THE SHMINISTIM TOUR. Young Israelis speak their conscience
By Tim Shenk
Anyone who has visited the West Bank in the last 40 years has gone past a good number of Israel Defense Force (IDF) soldiers. Toting automatic rifles and dressed in combat fatigues, they are a constant presence at hundreds of checkpoints, controlling the flow of people throughout much of the occupied territory.
By Gabriel Schivone
Apart from their piercing analysis and insightful conclusions about the occupation, a powerful aspect of Maya and Netta’s presentation is their appearance, which matches up with who they are. This is what struck me before they even arrived on the University of Arizona campus. Their youth and relative privilege resembles any given college student on any given college campus. Therefore it’s hard to discredit them before they even speak, which is so often a difficulty in and of itself when imploring a compassionate critique and invoking justice on the subject of Palestine, the U.S., and Israel.
Three Shministim — Yuval Ophir-Auron, Omer Goldman, and Sahar Vardi — are coming to South Africa!
Here’s the info we’ve got, courtesy of the South African End Conscription Campaign (ECC) and the Open Shuhada Street Campaign:
“Twenty five years ago the End Conscription Campaign (ECC), one of the movements connected to the United Democratic Front, began its campaign to end the conscription of white males into the South African Defence Force (SADF). It was composed of conscientious objectors who believed that the wars the SADF was fighting were immoral and instead preferred to go to jail rather than be conscripted. The ECC is celebrating its 25th Anniversary at the end of October. To highlight the fact that young people whose countries are involved in conflict are today taking a similar moral stand, the organisers have invited conscientious objectors from various countries, including Eritrea, the USA and Israel. Continue reading »
Here’s what Margaret Brown, from Sabeel-Hawaii, had to say:
These young women, more than any of the numerous speakers Sabeel has co-hosted, really seemed to speak to the Jews of various persuasions in the audience. I saw Jewish acquaintances in the audience who have never come to anything we have offered on Palestine/Israel, including talks by Jewish or Israeli speakers. There’s something very non-threatening about being lectured to by a couple of brilliant and sincere 19 yr olds who have risked so much. George Hudes, the founder of our local tiny JVP chapter, said that even one of his acquaintances who is on the AIPAC board had said he was impressed with Maya and Netta’s presentation.
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A comment from someone attending the Shministim talk at UC Berkeley:
I was stunned by the power and effectiveness of their talk and by the responses to the questions posed to Netta and Maya. These young women had such well thought-out answers and responses to questions, from the “pro-Israeli” folks to the anti-Zionist doctrinaire leftists. There were hundreds of people, mostly young folks at this UC Berkeley event. Almost everyone was quite well behaved; there was no name calling or shouting others down. It was amazing to listen to this incredible meeting and discussion; this seems so rare these days. I can’t help but be impressed by these young articulate women. They were not just preaching to the choir, but really sharing the history of occupation, early Zionist thought and ideals, growing up with the Israeli propaganda machine, what happens when one resists going into the Army, the psychology of Israelis’ fear of extinction and anti-semitism, the analysis of who profits from the occupation, life under occupation for Palestinians, differences between Hamas and Fatah, etc. What a talk in such plain language!
UC Hastings, San Francisco, September 14, 2009 — For their first formal presentation on a national speaking tour, Maya Wind and Netta Mishly, two Israeli conscientious objectors, addressed an audience of about 80 in a classroom at UC Hastings School of Law. Using a Powerpoint presentation to show maps, slides and a brief video of an Israeli military TV ad, the two young war resisters also shared personal stories and updates on Israeli resistance to occupation, including the organizations they work for – Rabbis for Human Rights and the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions.
At the Power to the Peaceful concert in San Francisco, Maya and Netta had an opportunity to speak with former U.S. Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney.
All three have spent time in Israeli jails for their principled position against the Israeli occupation: Maya and Netta went to military prison for their refusal to serve in the Israeli army; Cynthia McKinney because the Israeli navy illegally seized the Free Gaza’s Spirit of Humanity ship in international waters as it was en route to Gaza with humanitarian supplies. Everyone on board the ship–including McKinney–was detained in Israel.
In McKinney’s own words from an Israeli jail: “I am now known as Israeli prisoner number 88794. How can I be in prison for collecting crayons for kids?”
by Janet Weil and Rae Abileah on September 11, 2009 ·
“As a Jew, an American and a mother, the invasion of Gaza filled me with unbearable sadness. While Hamas’ attacks on Israeli villages are deplorable, Israel’s disproportionate response is unconscionable… In loving memory of our ancestors and for the future of our—and Palestinian—children, more American Jews should speak out and reach out.”
~ Medea Benjamin, CODEPINK co-founder
The High Holy Days are a time to review the past year, to acknowledge our moral strengths and weaknesses, and to turn toward the New Year with a renewed commitment to living our values. One part of that process of “teshuvah ve tzedakah”, turning and returning, is to tell the stories that powerfully illustrate the Jewish values of devotion to life and justice. During this period of intense reflection, two courageous young Israeli women who refused to serve in the Israeli army will share their stories in a national tour called, “Why We Refuse: A National Tour of Israeli Young Women for Peace,” from September 11 to October 11. Continue reading »
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 10, 2009
CONTACT
Rae Abileah, CODEPINK grassroots coordinator, 415-994-1723
Sydney Levy, Jewish Voice for Peace chapters and campaigns director, 510-465-1777
Israeli army resisters to tour U.S. college campuses this fall
Will spark debate, controversy over role in Israel-Palestine conflict
CITIES NATIONWIDE — Inspiring debate on college campuses nationwide on one of today’s most controversial international topics, the Israel-Palestine conflict, two courageous young Israeli women who refused to serve in the Israeli army, breaking Israeli law, will share their stories this fall on campuses in major cities in “Why We Refuse: A National Tour of Israeli Young Women for Peace,” from September 12 to October 10.
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You can hear an interview with Maya Wind on KPFK LA radio by clicking here. She is interviewed by Don Bustany of “Middle East in Focus.” This interview originally aired on Sept. 9, 2009.
