[ ]J Street [ ]
Friends,

A few weeks ago I wrote to you about a Palestinian playground in the
occupied West Bank.

One week, invaded by extremist settlers intent on demonstrating their
power and intimidating locals. The next, hosting Members of Congress and J
Street staff playing with children, speaking with locals, experiencing the
nuances, challenges and complexities of life for Palestinians and Israelis
first-hand -- and learning how principled leadership can lead to a better
future for all.

This week, Israeli authorities served a ‘stop work’ order on the
playground, a key step on the path to issuing a demolition order.

[1]Stop Work order on a West Bank playground

Friends, I wrote earlier about our shared goal of a world in which
Israeli and Palestinian children -- from Susya to Sderot to Gaza -- can
play free from fear of intimidation or rocket sirens, and can dream of
their future without limitation.

But from playgrounds to family homes to farms to clinics, it seems there’s
nothing the settlement movement wouldn’t rather see demolished if it
stands in the way of their goal of permanent, undemocratic control of the
entire West Bank -- even if that includes the destruction of Israel’s own
future as a proud, democratic homeland for the Jewish people as well.

Right now, we’re focused on our December goal of raising $280,000 from
grassroots supporters to fuel the leadership and change leadership we need
to see in 2022.

Your contribution will power our work to bring demolition and ‘stop work’
orders like this to the attention of Congress and the State Department,
and to urge our government to use all channels possible to deter further
destruction, to stop the erosion of Palestinian freedoms, and to protect
our shared vision for Israel’s democracy.

[ [link removed] ]Friends -- Can you chip in to help fuel this fight in the year
ahead?

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Yes, we’ve got our work cut out for us. But our positions and values have
the overwhelming support of Democratic voters and the overwhelming support
of Jewish Americans. And we have a growing number of allies in Congress
who care deeply about this issue and are champions for our values.

If we mobilize, organize, and build on these foundations, we know we can
create the change we urgently need in the years to come.

Thank you, sincerely, for your support.

Jeremy Ben-Ami
President, J Street

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Friends --

I’ve just returned from a congressional delegation to Israel and the West
Bank sponsored by the J Street Education Fund -- and I wanted to share two
sets of images with you.

Taken just a week apart, they showcase two starkly different visions for
Israel.

The first set is distressing.

Accompanied by IDF soldiers and dogs, far-right settlers break into a
newly renovated children’s playground in Susya in the West Bank, intent on
intimidating local Palestinian children and families.

The images are repellant. A defilement of every value I personally believe
a just, democratic homeland for the Jewish people should embody.

[142]Settlers intimidate local Palestinians in a West Bank playground

But the second set of photos gives me hope.

Just one week later, they show our congressional delegation at the very
same playground.

Members of Congress and J Street staff playing with children, speaking
with locals and learning about the nuances, challenges and complexities of
life for Palestinians and Israelis first-hand.

[143]J Street's delegation to the same playground a week later

These two scenes illustrate two remarkably divergent visions for the
future.

One rooted in control, discrimination, intimidation and injustice. The
other rooted in equality, respect and peace. A vision of a just, secure
and democratic Israel living alongside an independent state of
Palestine. A vision of principled, values-driven US leadership to help get
us there.

From Washington to Jerusalem to Ramallah, J Street is one of the few
organizations dedicated to exploring the complexities of this conflict
with unflinching nuance and empathy.

When you see members of Congress with tears in their eyes as they witness
the occupation up close, you realize the impact we’re making. “I’ve been
to Israel before, but I’ve never seen this,” is a familiar refrain from
policymakers, lawmakers and their staff.

Whether it’s speaking with the families of those killed in conflict and
terror attacks, seeing the occupation up close in cities like Hebron, or
looking at the terrifying impact of Hamas rocket fire on towns in the
Israeli south, ours is a trip that doesn’t pull any punches.

Thanks to JSEF’s Len Hill Education Program, our delegations visit Yad
Vashem and the Old City of Jerusalem, speak with diplomatic and security
experts, sit down with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, and meet with
inspiring pro-peace activists on both sides of the Green Line. Most
importantly, they meet the everyday Israelis and Palestinians whose lives
are impacted most by the cycle of injustice, violence and retaliation.

[144]J Street trips to Israel and the West Bank offer a deep,
comprehensive understanding of the threats and challenges facing Israelis
and Palestinians.

Trip by trip, meeting by meeting, office by office, our movement is
transforming American leaders’ understanding of the situation -- and
rallying support for the principled, pro-Israel, pro-peace leadership
necessary to build a better future.

We
may yet have a long road to travel, but we should have no doubt that this
sustained, powerful work is making a deep and lasting impact.

Together, we’re working toward a future in which the children in
playgrounds from Susya to Jerusalem to Gaza to Tel Aviv can play without
worrying about intimidation or rocket sirens, can dream of a future
without fear or limitation, and can grow up to achieve their full
potential.

Together, we’re challenging our leaders to help secure the promise of
Israel as a just, democratic and peaceful homeland for the Jewish people
-- and a future in which Palestinians have every equal measure of
security, justice, peace, freedom and self-determination.

Thank you, sincerely, for being a part of this fight.

Yours

Jeremy Ben-Ami
President, J Street


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J Street is the political home for pro-Israel, pro-peace Americans who want
Israel to be secure, democratic and the national home of the Jewish people.
Working in American politics and the Jewish community, we advocate policies that
advance shared US and Israeli interests as well as Jewish and democratic values,
leading to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.



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