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St. Louis, MO 63110 info@ctsastl.org View Map |
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There are many vital actions people are taking to respond to the intensifying crisis in Gaza. Inspired by the work and teachings of the Vietnamese Buddhists Thich Nhat Hanh and Chân Không, we offer the following simple practice for your consideration.
Pick a particular day (of the week or month) and decide to fast from breakfast to dinner.
By skipping lunch, one may feel some mild discomfort toward the later afternoon. Use that discomfort (1) to remember the people in Gaza who are struggling for life and (2) to resolve to find ways of responding to their suffering with efficacy.
The money one would have spent on lunch, say, $5.00, send to a project or an organization in or for Gaza that is trying to alleviate the suffering caused by the embargo and Israel's bombing and invasion.
Possibilities include: Red Crescent, UNRWA, and the Ahli Arab Hospital.
If this makes sense to you, please join us. If not, good luck in your own efforts.
Nima Sheth, Saint Louis University Medical School
Matt Miller, Washington University in Saint Louis
Mark Chmiel, Center for Theology and Social Analysis
In light of Israel's bombing and invasion of Gaza and the mounting death toll, we invite people to gather to get important background to the current crisis. On Martin Luther King Day, Monday, January 19, at the Center for Theology and Social Analysis, we will show Occupation
101: The Voices of the Silenced Majority. Potluck dinner, for those interested, begins at 4:30 p.m., and film begins promptly at 5:15. It's 90 minutes long. For those interested in exploring how we can respond in our local context, those who wish can stay and we'll brainstorm until 7:15. We are located at 1077 S. Newstead in Forest Park Southeast.
About the film--
A thought-provoking and powerful documentary film on the current and historical root causes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Unlike any other film ever produced on the conflict -- 'Occupation 101' presents a comprehensive analysis of the facts and hidden truths surrounding
the never ending controversy and dispels many of its long-perceived myths and misconceptions.
The film also details life under Israeli military rule, the role of the United States in the conflict, and the major obstacles that stand in the way of a lasting and viable peace. The roots of the conflict are explained through first-hand on-the-ground experiences from leading Middle East scholars, peace activists, journalists, religious leaders and humanitarian workers whose voices have too often been suppressed in American media outlets.
The film covers a wide range of topics -- which include -- the first wave of Jewish immigration from Europe in the 1880's, the 1920 tensions, the 1948 war, the 1967 war, the first Intifada of 1987, them Oslo Peace Process, Settlement expansion, the role of the United States Government, the second Intifada of 2000, the separation barrier and the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, as well as many heart wrenching testimonials from victims of this tragedy.
http://www.occupation101.com/
We invite you to join us for a dialogue on "Life and Struggle in Nicaragua, Now and Then," on Sunday 2 November at 4:30 p.m. Several people from Saint Louis worked in Nicaragua in the 1980s, some folks have been visiting since Hurricane Mitch, and, most recently, students from Saint Louis University have been studying and working summers there through the Mev Puleo Scholarship Program. We invite you to join them and us to learn about the current situation and recent history of this Central American country whose destiny has been so tied to that of the United States. Please bring a drink or dish to share. Potluck begins at 4:30 and discussion begins at 5:00. Our address is 1077 South Newstead (63110). For more information, contact Mark at MarkJChmiel@gmail.com
We invite you to join us next Sunday 28 September at 4:30 to hear a report back from Hedy Epstein about her three weeks in Cyprus with the Free Gaza Movement. The two boats of internationals, Israelis and Palestinians �SS Free Gaza and SS Liberty�made it safely to Gaza. For more information, see www.freegaza.org
Potluck: 4:30-5:00. Please bring a dish or drink to share.
Report from Hedy: 5:00-6:15
We meet at 1077 South Newstead in Forest Park Southeast.
For more information, contact Mark, 314-807-8769.
