Join JVP's Olive Harvest Delegation: October 2007!

JVP's Health and Human Rights Project Join our 2007 delegation! (deadline for application: Sep 15, 2007) The Jewish Voice for Peace Health and Human Rights Project (formerly Jewish American Medical Project) announces its next delegation to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.  Our prospective dates are 20 October – 3 November 2007.  Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) is a progressive, national, grassroots, membership organization dedicated to a resolution of the Israel/Palestine conflict based on principles of democracy, human rights and respect for international law. We are seeking delegation members who are committed to participating in non-violent solidarity work with Palestinians and Israelis and who share our vision of working for a just and peaceful end to the Occupation.  To that end, we are recruiting new members to participate in our delegation.  The purpose of this application is to gather information about your interest and reasons for becoming part of the delegation.  For the past four years, we have sent delegations to work with our partner organizations, the Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS) and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHR-Israel), as well as other Palestinian civil society organizations and Israeli peace and human rights groups.  While we began as a primarily medical-aid effort, we have broadened our scope.  Our goal is to connect delegation members with their counterparts in Israel/Palestine where they can provide assistance, while learning first-hand of the situation on the ground.  We expect that upon their return to the U.S. (or other home country), delegation members will utilize their experience to help educate others.  In the past, delegation members who are health care professionals have seen patients in PMRS fixed and mobile clinics; taught in the Medical School at Al-Quds University in East Jerusalem; worked both in PHR-Israel’s Mobile Clinic in the West Bank and Open Clinic for immigrant workers in Tel Aviv; and toured hospitals in Israel and Palestine.  There are many opportunities for people with different skills and interests to contribute, including other human service professionals, such as mental health clinicians and teachers.  Performing artists and teachers of performing arts are welcome to work with young people at PMRS youth centers.  Lawyers and labor activists have investigated the human rights conditions for labor in Palestine, Palestinian prisoners in Israel and for disenfranchised populations within Israel. We have also toured with the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions and marched with Israelis and Palestinians in Bil’in.  Our delegation has met with high level members of the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian Negotiation Project.  Photographers, videographers, and journalists are also welcome.  Beginning with the October 2006 delegation, we have also brought volunteers to work assisting Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian Territories to harvest their olives.  This may involve physical labor as well as accompaniment. Accounts of our previous delegations may be reviewed at www.jvpboston.org. As a part of Jewish Voice for Peace, we expect delegation members to share our mission statement, or at the least, to be open-minded and not opposed to our principles.  You may review our positions in detail at our national website, www.jvp.org. Delegation members are expected to fund their own airfare to and from Israel, as well as per-diem expenses for food and housing, which are generally modest.  Delegation members are encouraged to fundraise, both for their own expenses if needed, both before the trip (which could be used for your expenses) and after (to help fund HaHRP).  We have limited funds available to support low-income delegation members, including students.  JVP-HaHRP will fund in-country travel and other delegation-related expenses.  We invite all who are interested to email us at "hahrp at jewishvoiceforpeace.org" We reserve the right to reject any applicants but welcome all who are interested to apply.