries that don't allow an important voice for peace to be heard. The label "anti-Israel" needs to be discussed, redefined, and used only in those cases where it truly is appropriate, not as an all-purpose label for anyone who makes any criticism of Israel. I believe it is pro-Israel to criticize unjust government policies. I believe it is pro-Israel to work towards a more peaceful vision of what Israel could be. By exposing the horrors of the occupation to the hearts and pocketbooks of other American Jews we begin the process of molding a state firm in its principles of justice.

Within the Jewish community, more open and heartfelt dialogue is needed regarding these tough issues. Through this discussion we can confront the grief that has spilled onto both sides of the green line. I experienced a piece of this during my year in Israel. Now at home I am constantly reminded by concerned Jews around me of the pain in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Netanya. However,while acknowledging our own suffering we can no longer be blind to the inhumane policies that the Israeli government is inflicting on people outside of our community.

The next step for socially conscious Jews who care about Israel is to seek out the experience of Palestinians who suffer on the other side of the green line. By listening to their stories I have realized that stopping the human rights abuses going on in the territories is the only way to create secure borders in Israel. We can work from a Jewish perspective to confront these conflicts. The occupation is a plague on both the Israelis and the Palestinians and I strive to use my identity as a Jew to become a catalyst for its demise.

So what to do with these new and conflicting emotions? I have chosen to be in a group called Tzedek (meaning justice in Hebrew). We seek to challenge previously held binaries and create a new space for those Jews who proudly work for the betterment of Israel - by ending the occupation.

If you are interested in current Tzedek events, you can email or check out our website at www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~tzedek
Also on March 5, at 7 pm, in Wheeler Auditorium there will be a panel of Israeli refusenicks who morally object to serving in the occupied territories.

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