Peace with Justice in Palestine/Israel, Task Force on

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Thanks be to God; members of this Task Force have the joy and privilege of working for justice and being 2 a voice for the Palestinian people. 3 4 Some of this past year's actions: (1) Presentation to the 2021 Annual Conference of Petition “Because We 5 Care”, an appeal for churches to study the Palestinian document, “Cry for Hope” and respond to one of 6 the suggested actions (the petition was approved); (2) the production of a UNY-UM Task Force on Peace 7 w/ Justice in Palestine/Israel brochure, mailed to every church pastor and lay leader in UNYAC in 8 November; (3) member participation in ZOOM webinars on current Palestinian justice issues, provided by 9 UMKR (United Methodists for Kairos Response), MFSA (Methodists for Social Action), CMEP (Churches for 10 Middle East Peace), and Amnesty International; (4) individual sign-on for ACTION e-mails to members of 11 12 Congress on issues such as home demolitions and land confiscation, increased illegal settlement building, and abuse and incarceration of Palestinian children through Israeli military courts; and (5) monthly articles

13 14 for the UNY Conference e-mail weekly digest, written in support of the 2021 “Because We Care” petition.

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Plans for the coming year include: (1) submitting to the 2022 UNYAC the petition, “Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act”- H.R.#2590; 2) working on “5 Partnership Churches”, with those congregation members partnering in prayer and shared stories with 5 Palestinian families in vulnerable situations; and 3) reaching out to youth and young people, including young clergy, for participation with the Task Force and for consideration of using the Gary Bergh Scholarship for joining delegations on “peace and justice trips” to the Holy Land.

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Current Task Force members:

Hudda Aswad Rev. Dick Barton Linda Bergh (co-chair) Rev. Len Bjorkman Jonathan Brenneman Leah Mae Carlisle (co-chair) Tom Carlisle Elaine Chorley Rev. Gary Doupe Linda Fiske Rev. Alan Kinney Rev. Gary Kubitz Rev. Leanne Zeck Arlene Lundquest Janet Lynch Karen Peterson (co-chair) Kay Philips Rev. Duane Priset Dianne Roe Christine Root Rev. Merle Showers Shirley Stevens Alice Trost Susanne Wilkowski Beth Woolever

Special prayers for Leah Mae Carlisle, co-chair, in long-term recuperation. Special thanks to Gary Doupe, whose wife, Elaine Cichowski-Doupe, died over a year ago, and was also a member of the Task Force. Gary donated the cost of printing the brochures in her honor and memory. Thanks also to Merle Showers and Alan Kinney, donors to brochure mailing costs. Belated thanks to Elaine Chorley and Linda Fiske for 12 years as Palestinian Dinner coordinators. Many thanks to all who volunteered on our brochure mailing.

To join the Task Force, for info on the Bergh Scholarship, or to receive info: Karen Peterson, Linda Bergh, Gary Doupe or Merle Showers

Submitted by: Linda Bergh, Task Force co-chair