We cannot feast while there is famine.
May JVP in the News
JVP National:
Salon: What Israel fears with the successes of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (May 7, 2015)
In a statement released by Jewish Voice for Peace, Rabbi Joseph Berman noted: __This legislation, which actually encourages illegal settlement building while strengthening the far right in Israel, shows that BDS is an increasingly powerful means to challenge Israel__s impunity when it comes to Palestinian rights. We urge Congress to reject this legislation.__
The New York Times: Campus Debates on Israel Drive a Wedge Between Jews and Minorities (May 10, 2015)
In a problematic piece for multiple reasons, the NYT covered campus debates over BDS in a Sunday front page story which mentions the JVP chapter at Columbia/Barnard. Many JVP students and others wrote in to the paper of record correcting the misrepresentations in the piece and addressing reports of inappropriate questioning by one of the journalists, resulting in published letters to the editor by JVP’s midwest organizer Ilana Rossoff and JVP student Gabriel Levine as well as an apology from the NYT’s public editor:
The New York Times: Israel, Palestine, and the Boycott Debate on Campus (May 15, 2015)
The New York Times: A ‘Jewish Litmus Test’ was Unacceptable (May 15, 2015)
It also sparked responses from the movement in Salon, and Electronic Intifada.
The Hill: New Israeli Government; Same Old Misery for Palestinians (May 11, 2015)
“Liberal Jewish voices provided crucial support to those movements. They are desperately needed again today. The leadership of Jewish Voice for Peace in battling for our rights raises the question of why AIPAC is so steadfastly against advances in rights and freedom for Palestinians and why members of Congress give it such deference.”
Politico: AIPAC-backed amendments add to trade bill turmoil (May 11, 2015)
Jewish Voice for Peace federal policy organizer Rabbi Joseph Berman also blasted the settlement-related implications and added that the amendments __are harmful to prospects for peace as well as principles of free speech.__
MSNBC: RoadMap with Ayman Moyheldin: What does Israel’s New Coalition Government Mean for the Peace Process? (May 13, 2015)
With Rebecca Vilkomerson and Yousef Munayyer.
The Hill: Anti-Palestinian Amendments went down with TPA (May 13, 2015)
Editorial by JVP Media Coordinator Naomi Dann (ignore the out of date headline)
Salon: Congress’ destructive anti-Palestine agenda: The international outrage that nobody is talking about (May 14, 2015)
“In fact, it __actually encourages illegal settlement building__, according to Rabbi Joseph Berman, Federal Policy Organizer at Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP). JVP and several other Jewish American organizations, including some who oppose BDS, have all issued statements urging Congress to reject these alarming pieces of pro-settlement legislation.”
San Francisco Chronicle: Trade measures could shift U.S. policy on Israeli settlements (May 15, 2015)
__The legislation would impede efforts to apply nonviolent pressure to hold Israel to the standards of international law,__ said Naomi Dann, a spokeswoman for Jewish Voice for Peace. And by condemning boycotts of settlement-produced products along with boycotts of Israel itself, she said, __it goes against U.S. policy, which says settlements and the occupation are illegitimate.__
The Chronicle of Higher Education: Israel-Boycott Debate Spurs Fight Over Definition of _
Anti-Semitism__ (May 18, 2015)
Coverage of the letter to the State Department from JVP’s Academic Advisory Council regarding the problematic definition of anti-Semitism.
Los Angeles Times: Definition of anti-Semitism provokes campus debates (May 18, 2015)
Salon: Is being a critic of Israeli state policies the same as being an anti-Semite? (May 20, 2015)
LA Jewish Journal: In California and Washington, a push to define and redefine anti-Semitism (May 20, 2015)
LA Jewish Journal: UC President Janet Napolitano wants UC to regard some anti-Israel views as anti-Semitic (May 20, 2015)
Jadaliyya: We Are All Uncomfortable: On Academic Boycott & What Is Productive (May 20, 2015)
The Jewish Daily Forward: Students for Justice in Palestine Builds Support With In-Your-Face Push (May 20, 2015)
The Huffington Post: Anti-Semitism Smears Used to Silence Palestine Activists (May 21, 2015)
J. Weekly: BDS on campus Part II: When does _ anti-Israel__ become anti-Semitic? (May 21, 2015)
Haaretz: What Obama got wrong about anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism (May 27, 2015)
Jewish Telegraph Agency: This new website wants to prevent pro-Palestinian activists from getting jobs (May 28, 2015)
Please use http://www.donotlink.com/
The Jewish Daily Forward: The BDS Blacklist Is a Jewish Moral Failure (May 28, 2015)
Again, please use http://www.donotlink.com/
Tablet Magazine: Anti-Anti-Semitic Fundamentalism (May 27, 2015)
Again, please use http://www.donotlink.com/
Progressive Media:
Common Dreams: ”Killing Me Softly” in Palestine: Lauryn Hill Cancels Israel Concert under BDS Pressure (May 6, 2015)
Jewish Voice for Peace is the top Twitter hit at her feed, thanking her for her decision.
