a play followed by discussion, also special music and photo display

 “Seven Jewish Children: A Play for Gaza is a controversial 10-minute play by British playwright Caryl Churchill, written in response to the 2008-2009 Israel military strike on Gaza. Churchill allows gratis production of the play so long as collection for the people of Gaza is held.  The play consists of seven scenes spread over roughly seventy years, in which Jewish adults discuss what, or whether, their children should be told about certain events in recent Jewish history that the play alludes to only indirectly, such as: The Holocaust, Jewish immigration to Palestine, the creation of Israel, the flight or expulsion of Palestinian Arabs, the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the dispute over water, the First Intifada, the building of the West Bank barrier, and Palestinian suicide attacks.

SATURDAY, April 24, 2010

9:30 a.m. Refreshments, 10:00 a.m. Presentation and Discussion

LUTHERAN CHURCH CHRIST THE REDEEMER

5440 Penn Ave S. , Minneapolis, MN

For information call Dixie Vella at 952-941-1341

Visit our MEPN website at http://www.mepn.org

Sunday Feb. 28, 7 PM Community Dinner w/Dhoruba at Walker Church
3100 16th Ave. S, Mpls Vegan & Vegetarian options Suggested donation $5
no one turned away for lack of funds

Monday March 1, 7PM Lecture Blegen Hall on West Bank of the U of M
Room #5

Tues March 2 11:15 AM Sundin Music Hall
Hamline University 1536 Hewitt Ave St. Paul

Tues March 2 6PM Historic Baptist Church 732 Central Ave. St. Paul
(corner of Central and Grotto, enter on west side of bldg.) Refreshments
provided. Sponsored by NAACP and Graybeard. for questions call
651-649-0520

In November 2009 Dhoruba Bin-Wahad, a former leader of the Black Panther
Party, and member of the Black Liberation Army, was detained and deported
from the West Bank of occupied Palestine by Israeli authorities. He had
been invited to attend a conference on political detention by the
Palestinian Authority.
Dhoruba spent 19 years of a life sentence in jail for a crime he did not
commit. He was a target of the FBI’s COINTELPRO, was arrested in 1971 and
had his conviction overturned in 1990.
He will discuss historic and current struggles against social injustice
and state violence in the U.S. and in Palestine with a specific focus on
political prisoners and institutions that repress social movement
mobilization within communities fighting oppression.
Join a wide array of Twin Cities organizations to hear this powerful
speaker, who challenges conventional wisdom and inspires people to embrace
social change.

sponsored by; American Studies Dept, (U of M), Coalition for Palestinian
Rights,Communites United Against Police Brutality,Dept. of African
American and African Studies (U of M),International Jewish anti-Zionist
Network,RNC 8 Defense Committee,Scholars for Academic Justice,Scott and
Carrie Support Committee,Wamm Mideast Committee,Women’s Student Activist
Collective

The events are being held in conjunction with the sixth annual Israel Apartheid Week, which takes place worldwide March 1-7, 2010. The local events are:

• Wednesday, March 3, 3 p.m., University of Wisconsin-Superior Old Main Room 310: Eyewitness Report from Egypt and Palestine: presentation by Sylvia Schwartz.
• Wednesday, March 3, 5 p.m., University of Minnesota-Duluth Montague Room 70: Eyewitness Reports from Egypt and Palestine: presentations by Bret Thiele, Mayra Gomez and Sylvia Schwartz.
• Thursday, March 4, 12:30 p.m., Lake Superior College Room E2046: Eyewitness Reports from Egypt and Palestine: presentations by Bret Thiele, Mayra Gomez and Sylvia Schwartz.
• Thursday, March 4, 5 p.m., College of St. Scholastica Intercultural Center (Tower Hall First Floor): Short Film on the Israeli Occupation, followed by a Panel Discussion with Bret Thiele, Mayra Gomez, and Sylvia Schwartz. Palestinian food provided by CSS Amnesty International.

The events are sponsored by the Minnesota Break the Bonds Coalition Duluth Chapter, College of St. Scholastica Amnesty International, and UMD Students for Peace. For more information, contact Bob Kosuth, (218) 724-4800, rkosuth@hotmail.com.

