Jewish Voice for Peace responds

**This is a reprint from ijn.org, the Intermountain Jewish News web site, regarding an August 19th action done by Front Range Jewish Voice for Peace at the JEWISHcolorado (formerly Allied Jewish Federation of Colorado) offices. We went to deliver a petition to the Federation to demand that their leadership condemn the massacre on Gaza, Operation Protective Edge, which occured throughout July and August of 2014.

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In Andrea Jacobs’ article “Activists invade JEWISHcolorado” (Aug. 29), Janet Sherman, the Israel programs coordinator of the former Allied Federation, was interviewed.

However, Sherman was not present in the downstairs offices where we, members of Front Range Jewish Voice for Peace, were gathered.

When I was welcomed into the building, Susan Weinberger, the federation’s outreach coordinator, came down to meet me. The only people in the office were some members of the office staff and Susan.

When Andrea Jacobs reached out to us she asked for someone who was present at the action and we more than willingly obliged, which is why Neal Feldman was interviewed. We were honest and confident enough in our action to provide the perspective of one who was present.

Sherman claims that I entered under false pretenses. Actually I was not using pretense. I really had just moved to Denver and wanted to talk about federation programs, namely the one called “Social Iron Dome” that gives donations only to Israel but ignores Palestinian suffering. After I was buzzed in, other members of Jewish Voice for Peace entered. We, as a collective, wanted our voices to be heard. We are not just one person, but an entire group that has a different opinion from JEWISHcolorado policy.

Had I said to the intercom, “We are with Jewish Voice for Peace and have a petition to deliver,” we most certainly would have been shunned immediately. Based on the Jewish Federations of North America’s refusal to meet with national Jewish Voicefor Peace, we expected significant pushback if we were explicit in our goals from the onset. Thus, we did what was needed to be heard and it is unfortunate that we were required to do so.

When we said that we wanted to deliver a petition to Susan Weinberger (who had gone to get water) and say the mourner’s kaddish with her, she and an office staff member rolled their eyes. Not only was it offensive that we were asked to leave after asking for collective mourning for everyone in the conflict, but this particular member thought we were a nuisance for wanting to do so.

It is true we did not say the names of Israelis that have been killed, but that does not mean we do not mourn their deaths.

We did not even get through 50 names before the police arrived. The total number of people killed in Israel and Gaza are over 2,100 and the kaddish was recited for all of them.

Because the federation has demonstrated selective concern for human life during the most recent events in Gaza, we felt it necessary to make the point that Palestinian lives matter equally.

We have already begun the steps of a follow up with JEWISHcolorado. We are hoping for a constructive dialogue this time around.

Sherman may have reported what she thought happened, but since she was not there her perspective relies on second-hand information. All of us who have contributed to this letter were inside the building and we hope that the Jewish community will take our honesty into consideration.

We have an upcoming action where we will reflect on the children that died in the conflict, including Daniel Tregerman and over 400 from Gaza. We invite you to reflect with us and if you are interested, please email frontrange@jewishvoiceforpeace.org. ABIGAIL LAURA HARMS