Alternet: Israel Will Now Be Ruled by the Most Right-Wing Government in its History (May 7, 2015)
“The far right-wing government that has just been announced in Israel will continue to intensify current policies that erode democracy, repress the rights of Palestinians, and make a mockery of international law. This is not the time for polite criticism,” said Rebecca Vilkomerson, the director of Jewish Voice for Peace.”
Truth-Out: Jewish Voice for Peace Speaks on White Racial Justice Organizing in Black Lives Matter Times (May 19, 2015)
Chris Crass interviewed JVP leaders Rebecca Vilkomerson, Stefanie Fox, Rabbi Alissa Wise, Cecilie Surasky and Ari Wohlfeiler on organizing in majority white Jewish communities for racial justice.
Electronic Intifada: False claims of anti-Semitism climb on US campuses: New report (May 19, 2015)
In These Times: Illinois Bill Would Ban State Pension Funds from Divesting from Israel (May 22, 2015)
Editorial by JVP Campus Coordinator Ben Lorber.
Mint Press News: Israel’s Antisemitism Ad Hominem To Silence Dissent Under Fire (May 29, 2015)
Chapters in the Spotlight:
The Miscellany News: Social Justice Orgs Unite for Israel-Palestine Peace (May 6, 2015)
Report from Rebecca Vilkomerson and Hind Awwad lecture sponsored by SJP and JVP- Vassar.
The Seattle Times: Mayor Murray__s LGBTQ-Israel trip under fire (May 7, 2015)
JVP-Seattle chapter’s campaign against the Seattle mayor’s participation in the pinkwashing A Wider Bridge conference.
The Durham Herald Sun: Durham Severs Ties with Security Firm G4S (May 12, 2015)
JVP-Durham clear the last hurdle in their victory against a local G4S contract.
Mondoweiss: Arizona activists protest Israeli firms militarizing the border (May 14, 2015)
JVP-Tuscon participated with the Southern Arizona BDS Coalition in a protest against militarization at the border.
Jewish Telegraph Agency: Anti-BDS bill passes Illinois House Committee, Senate (May 14, 2015)
JVP-Chicago was part of the coalition opposing the bill.
Truth-Out: Civil Rights Groups Tell Governor Pence: Don’t Stifle Free Speech (May 19, 2015)
JVP-Indiana and a coalition of local groups respond to Indiana’s anti-BDS resolution.
Mondoweiss: The Missouri History Museum__s Palestine Exception: A case study on how the St. Louis Jewish establishment exercises power & privilege (May 19, 2015)
Article by JVP-St Louis leaders Anna Baltzer and Michael Berg about the exclusion of Palestine from a museum exhibition.
Haaretz: Brooklyn food co-op again becoming BDS battlefield? (May 22, 2015)
Mention of Ithaca-JVP‘s campaign at the GreenStar Food Coop.
Electronic Intifada: Listen: North Carolina county drops Israeli occupation profiteer G4S (May 22, 2015)
Highlighting Durham-JVP‘s win!
Members in the Media:
Truth-out: Israel’s Pro-Gay Occupation: An interview with Dean Spade (May 1, 2015)
The Stranger Slog: Mayor Ed Murray Should Boycott, Not “Pinkwash,” Israel (May 8, 2015)
Guest Editorial by JVP member Jimmy Pasch
The Journal Times: Forums to address peace in the Middle East (May 8, 2015)
Milwaukee forums featuring Rachel Buff and Rabbi Brant Rosen featured in a local paper.
Haaretz: An Odyssey from Birthright to the BDS Movement (May 10, 2015)
With quotes from JVP members Candace Graff and Chris Godshall. Originally in the Hebrew edition
Electronic Intifada: California Senate mulls new attempt to squash Palestine solidarity (May 12, 2015)
Quotes JVP members David Mandel and Carol Sanders.
On the Radio:
National Public Radio: Rabbis Diversify To Connect To Students; Just Don’t Bring Up Israel (May 19, 2015)
Quotes from JVP student leader Emily Schneider.
AirTalk 89.3 KPCC: Debating the line between anti-Semitism and free speech (May 19, 2015)
Interview debate between JVP advocacy director Sydney Levy and the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Aron Hier.
KCRW Which Way LA?: Criticism of Israel: When Does Free Speech Become Anti-Semitism? (May 21, 2015)
91.7 KALW: Interview: Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb on nonviolence (May 13, 2015)
And Rebecca Subar was on 900AM-WURD in Philadelphia twice this month talking about JVP-Philly’s campaign to get their mayoral candidates to oppose Islamophobia and to tell one candidate to cut his ties with the ZOA.
Letters to the Editor:
The New York Times: Hate Speech: The Legal Issues and the Consequences (May 8, 2015)
Letter by Alan Levine
The Lowell Sun: ‘Fast track’ trade deals bad for business and peace in Mideast (May 8, 2015)
Letter by Mohammed Faiz
The Tennessean: Don’t Constrain Consumer’s Choice (May 19, 2015)
Letter by Iley Behr
San Jose Mercury News: Fast track of free trade pact denies free speech (may 21, 2015)
Letter by JVP board member Glen Hauer
The Durham Herald Sun: Proud county severed G4S ties (May 29, 2015)
Letter by Gabriel Paul Baldasare
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