Has anyone else watched this documentary? I watched it last night for the first time and will be screening it next Saturday at our church. It focusses on one Palestinian man, his family and his village and it tells the story of their non-violent resistence to the settlements in the West Bank. I found it to be absolutely fascinating and yet sadly predictable at the same time.

The Jewish Daily Forward, along with the israeli paper Haaretz, is pretty good reading.

You can get the Forward on the web. (For EO, go to google, type in Jewish Daily Foward, push enter., Read. Think. Try to avoid forming conclusions before reading.)

The US state department sponsored a project to study Palestinian text books in the schools to see if they spread hatred of Jews.

The study group consisted of 17 scholars representing universities in the US and Israel. The scholars were both Jewish  (mostly Israeli) and Moslem.

Praying for Peace in Israel and Palestine. The Moderator offers a prayer for peace.

http://www.united-church.ca/communications/news/moderator/121121

I Ieft a message some hours ago on global affairs concernting a Jewish response to the UC statement on settlements.

It's by an old friend of mine, a devout Jew and a Zionist. He been, most of his life, a leader in the Jewish community both in Montreal and across Canada. He's also co-chair of Peace Now.

It's worth reading - but seems not to have attracted attention in World Affairs. To get it, just go to google, type in The Mark News. Then look for the name of Stephen Scheinberg.

May 1, 2012

The World Week of Peace in Palestine and Israel is coming soon, and there are now two full services and additional worship ideas created by United Church folks available, as well as links to other ideas for May 27-June 3.  

This is also Annual Meeting time for a number of Conferences--these could be good ready-to-go resources for those doing pulpit supply! 

So as the National Post sees it, a group of 15 activists gets to define all United Church members basically as anti-Semitic? This article is pretty unfair to the United Church I think. 

National Post: Why United Church activists are targeting Israel

Christ is risen! Easter greetings from The United Church of Canada Moderator Mardi Tindal from the Mount of Olives, overlooking the old city of Jerusalem.

Dear Friends in Christ,

As I walked through the Garden of Gethsemane last week, I was weary. Full days and nights of meeting with church partners and others in Israel-Palestine had meant moving daily among armed soldiers, through checkpoints, sitting and listening to apprehensions, deep longings for peace and justice, and courageous work. I felt both full and empty.