Our friend Hedy Epstein is in Cyprus and preparing to take part in the Free Gaza Movement within the week. Along with other international, Palestinian and Israeli civilians, Hedy will sail to Gaza to challenge Israeli control and isolation of the 1.4 million Palestinians who live there. The project is intended to awaken the conscience of the nations of the world, who have turned their backs on a people whose human rights, welfare and very existence are being sacrificed to political expediency. Follow the group's progress by signing up for this listserve:
https://lists.riseup.net/www/info/gazafriends
Our friend Magan Wiles has re-written a play about her experiences in Palestine from two years ago, Beautiful Resistance, and it is being staged at the Saint Louis University Theater in Xavier Hall the weekend of July 11-13. Produced by Playback Workshop Theater, Beautiful Resistanceuses audience participation, improvisation, live music, as well as photos and videos shot in the West Bank, to give a new and personal perspective on the complicated issue of Israel’s occupation of Palestine. One of the parts of the play that is both poignant and funny is Magan’s relationship with a young Palestinian woman named Fayrouz.
Friday and Saturday performances are at 8 pm, and the Sunday performance is at 3 pm. Suggested donation of $10; all proceeds will benefit Al-Rowwad Children’s Theatre in Bethlehem. No one will be turned away for lack of funds! For more information, directions, and ticket reservations, call 314.773.2819.
Our hope is all three nights will sell out and Magan’s work will not only inform us about the “beautiful resistance” in Palestine, but also stimulate our imaginations as to the “beautiful resistance” we can be part of here in Saint Louis and the United States.
We want to let you know of an amazing initiative a friend of ours is taking.
At the age of 83, Hedy Epstein, a long-time activist for peace and justice in Saint Louis, is going to the Gaza Strip as part of the Free Gaza Movement (http://freegaza.org/). This August, internationals like Hedy from around the world are taking a boat from Cyprus to BREAK THE SIEGE Israel has forced on the Gaza Strip, the site of immense human suffering. Israel claims it has left Gaza; nevertheless, it controls the air, the land, and the sea. With this creative nonviolent direct action, Hedy and her companions are hoping to bring attention to the humanitarian catastrophe caused by this strangulation of Gaza.
As a teen-ager, through the Children’s Transport to Great Britain, Hedy was able to flee Germany in 1939. Both her parents were murdered at Auschwitz. These experiences have been the basis of Hedy’s decades-long commitment to social justice and human rights and to speak out against terrible injustices at home and abroad. Her autobiography, which has been published in Germany, is entitled, “Remembering is not Enough.” For more information, see Hedy’s web site http://www.hedyepstein.com/
Hedy knows that this venture is a risky one. Yet over the past five years, she has made five trips to Israeli-occupied West Bank to accompany and be in solidarity with the Palestinian people as they remain under military occupation by one of the most powerful countries in the world. She would be the first to say that real courage is manifested every hour, day and night, by Palestinians struggling for a dignified existence.
The South African Nobel Peace Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu has written: “Peace and security, we discovered in South Africa, do not come through the barrel of a gun. No, they happen when the inalienable rights of all are recognized and respected. I deplore the bombing attacks on the civilian population of Gaza which is suffering under a cruel siege. Most of the casualties have been civilians, including your children. The targeting of civilians contravenes international law as also does the practice of collective punishment. I also deplore the firing of Qassam rockets on the civilian population of Sderot. Please, please for God’s sake stop this carnage; for the sake of Israel’s children, for the sake of Palestinian children, for the sake of all our children. I support the Boat Convoy in its attempt to bring ongoing humanitarian relief to the people of Gaza.” Others in support of the Free Gaza Movement include Noam Chomsky, the Carter Center, and Jewish Voice for Peace.
