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Detroit Future & Recent Events

 Our next Jewish Voice for Peace-Detroit meeting is a special Pre-Hanukkah Dinner and Talk with JVP's new National Director Rebecca Vilkomerson It will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009 • 6:30 pm
1930 Balmoral, Detroit 48203 (Palmer Woods, just west of Woodward Ave. and north of Seven Mile Road) Learn about JVP recent activities and new commitment to an exciting and ambitious long-term national divestment campaign. Enjoy a pleasant evening of food and socializing with fellow activists at a lovely area home.
Please R.S.V.P. Barbara Barefield, barbarabarefield@aol.com or Barbara Harvey, blmharvey@sbcglobal.net If you can, bring a dish to share (optional); let one of us know in advance. LECTURE with REBECCA
Thursday, December 10
12 noon - 2 pm
Spencer Partrich Auditorium
Law School, Wayne State University
Lobbying
Yusif Barakat (Friends of Sabeel North America-FOSNA Detroit/Ann Arbor chapters), Barbara Barefield (JVP), the congressman, university student Michael Merriweather, Karen Donahue FOSNA, Michigan Peace Team), Barbara Harvey (JVP and AJJP).

Michigan Coalition members visit the Hon. John Conyers Jr., left to right: Yusif Barakat (Friends of Sabeel North America-FOSNA Detroit/Ann Arbor chapters), Barbara Barefield (JVP), the congressman, university student Michael Merriweather, Karen Donahue FOSNA, Michigan Peace Team), Barbara Harvey (JVP and AJJP).

Jewish Voice for Peace-Detroit has joined forces with a group of local and national organizations to visit US senators and representatives. The Michigan Coalition for Justice in Palestine urges elected officials to support President Obama's demand that Israel freeze all settlements and is establishing an ongoing dialogue regarding our vision for peace with justice in I/P. The Coalition is a multi-ethnic, multi-religion, multi-generational, diverse team, which has visited a number of legislators over the past few months, including Congressman Conyers and staff for Sen. Debbie Stabenow and Congressman Gary Peters.
left to right, back row, Kim Redigan (Michigan Peace Team), Sara Gleicher (JVP), Michael Merriweather (college student activist), Nabil Sater (Sabeel); front row, left to right, Tova Perlmutter and Barbara Barefield (JVP), Karen Donahue (Michigan Peace Team and FOSNA), George Khoury (FOSNA).

Michigan Coalition met with Congressman Gary Peters staff member Hy Safran (far right): left to right, back row, Kim Redigan (Michigan Peace Team), Sara Gleicher (JVP), Michael Merriweather (college student activist), Nabil Sater (Sabeel); front row, left to right, Tova Perlmutter and Barbara Barefield (JVP), Karen Donahue (Michigan Peace Team and FOSNA), George Khoury (FOSNA).

JVP-Detroit is also very pleased to have one of our own, Tova Perlmutter, serving on the national board. Tova will bring to the national strategy not only her own good sense, but also the specific nature of I/P organizing in Detroit — a city with a very conservative Jewish community and a very active and large Palestinian community. The issues we face in this context could be very telling for the national work of JVP. Tova recently joined the Michigan Coalition's visit to Congressman Gary Peter's office.
Martial Arts, the Sabbath and
Welcoming Peace in Unconventional Ways Jewish Voice for Peace-Detroit partnered with the Birmingham Temple for a unique Sabbath presentation on Friday, August 7. Fifth Degree Black Belt Aikido martial arts master Jamie Leno Zimron, a dual Israeli and US citizen, discussed her work with “Salaam-Shalom Aikido” (the words for “peace” in Arabic and Hebrew) to spread the nonviolent practice and peace education of Aikido in Israel, Palestine and the Middle East.
\"Oy, be careful, his Bar Mitzvah is coming up!

Zimron demonstrates \"Peaceful Power\" with Eli Simons at The Birmingham Temple. Comments from the audience included: \"Oy, be careful, his Bar Mitzvah is coming up!

 From the bima, the Californian sensei talked about her work to break down fear, mistrust and intolerance, working with a network of teachers and dojos in Israel and the West Bank. She demonstrated peaceful power, flipping both a soon-to-be Bar Mitzvahed youth, as well as a towering adult.
Zimron, right, meets guests at the Oneg Shabbat at the Birmingham Temple, left to right, Barbara Harvey, Karen Deslierres and Barbara Stahler-Sholk, members of JVP-Detroit, which co-sponsored Zimron\'s presentation.

Zimron, right, meets guests at the Oneg Shabbat at the Birmingham Temple, left to right, Barbara Harvey, Karen Deslierres and Barbara Stahler-Sholk, members of JVP-Detroit, which co-sponsored Zimron\'s presentation.

 This was a special evening in many respects. It was the Yahzreit for the Temple's beloved Rabbi Sherwin Wine, founder of Humanistic Judaism and The Birmingham Temple. It was the first time that JVP-D sponsored at event at a synagogue, and also the first time that the Detroit Jewish News covered one of JVP's events. At the Oneg Shabbat following the services, JVP-D handed out its literature to a very appreciative group. Zimron commented that while the US media often focuses on the violence and conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, stories about the peaceful, nonviolent activities and groups of Israelis and Palestinians working together are not covered. The following week, JVP-D also worked to present Zimron at the Birmingham Library and at a local dojo owned by a JVP supporter.
JVP Networks with Others:
Forums, conferences and events JPV-Detroit has built strong ties to the Detroit area Arab-American, faith-based, and peace and justice organizations. It continues to reach out to the local Jewish community. Members of JVP-Detroit have also been invited speakers at the Sabeel Conference in Birmingham; Wayne State University; the Birmingham Temple; an open forum sponsored by the Huntington Woods Peace, Citizenship and Education Project; the Gray Panthers; Pointes for Peace, and the First Presbyterian Church of Birmingham.  Benefit for AATW with Invincible
In February 2009, JVP-Detroit organized a benefit concert for Anarchists Against the Wall featuring internationally famous Israeli-born anti-Zionist hip-hop artist Invincible. We raised close to $1,000 for the legal defense of Palestinians and Israelis engaged in the nonviolent struggle against the building of the Separation Wall between Palestinian villages and their farms and orchards. Normal 0 0 1 50 288 2 1 353 11.0 0 0 0

To view our past activities, click here. Contact JVP-Detroit: jvpdetroit@gmail.com