Tag: faith

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Summer of Palestinian Visibility

All events will take place in the parish hall at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, located at 111 NE 80th St. Seattle, WA 98115​

Sunday, June 14th –  Destiny Magnett with Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP)              After the 10am service (11:30am), Destiny Magnett with Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) will speak. CMEP promotes a comprehensive resolution to conflicts in the Middle East. They mobilize Christians in the United States to advocate equality, human rights, security, and justice for Israelis, Palestinians, and all people of the Middle East. Save to calendar.

Sunday, June 21st – Dr. Liora Halperin.                                                                                       After the 10am service (11:30am), in the Parish Hall, Prof. Halperin will speak. She is a Professor of International Studies and History, and Distinguished Endowed Chair of Jewish Studies, at the University of Washington. She is an historian of Israel/Palestine with particular interests in nationalism and collective memory, Jewish cultural and social history, language ideology and policy, and the politics of colonization and settlement. Save to calendar.

Sunday, July 12th – Father Kendall Haynes, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Seattle

After the 10am service (11:30am), Father Kendall Haynes will give a talk titled “Waking Up to Palestinian Justice: A Priest’s Journey”. Save to calendar.

Sunday, July 26th – Short Film “Letter From a Palestine Prison”

After the 10am service (11:30am) we will show the short film “Letter From A Palestine Prison” by filmmaker David Wild in the Parish Hall. Followed by a discussion with David, moderated by Ruth McRee Shultz. Save to calendar.

Sunday, August 9 – Book Group – The Lemon Tree

After the 10am service (11:30am) we will be having a discussion of the book “The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East “. It is a biography and work of historical nonfiction written by Sandy Tolan. Throughout the biography, Tolan highlights how two families on opposite sides of the conflict—the Khairis and the Eshkenazis—are connected on a level that transcends both faith and human fallibility. Save to calendar.

Wednesday, August 12th 7pm – Movie Night (title to be announced)

Save to calendar.

August 30th – Dr. Alice Rothchild

After the 10am service (11:30am) Dr. Alice Rothchild will speak in the Parish Hall. Dr. Rothchild is a retired obstetrician-gynecologist who worked in the health care reform and women’s movements for many years. She directed a documentary film and is now writing and speaking. Since 1997, she has focused much of her energy on understanding the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Save to calendar.

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ACLU sues Kansas for punishing teacher over Israel boycott

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Following its new law, Kansas denied longtime teacher Esther Koontz a new position because of her faith-based boycott of Israel.

By Zaid Jilani / The Intercept / Oct 13, 2017

“This law is clearly aimed at suppressing not just boycotts generally but one particular boycott based on its viewpoint. So we think that’s a blatant constitutional violation and we hope the court agrees with us.”
— Brian Hauss, ACLU staff attorney

“Whether in Kansas or in Congress, this kind of legislation is an anti-democratic attempt to silence a nonviolent movement for equality for Palestinians, and a just peace for everyone in the region. It sets an alarming precedent of curtailing free speech, in an era when mobilizing grassroots energy to resist repressive government policies is more important than ever.”
— Rabbi Joseph Berman, Jewish Voice for Peace government affairs liaison

Esther Koontz is a long-time math teacher and curriculum coach at Horace Mann Dual Language Magnet School in Wichita, Kansas.

She’s also a member of the Mennonite Church USA, which in July voted to divest itself from American companies that profit off of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories.

One month prior to that vote, Kansas’s legislature passed into law House Bill 2409, which seeks to discourage boycotts of the state of Israel by prohibiting state contracts with individuals who refuse to say they will not engage in such boycott activity.

Continue reading “ACLU sues Kansas for punishing teacher over Israel boycott”