[Peace-discuss] JVP: thank UCC for voting for divestment

[Robert Naiman]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ilana Rossoff
Date: Tue, Jun 30, 2015 at 1:45 PM
Subject: Thank you!
To: naiman at justforeignpolicy.org




Dear Robert,

Thanks for being one of the first people to help us say thank you to the
UCC for their brave divestment vote. But they need to hear it as loudly as
possible - so please, take a minute and forward this note to 5 people and
ask them to join us!

Onward,

Ilana

               [image: Take Action!]
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Dear Ari,

*This is huge.*

*By an incredible 80% margin, the United Church of Christ just voted to
divest from Israel’s nearly 50 year occupation of Palestine, and to boycott
products made in settlements.* This vote by the UCC, which represents
almost one million Christians, sends a clear message: faith communities are
standing up, speaking out, and taking action for peace and justice.

If you’d told me last year that over 80% of UCC delegates would vote to
divest from the occupation, I’d have said that was impossible. But that’s
what happened -- thanks to the courage of UCC leaders and the growing
grassroots interfaith movement we’re building together.

<http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?key=-1&url_num=2&url=http%3A%2F%2Forg.salsalabs.com%2Fo%2F301%2Fp%2Fdia%2Faction3%2Fcommon%2Fpublic%2F%3Faction_KEY%3D18118>

We know the backlash will be fierce, and we can’t afford to be complacent.
Our opponents will say that divestment harms interfaith relationships --
but we know that's not true. *Supporting each other to align our values and
actions is the very heart of what interfaith relationships should be*.
Let’s make our voices heard, and show that we support this historic
decision of our brothers and sisters in the UCC.

*Sign our thank you card to the UCC -- thank them for standing for justice.*
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I’m in absolute awe of the people I've met here in Cleveland: the UCC
Palestine-Israel Network who organized their own communities for
divestment, and the brave UCC delegates who debated how to best turn their
belief that the occupation is unjust into concrete action that can support
those living under it. *Their moral clarity, and their commitment to turn
their faith into action are like nothing I’d ever seen before*.

The UCC Palestine Israel Network said it best: *the days of “praying for
peace and paying for occupation” are over.* The time for action is now --
and taking action is exactly what the UCC did today.

Last year, we talked and prayed with our allies in the Presbyterian Church
as they aligned their values with their investments by divesting from
Israel. This week, we did the same, and now another major religious body
has made it clear that they won’t profit from the persecution of
Palestinians.

*The UCC has taken a brave step forward for justice, and we need to have
their back. **They need to know that we’re standing with them -- sign our
thank you card!*
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Some people say that progress is impossible. Some people say that the
Israel lobby is too powerful. Today, we stood with the United Church of
Christ, and we proved those people are wrong.

Onward,

Ilana

Ilana Rossoff
Midwest Regional Organizer
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