December 2012 - Chicago Area Churches On the Palestine Issue

Last night, on the eve of a study of issues concerning Palestine at the church I attend, I went to a screening and discussion of My Neighborhood at Wellington Avenue UCC in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. Leaders from many local congregations were there, and we quickly realized that now is a time that many of us are taking up these issues. We thought it would be constructive to provide a continuing list of events at area churches, to encourage the fullest possible participation and to help the leadership at each location network and share resources.

St. Luke's Lutheran Church, Logan Square: Palestine Study

What: Three week adult study on the Israel/Palestine conflict, including presentation by speaker from Jewish Voices for Peace, followed by screening of Encounter Point on January 6. Full description on St. Luke's blog, The Messenger: "Peace and the Holy Land".

Where: St. Luke's Lutheran Church, Logan Square, 2649 N Francisco, Chicago

When:

Sunday, December 2: 9 am Adult Study
Sunday, December 9: 9 am Adult Study, noon (after worship) Joel Finkel, JVP, presentation
Sunday, December 16: 9 am Adult Study
Sunday, January 6: noon (after worship) - screening of Encounter Point

Note: On Sunday, January 6, 2013, the monthly Justice Offering at St. Luke's will benefit Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem.

Facebook: Israel and Palestine: Brief History of the Conflict

Presenter/coordinator: Jessica Palys. (Jessica Palys is a third year seminarian at Chicago Theological Seminary and intern at St Luke’s this year.)

For more information contact: jessicapalys@gmail.com


AFSC Middle East Program:Iyad Burnat Presentation

What: Palestinian grassroots organizer Iyad Burnat will give a presentation on his work.

Where: School of the Art Institute, 280 S. Columbus, 2nd floor, Chicago

When:

Wednesday, December 12: 7:00pm - Iyad Burnat presentation
Suggested Donation $5

Facebook: Iyad Burnat - Presentation

Presenter/coordinator: Iyad Burnat - Iyad Burnat is head of the Bil’in Popular Committee and a leader in the village’s non-violent popular resistance movement. Since 2005, citizens of Bil’in have held weekly demonstrations against the building of the Israeli separation wall through the community’s agricultural lands and the encroachment of illegal settlements. The demonstrators are joined by Israeli and international peace activists, and have maintained a commitment to non-violent methods of resistance in spite of armed, military opposition that has resulted in many injuries and some deaths.

Iyad was born in Bil’in in September of 1973. He is married and has four children. He became involved in popular resistance as a teenager, and was arrested by the Israeli military for the first time at age 17. He was accused of throwing stones, and imprisoned for two years. Since then he has been arrested and imprisoned by the Israeli military several more times.

During his 2012-2013 American tour, Iyad will tell the stories of Bil’in and life in the occupied West Bank, and talk about strategies for non-violent popular resistance with a goal of peace and prosperity for all people. His presentation will be accompanied by photos and videos.)


AFSC Middle East Program: Reception Honoring Iyad Burnat

What: Reception honoring Iyad Burnat (see profile above).

Where: Grace Place, 637 S. Dearborn, Chicago

When:

Thursday, December 13: 5:00pm - Reception

$10 admission. Please RSVP to lynnpollack@gmail.com

Presenter/coordinator: Iyad Burnat (see profile above).

For more information contact: lynnpollack@gmail.com


AFSC Middle East Program: Screening 5 Broken Camderas

What: Premiere Chicago screening of the award-winning film, 5 Broken Cameras by Emad Burnat.

Since 2005, residents of Bil’in have held weekly demonstrations against the building of the Israeli separation wall through the community’s agricultural lands, and the steady encroachment of illegal settlements.

These demonstrations are the subject of the recent award-winning documentary film 5 Broken Cameras, which was made by Iyad’s brother, Emad Burnat. When his fourth son, Gibreel, is born, Emad gets his first camera. For more than five years, Emad films the struggle, which is lead by two of his best friends, alongside filming how Gibreel grows. Very soon it affects his family and his own life. Daily arrests and night raids scare his family; his friends, brothers and him as well are either shot or arrested. One camera after another is shot at or smashed, each camera tells a part of his story.

A Film on Non-Violent Resistance Against the Israeli Occupation. Winner of the Sundance 2012 World Documentary Directing Award and a NY Times Critics Pick.

Followed by a discussion with Iyad Burnat, one of the leaders of the struggle against Israeli Occupation & the building of the apartheid wall in Bil'in, Palestine.

Where: School of the Art Institute, 280 S. Columbus, 2nd floor, Chicago

When:

Thursday, December 13: 7:00pm - Screening

Facebook: Iyad Burnat and 5 Broken Cameras
Suggested Donation: $5

Presenter/coordinator: Iyad Burnat (see profile above).