The Free Gaza Movement urgently needs our financial support. To make this project happen, boats need to be bought, insured, and registered and Hedy is responsible for paying her own way. Therefore, funding is urgent. On Hedy’s behalf, we ask for your support in the following ways: (1) Send Hedy a letter of support, and, if possible, include a small donation. Mail them to her at 5547 Waterman Boulevard, Saint Louis 63110. (2) Send a tax-deductible donation to: The Free Gaza Movement/405 Vista Heights Road/El Cerrito, CA 94530. (3) Read the postings at www.freegaza.org to learn more about the crisis in Gaza and how the boat to break the siege is faring. (4) Initiate conversations with people you know about what is happening. (5) Join Hedy and her friends on Sunday, July 20th at the Center for Theology and Social Analysis, 1077 S. Newstead, at 12 pm for conversation, refreshments, and a proper send-off as we wish our dear friend “smooth sailing.”
A Palestinian poet living in East Jerusalem will be speaking locally about the current condition of the people living in the occupied territories and Gaza, the peace process, US policy and what we can do to help.
As part of our on-going interest in the urgent situation in Palestine, we invite you to join us for a talk and discussion with Dr. Hanan Awwad on Sunday 22 June at noon at our Center (1077 South Newstead in the Forest Park Southeast neighborhood).
Scholar, writer, and poet Hanan Awwad, a Palestinian woman with a life-time of knowledge of the strife torn history of her country, was born in Jerusalem, Palestine, into a family of scholars whose legacy has been a deep attachment to their homeland.
It is vital to hear from the Palestinian people themselves and we are fortunate to be able to learn from and engage with Dr. Awwad, who has long been involved in the Palestine section of the the Women’s International league for Peace and Freedom. Each year Dr. Awwad participates in peace and human rights conferences all over the world addressing issues of
imperialism, conflict resolution, and ways to strengthen the role of women in promoting peace both in the Middle East, and elsewhere, such as in eastern Europe, Africa, and Latin American countries.
This is a great opportunity to learn about the struggles for dignity and justice in Palestine.
Please invite a friend or two and join us next Sunday 22 June!
More...
Meet the members of the CTSA Core Community. Here are some short bios. You can reach us by email at core@ctsastl.org.
We invite you to participate actively in our ongoing projects. Learn more about them:
Palestine Solidarity Project
Our work is to oppose the illegal Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip through nonviolent direct action, grass roots education, and sale of Palestinian-made olive oil.
Review of Jimmy Carter, We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land: A Plan That Will Work.
(New York: Simon and Schuster, 2009), $27.00.
Now in his ... read more
And here are a few of our other recent featured essays. We invite you to further the conversation by leaving your own comments after reading.
Above the Law? 2/22
Odious Comparisons or Odious Policies? 2/16
Letter to a Student 2/10
The Spiral of Violence 2/7
Gaza/Nakba 2/1
On The Letters of Allen Ginsberg, edited by Bill Morgan (Da Capo Press, 2008)
I have a file titled “Noam Chomsky” that contains several letters from ... read more
Here are some other recent reviews of other films and books by CTSA members and friends.
Refuseniks 4/25
Letter to a Friend 1/8
The Mere Gook and Haji Rule (When the Americans Come/2) 1/1
When the Americans Come/1 11/24
A Liberation Doctor: Dang Thuy Tram 10/26
by Mark Chmiel
Wednesday 31 December 2008
How many nanoseconds did it take your hasbara specialists to transform the “Gaza Massacre” into a heroic tale of self-defense ... read more
And some additional recent short pieces written by members of the CTSA Core Community and friends. We invite you to add your own comments and thoughts.
A Prayer... Mev Puleo, January 1991 11/4
On War Heroes, Pilots, and Civilians/American Values 1 9/11
The Meaning of Vietnam 8/9
Why Go to Palestine/8 7/4
Power versus Conscience 5/29
And other poems featured recently:
The CTSA Core Community is pleased to announce Mark Chmiel's newly published work, The Book of Mev, about his late wife, St. Louis native, photojournalist and activist, Mev Puleo.
Listen now to Mark reading a passage.
Read a review of the book.
The book is available for purchase directly from Mark, at Left Bank Books, and online at Amazon.
CTSA is a member of Justice and Peace Shares. Visit the websites of some of the other member groups.
Inter-Faith Committee on Latin America