Tamrurim תַּמְרוּרִ֔ים

ALLMEP is a network of organizations that exist in Israel, Gaza and the disputed West Bank that focus on co-existence, partnership, equality, freedom and dialogue. I have been engaged with a few of them over the years. I encourage you to explore their partner orgs and the work they are doing.

I want to share about their work and some of their partner organizations.

From the heart of Gaza, the Gaza Youth Committee – an ALLMEP member organization – has something to share to their Israeli counterparts.

Here’s what they have to say in their own words:

“Amid the ongoing devastation in Gaza, the Gaza Youth Committee has launched a courageous and compassionate campaign titled “We Live Together, We Die Together”, signaling a bold departure from entrenched narratives of division. Unlike the limited approach — adopted by Hamas — of focusing solely on hostage families, this initiative extends heartfelt messages of solidarity to all Israelis, regardless of faith or background.

We mourn with every Jewish, Christian, and Muslim family that has lost a child in this war. Our pain does not blind us to the suffering of others, we are against the killing of children, whether Palestinian or Israeli.

Since 2018, I have been learning from and with Roots-Shorashim-Judur. This organization astounds me in all they have accomplished already and all that they are working towards. I have heard their co-founders (a Muslim Palestinian and an Orthodox Jewish settler) speak in person; I have learned with their youth staff and teen participants via a synchronous on-line presentation (among many other presentations over the years); and I have studied with their international Muslim-Jewish text study group.

Their core values begin with:

Mutual recognition of Jewish and Palestinian ‘belonging’ to the Land: honoring, respecting and including our national and religious identities in the process of peace-building.

Openness to change and growth; critical examination of our collective identities, and seeking new paths to peace.

Agency and responsibility of ordinary Israelis and Palestinians and civil society’s role in peace-building.

At the center of Standing Together‘s work is this assertion, “We are building a shared home for all of us. We won’t erase our differences, but rather believe in building a true partnership based on shared interests. This is the meaning of Standing Together.”

I began following Standing Together’s work and contributing financially after participating in a webinar they hosted in December 2023. After the webinar, I wrote the following reflection on Facebook:

“I joined Standing Together webinar today (Live from Israel) to hear from their Israeli (Jewish and Palestinian) staff and activists. Over 1700 people from around the globe joined in. Two biggest takeaways for me:

Ceasefire Agreement vs Ceasefire

They are clear that a Ceasefire Agreement has to include return of all remaining hostages – alive. (They weren’t commenting on Hamas’ future but I imagine they agree Hamas has to go in order for there to be stability and safety in the region). They are NOT asking for a ceasefire without the conditional agreements. They ARE demanding this Ceasefire Agreement Happen now!

Two peoples. Two histories.

One land. Two kinds of pain. One shared destiny.

In order for there to be an end to a cycle of violence and war, there has to be a narrative different than that of the government in which all people have freedom and equal rights and equal access. That Palestinians (and supporters on the world) must recognize Israeli citizens and their humanity and their lives separate from government actions. And that Israelis and Jews must stand up for Palestinians freedoms and rights and demand equal treatment (and citizenship for those without it).”

I don’t remember when I was first made aware of Tag Meir, but I first posted about them on Facebook in January 2024. Tag Meir has provided me an up-to-the-moment glimpse into the shared humanity and how their volunteers facilitate the honoring of grief and of celebration in both Arab and Jewish communities. Through their work, they strive to end the overt and covert racism, fear and mistreatment that exists between the groups.

One such example of their work is organizing cross-community condolence visits when a member of one of the communities is a victim of violence by a member of the other. This act of compassion conveys a message that while an extremist may engage in hatred towards the other community, these individuals do not represent the heart and ideology of their people.

In October 2024, I attended an in-person presentation on the breathtaking organization called Givat Haviva. Their programs, focused on education, ensure the cross-population exposure to each other’s language, culture, and traditions. Their programs involve teacher training, running schools with mixed student and teacher populations, facilitating art fellowships, and running large conferences on pursuing a peaceful shared society.

The Givat Haviva Muslim Israeli Arab director of strategy “in conversation” with a member of our local community who is an expert on Israel and is a journalist

There are over 100 organizations engaged in similar work that are member organizations of ALLMEP. I encourage you to explore a few (or all) of them and to amplify their messages and their work.

Tamrurim תַּמְרוּרִ֔ים

Highlighting Important Orgs

It’s Personal

600 Days