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Since 2003 Kansas City-based Citizens for Justice in the Middle East (CJME)
has educated the public about the issues involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and
seeks to
end U.S. support for the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories. |
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July 2, 2009 - $103,000 raised at "Viva Palestina" event
300 people attended Gaza fundraiser
headlined
by George Galloway
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George Galloway addresses audience at Viva Palestina
event in Overland Park, Kansas on July 2, 2009.
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Participants at a July 2 “Viva Palestina”
fundraising event pledged $103,000 for medical relief for
Palestinians in Gaza. This generous sum is the largest grassroots
fundraising effort for Palestinians in Kansas or Missouri – ever.
Mr. George Galloway, British member of parliament,
gave a much-anticipated speech to a capacity crowd of 300 at the
Overland Park Marriott. Participants in Cedar Rapids, Iowa watched
via a live video conference.
Credit for the large amount raised goes to
Galloway for his convincing appeal for direct relief to Palestinians
in Gaza. Members of Kansas City’s Muslim and Arab-American
community, as well as many other residents responded generously.
The amount raised will purchase six trucks to be
purchased in Egypt and driven to Gaza. Three audience members will
be flying to Egypt to drive the vehicles in a convoy flying US flags
and banners to begin a two-week stay in Gaza. Galloway mentioned
that his three-month tour of US cities raised $2 million.
One participant “found the event informative and
practical, the tone was as much of a call to action as it was a
personal, emotional reaction to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.”
Representatives of several organizations supported the appeal for
funds, including American Friends Service Committee—KC, Peaceworks,
Citizens for Peace and Justice in the Holy Land (Lee’s Summit, MO),
Seventh Generation Indigenous Visionaries (Haskell student group
traveling to Palestine on August 1), American Muslims for Palestine,
Citizens for Justice in the Middle East, and MAS Freedom. <
read
MORE | photos later >
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July 2, 2009 - "Viva Palestina" Fundraiser for Gaza
British MP George Galloway and
Vietnam Vet Ron Kovic lead convoy to Gaza
July 2 fundraiser event in
Overland Park features
Galloway and Mahdi Bray
Citizens
for Justice in the Middle East, Muslim American Society Freedom,
Citizens for Peace & Justice in the Holy Land, AFSC-KC,
Peaceworks Kansas City and
American Muslims for Palestine invite you to attend a Viva Palestina fundraiser featureing British
Member of Parliament George Galloway in Kansas City on
July 2. Come support the campaign to bring medical supplies to Gaza!
< read
more on Viva
Palestina fundraising event > |
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$1,220 raised for Haskell student youth delegation
Supporters give Haskell student group
a boost in fundraising
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Melissa Franklin (left) with 7th Generation
Indigenous Visionaries and Laura Closson, who
traveled to Gaza in March 2009, after the 7GIV fundraiser dinner on
May 31.
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Despite a sagging US economy that has forced many
people to reduce financial support, a fundraiser dinner held at Holy
Land Cafe in Overland Park, Kansas on Sunday, May 31 was a HUGE
SUCCESS. Participants contributed $1,220 towards the 7th Generation
Indigenous Visionaries (7GIV), the Haskell student group traveling
to Palestine in August.
> Read more on
Report on Fundraiser for
Indigenous Youth Delegation |
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May 31, 2009 - Fundraiser for Native youth delegation
CJME hosts fundraiser for
Haskell student group
traveling to Palestine
CJME
will host a fundraiser dinner on Sunday, May 31 at 6:00 pm. All
proceeds will go to the 7th Generation Indigenous Visionaries,
a group comprised of current students and alumni of Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas, to help pay
for their travel expenses. The dinner will feature speakers and take
place at the Holy Land Café, 12275 W 87th Street Parkway, Overland
Park, Kansas.
> Read more on
Fundraiser for
Indigenous Youth Delegation
>
Download fundraiser event
flyer (Adobe PDF)
> Check it
out -
FACEBOOK EVENT
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More on the May 31 Fundraiser
Benefit for 7GIV -
Story-tellers at the
Crossroads: American Indian youth group seeks bonds with Palestinian
youth
What would
compel a student group from Haskell Indian Nations University in
Lawrence, Kansas to travel to Palestine? Despite enduring a legacy
of stolen land and sovereignty, Native youth will exchange stories
with Palestinian youth during a two-week delegation to Palestine in
August. <
read more > |
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January 30, 2009 - Fundraiser
Benefit for Palestinians in Gaza
Relief tally increases to $4200
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Ibtisam Barakat and Mubarak Awad addressed audience
members at the Gaza fundraiser dinner on January 30
[photo: Billi Jo Larmore]
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The Gaza fundraiser dinner held
Friday, January 30, and hosted by CJME with sponsors MAS-Freedom,
Peaceworks/KC, and AFSC-KC was a huge success – we raised $3800 for
direct humanitarian relief! More financial donations came in after
the dinner bringing the new tally to over $4200.
The response to the fundraiser
was so large that we had to turn people away. One hundred people
attended the dinner at Holy Land Café. This amount will be donated
directly to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for
relief to Palestinians living in Gaza.
< Read
the full report on the benefit > |
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Human
Rights Watch Action Alerts
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December 27, 2008 - January 16,
2009 - Gaza Crisis
Archive of KC response to Israeli
attacks on Gaza |
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December 16, 2008 -
Report on KC Visitors to Hope
Flowers School
"...when we passed a sign saying Hope Flowers..."
Two members of CJME, Ginger and the Rev. Jim
Kenney, are now in Bethlehem and yesterday visited Hope Flowers. I
thought you'd appreciate their account, below. We hope to do another
fund raiser for HFS in the new year. Another of our projects is
sending an Episcopalian rector on an Interfaith Peace Builders tour
in the spring or summer. She has been very supportive and a
first-hand look at what is happening in the Holy Land will galvanize
the rest of her church. Here is the account of the HFS visit, some
of which concerns KC folks--but you can skip over that stuff.
< Read
full letter from Jim & Ginger >
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August 9, 2008 -
Popular Blog highlights Israel practice of keeping Palestinian
farmers from their fields
"Just kill me here, I want my land!"
Qalqilya North Terminal, where there's a maze of turnstiles and
fences and electronics with a grim stone pillbox looming overhead,
from which the soldiers can observe the poor souls who, having
permits to work in Israel, desperately line up in the predawn dark
to be checked through in time to meet their rides to get to work.
< Read
full story on Mondo Weiss Blog >
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> December 30, 2008 -
Take action by
calling or writing public officials
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$10,000 Fundraising Goal Met
for Hope
Flowers School
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Ibrahim Issa is
continuing the work begun by his
father (photo: BBC News)
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The October 13, 2007 major fundraising event for Hope Flowers School in
Bethlehem, Palestine held at Saint Andrew Christian Church in
Olathe, Kansas and the November 4 Sacred Concert held at
Village Presbyterian Church were both a huge success. The
current fundraising amount raised after the October 13 and November
4 concert event is
$10,000!
Our
fundraising for Hope Flowers School in Bethlehem has made friends
for the school at the same time as it's educated about the dire
situation in Bethlehem--and in Palestine in general. The fundraising
for Hope Flowers School has had support from New Song Church;
Disciples Peace Fellowship; Peace and Justice Group; Grace Convenant
Church; Saint Andrew Christian Church; Heartland Presbytery; and
many of you.
Stay tuned for a full report soon! |
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CJME Monthly Meetings:
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Make your
plans to attend the CJME monthly business meeting on the
third Monday of every month. This meeting is open
to the public and will focus on planning future events and
activities. Come out to hear how you can work towards peace with
justice! See
calendar for details. |
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