Bios:
Bret Thiele is the Litigation Coordinator for the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions, an international human-rights NGO based in Geneva, Switzerland. He has traveled to Palestine numerous times, and lives in Duluth.

Mayra Gomez the Coordinator of the Women and Housing Rights Programme with the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions and board member of Amnesty International USA. She has traveled to Palestine numerous times, and lives in Duluth.

Sylvia Schwartz is a member of the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network and recently participated in the Gaza Freedom March, an attempt to break the blockade of Gaza from the Egyptian border. She lives in St. Paul.

Background:
The September, 2009 United Nations report on the recent Gaza Conflict, commonly known as the Goldstone Report, accused both Hamas and Israel of war crimes during the three-week war, in which 1400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed. Israel has been roundly condemned by human rights groups including Amnesty International for the disproportionate use of violence and repression against Palestinians and the continued Israeli blockade which denies food, medicine and rebuilding materials to the people of Gaza.

Life for Palestinians living both in Israel and the Occupied Territories has been likened to that of South African blacks under Apartheid. In response, Palestinian Civil Society groups and their supporters have called for an international campaign of Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel, similar to the grassroots efforts that helped end South African Apartheid regime. The aim of Israel Apartheid Week is to educate people about the nature of Israel as an apartheid system and to build the growing global BDS movement.

 Saturday, March 13, 1:00pm

Matthews Community Center

2318 29th Avenue South, Minneapolis

 Jennifer Loewenstein is a Faculty Associate in Middle East Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is also a freelance journalist and long-time human rights activist. Jennifer has lived, worked and traveled extensively throughout the Middle East and recently testified as an ‘expert witness’ on Gaza at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. She last visited Gaza in September 2009 for two weeks with the first Rachel Corrie Foundation delegation.

 Sponsored by The Middle East Committee of Women Against Military Madness

Free and open to the public.  Questions?  612-827-5364

 Eight Minnesotans traveled to Cairo in December 2009 to take part in the Gaza Freedom March, in hopes of breaking the nearly four-year siege of the Gaza Strip.  One year after Operation Cast Lead, Israel’s brutal assault on the people of Gaza, little rebuilding has taken place due to the tight restrictions on materials allowed to enter Gaza.  Hoping to bring this situation into focus for the world these eight Minnesotans joined almost 1,400 other international activists in Cairo.  Join us for a presentation by three of the eight marchers:  Ouahib Chalbi, Sylvia Schwarz, Duane Suess

 SATURDAY, February 13, 2010

9:30 a.m. Refreshments, 10:00 a.m. Presentation and Discussion

SOUTHDALE HENNEPIN COUNTY LIBRARY

7001 York Avenue South, Edina, MN  55435

For information call Florence Steichen at 651-696-1642 or email mepn@mepn.org.

Visit our MEPN website at http://www.mepn.org

Presents

JEWISH ANTI-ZIONIST PERSPECTIVES ON PALESTINE/ISRAEL

Speakers are anti-Zionist Jews and pro-Palestinian rights activists who will bring a new perspective to our understanding of Middle East politics.  Professor Lisa Albrecht, U of MN, has worked for Palestinian self-determination since the first Intifada in 1987.  As a Jew, she refuses to be labeled “self-hating.”  Lisa initiated the Social Justice Minor in Social Work at the U of MN where she is Morse-Minn Alumni Assoc. Distinguished Professor of Teaching.  Karen Redleaf, a graduate economist, was active for many years in the MN-Metro Branch of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.  She has been active in the National WILPF Corporations v. Democracy issue.  Karen is a founding member of the Coalition for Palestinian Rights and has been devoted to helping people understand that criticism of Israel is not “anti-Semitic.”

SATURDAY, April 18, 2009
9:30 a.m. Refreshments, 10:00 a.m. Presentation and Discussion

Lutheran Church of Christ the Redeemer

5440 Penn Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55419

For information call Florence Steichen, 651-696-1642

The forum is co-sponsored by: Al-Aqsa Institute, the American Indian Movement, the Anti-War Committee, Augsburg American Indian Studies Program, Augsburg Coalition for Student Activism, Coalition for Palestinian Rights, CAIR-MN, Minnesota Gaza Coalition, Minnesota Peace Now, Palestinian Institute, Red Indian Dawa, Students for a Democratic Society at the University of Minnesota, the University of Minnesota American Indian Student Cultural Center, and Women Against Military Madness.

