2019 – Imagining the Way of Justice -Sustaining Hope

8th Conference: Imagining the Way of Justice -Sustaining Hope

Our national gathering this year brought together over 70 friends and members of UNJPPI from across the country — all committed to working for a just peace in Palestine and Israel.

Does fear of being labelled anti-Semitic prevent you from speaking out for justice for Palestinians?

You are not alone. Despite the work of many Jewish and non-Jewish people documenting the oppression of Palestinians under the Israeli military occupation, some non-Jewish people are reluctant to work for Palestinian human rights for fear of being labelled anti-Semitic.

Conference Details

Date: September 13-15, 2019 and a pre-event lecture organized by Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) where Professor Noura Erakat spoke to a capacity crowd at St. Paul’s Eastern United Church on “Justice for Some: Law and the Question of Palestine”

Location: First United Church and Kanata Best Western Hotel, Ottawa, ON

Conference Summary & Presenters:

Sessions included:

• Former NDP member Libby Davies, on “What blocks political change?”
• Dr. Diana Ralph, co-founder of Independent Jewish Voices Canada, on “What is, and what isn’t, anti-semitism”
• Peter Larson, Chair of the Ottawa Forum on Israel Palestine on “What’s happening in Gaza?”  Peter facilitated a live video conversation with Ahmed Abu Rtema, a Palestinian journalist, poet, and peace activist who lives in Gaza. 
• Omar Haramy of Sabeel via videoconference from Jerusalem on ” “Living in Hope — Between a Rock and a Hard Place.” and in a separate session on the topic of “Effective Solidarity is Costly.”
• Tom Beilman of the United Church of Christ (USA) screened the documentary “How are the Children? Part 2,” which detailed Israel’s abusive treatment of Palestinian children and in which top leaders of the United Church of Christ passionately described the strong actions that church is taking in support of the children
• Zaya Kuyena eloquently spoke about the impact his recent trip to Israel and Palestine as a member of the UCC Young Pilgrims for Peace had on him and how it challenged him to be involved
• Brian Thorpe preached on 1 Kings 21:1-21, telling the story of Naboth who owned a vineyard near the palace of King Ahab. The king wanted the vineyard which Naboth refused to sell because it was his inheritance. After Ahab and his wife Jezebel used their power to have
  Naboth killed they took over the vineyard. The prophet Elijah confronts Ahab with his acts of injustice and Ahab repents. It wasn’t hard to see this 2500 year old story being replayed in Canada’s treatment of indigenous peoples and Israel’s current treatment of Palestinians.