My Name is Rachel Corrie
Taken from the writings of Rachel Corrie
Edited by Alan Rickman and Katherine Viner, Royal Court
Guest Directed by Maren Ward
March 10, 11, 12, 13 at 7 p.m
Foss Studio Theater
$5 general public; $4 ACTC faculty, staff, and students; $1 Augsburg students and children under age 12.
limited seating available PLEASE RESERVE!!

Ticket reservations can be made beginning two weeks prior to opening night. For reservations or other information, call 612 330-1257. All events take place in the Tjornhom-Nelson Theater in Foss Center (unless otherwise indicated), at Augsburg College, 22nd and Riverside Avenues, Minneapolis.

On March 16, 2003, Rachel Corrie, a twenty-three- year-old American, was killed by an Israeli bulldozer in the Gaza Strip as she was trying to prevent the demolition of the Palestinian homes. My Name is Rachel Corrie is composed from Rachel’s own journals, letters, and e-mails-creating a portrait of a messy, skinny, articulate, Salvador Dalí-loving chain-smoker (with a passion for the music of Pat Benatar), who left home and school in Olympia, Washington, to support Palestinian non-violent resistance to Israel’s military occupation.

Adapted by Maren Ward with the ensemble: Molly Budke, Abby Ehling, Scott Hemann, Brittany Juntunen, Taylor Kaiser-Gajeski, Elle Kokkinos, Ellie Thoni
Stage Manager/Lighting Designer: Karla Malpica, Assistant Stage Manager: Hannah Soule, Set Design by Matt Larson, Sound

Design by Maggie Pint, Costume Design by Sarah Hadlich, Dramaturg: Tim Mauritz, Technical Director: Michael Burden

DISCUSSIONS FOLLOWING EVERY PERFORMANCE:
Tuesday, March 10 and Wednesday, March 11: Flo Razowsky, International Jewish anti-Zionist Network (IJAN), Author and Director of Café Intifada

Thursday March 12: Ayah Helmy, University of Minnesota Political Science senior, Vice President of the U of M Muslim Student Association, founding member of the ONE campaign on the Twin Cities UMN campus, Palestine Solidarity Activist

Friday March 13: Lisa Albrecht, Associate Professor and Morse-Minnesota Alumni Association Distinguished Professor of Teaching in the School of Social Work of the University of Minnesota, where she founded and directs an undergraduate program in Social Justice.

Tuesday February 24         7pm

Humphrey Institute at the U of M   Room #50

Speakers: Ayah Helmy, Al-Madinah U of M:  Josina Manu Maltzman,Int. Jewish Anti-Zionist Network-TC:  Omar Tesdell 

Gaza lies in ruins with 1500 people dead and 4000 injured after the brutal Israeli bombing campaign.  Even with a truce the 3 year blockade continues with inadequate amts. of food, fuel, medicines, etc. just now being allowed in.  How could this happen?   What will it take to end the persecution of Gazans? What does the truce mean?  What is the role of the international community?  What does the rightward shift in the Israeli govt mean?  What forces are involved in  the growing U.S. movement for justice for Palestine?  Come to learn, discuss and take action.

sponsored by; Coalition for Palestinian Pights, MN Chapter SDS; Al-Madinah U of MN

International Jewish anti-Zionist Network – Twin Cities Presents:
 
The Road Less Traveled:
Twin Cities Jews Discuss Their Journeys to anti-Zionism
Sunday, February 22nd, 2009 3-5 pm
Bedlam Theatre, 1501 South 6th Street, Mpls
 
Featuring: Anya Achtenberg, Ricardo Levins Morales (invited), Josina
Manu Maltzman, Karen Redleaf and Raphi Rechitsky.
 
Our speakers will tell their personal stories. What does anti-Zionism
mean to them and how did they come to identify as anti-Zionist Jews?
Lots of time allotted for dialogue with the audience. There will be
great snacks and drinks and plenty of lively conversation! FREE.
FFI: Karen Redleaf, ijan.tc@gmail.com or 651-283-3495.