The growing Jewish movement for a ceasefire.

Over 12,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed by the Israeli military. Never again is today: There can be no business as usual as long as Israel is committing genocide in our names. 

That’s why, day after day — from Washington, D.C. to Hollywood Boulevard, college campuses to senate offices — we’re staging sit-ins, blocking roads, taking over iconic landmarks, and facing down increased repression to make our message heard: Ceasefire now. Let Gaza live.

Jewish American Calls for a Ceasefire Highlight Divisions in the Community, TIME, November 17, 2023

“’I’m 81 years old. I’m now older than the state of Israel. I’ve been doing this work for a long time, but I’ve never seen a moment like this one and I’m horrified at…the hideous war mongering of our government and the Israeli government…and what we consider to be an out-and-out genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza.’”

– Rosalind Petchesky

I Am the Grandchild of Holocaust Survivors, and I Am Calling for Ceasefire Now, Truthout, November 18, 2023

“We know that continuing to speak out and take action is the only path towards hope. No one of us will be able to end this injustice on our own. But together, we can march towards a better world, and build it one step at a time.“

Anti-Defamation League maps Jewish peace rallies with antisemitic attacks, The Intercept, November 11, 2023

“American Jews have mobilized several thousand Jews across the U.S. to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. ADL calls these Jewish organizations ‘hate groups.'”

Jewish protesters stage sit-in at California federal building, demand Gaza cease-fire, The Associated Press, November 14, 2023

“’There is no other choice,’ Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb of Berkeley told KNTV-TV when explaining why she was at the sit-in. ‘How many people do we have to kill before we arrive at a cease-fire?’”

-Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb

Who are the Palestinian and Jewish-led groups leading the protests against Israel’s action in Gaza?, PBS, November 16, 2023

“After the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, Chicago-based Rabbi Brant Rosen, co-founder of JVP’s Rabbinical Council, said he grieved for fellow Jews who were killed, yet maintained solidarity with Palestinians.“

Protesters block Space Needle, demanding cease-fire in Israel-Hamas war, The Seattle Times,

“We’re here at the Space Needle as an iconic Washington landmark to say that there cannot be any business as usual, there cannot be visiting tourist attractions while our tax dollars are going to fund the murders of innocent Palestinians.”

– Michael Grant, JVP-Seattle

Rabbis for Ceasefire: Jewish Leaders Organize to Halt Israel’s Bombardment of Gaza, Democracy Now! November 15, 2023

 “Israel is not a Jewish person. Israel is a state. God forbid we should not be able to cry out when states are committing horrific genocidal violence in the name of Jewish people.”

– Rabbi Alissa Wise

This rabbi says the ‘fundamental threat’ in Israel is not Hamas, CNN, November 19, 2023

Rabbi Jessica Rosenberg confronted President Biden about a ceasefire in Gaza during a campaign fundraiser in Minneapolis. She joins “CNN This Morning” to explain why she continues to demand this and to send a message to the Jewish community.

More than 100 arrested at downtown Chicago rally to demand ceasefire in Gaza, CBS News Chicago, November 13, 2023

“‘We are here to demand a ceasefire now,’ said Scout Bratt, with Jewish Voice for Peace-Chicago, an activist group supporting Palestinian liberation. ‘We definitely need support from our representatives, and demanding our representatives sign onto the resolution that many other representatives have will be key to ending this violence.'”

Jewish protesters and allies block Israeli consulate in Chicago, demanding a cease-fire in Gaza, The Associated Press, November 13, 2023

“Hundreds of Jewish peace activists and their allies converged at a major train station in downtown Chicago during rush hour Monday morning, blocking the entrance to the Israeli consulate and demanding U.S. support for an Israel cease-fire as battles rage in northern Gaza.

Midwestern Jews and allies traveled to Chicago from Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and Illinois for the demonstration, organizers said.”

Capitol Police Violently Break Up Jewish-Organized DNC Protest Calling for Gaza Ceasefire, Democracy Now! November 17, 2023

“Many of the protests calling for a ceasefire have been organized in part by two Jewish organizations: IfNotNow and Jewish Voice for Peace. On Wednesday, the groups helped organize a protest at the Democratic National Committee’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., where House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other lawmakers were gathered.

U.S. Capitol police violently moved in on the protesters as they held hands to block the entrance to the DNC. Police described the protest as, quote, “not peaceful” and claimed that protesters pepper-sprayed officers. But images from the protest shows it was officers who deployed pepper spray and that officers used force to remove the demonstrators“

‘No More Genocide in Gaza!’: 50+ Arrested Blocking Bay Bridge, Common Dreams, November 16, 2023

“Members of activist groups including Palestinian Youth Movement, Arab Resource and Organizing Center, Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) Bay Area, and others blocked westbound lanes of the bridge with their vehicles before getting out of their cars and unfurling banners reading ‘Stop the Genocide’ and ‘No U.S. Military Aid to Israel.‘”

Jewish activists rallying for Gaza cease-fire shut down Hollywood intersection, LA Times, November 15, 2023

“Jewish activist groups organized a rally that shut down the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue on Wednesday, a move of civil disobedience as they advocated for a cease-fire in Gaza.“

Feds arrest protesters who occupied Oakland federal building to demand Gaza cease-fire, San Francisco Chronicle, November 14, 2023

“People of profound compassion are deeply distressed that genocide is being carried out in the name of Jews, and finally a movement has arisen that was able to greet this moment led by Jewish people all over the United States. The spirit here is one of solidarity with the Palestinians, one of grave sorrow, and one of relief that we have the community to protest together.”  

– Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb

Protesters arrested after taking over Oakland federal building calling for Gaza ceasefire, East Bay Times, November 14, 2023

“’My grandmother and grandfather didn’t die in Germany for our history to be exploited to kill other people,’ one demonstrator said as she was led away by officers. ‘Not one other time, for any people.’”

Columbia Faces Protests After Suspending 2 Pro-Palestinian Groups, The New York Times, November 15, 2023

“We are here to tell the students: They can suspend an organization, but they cannot suspend a movement.”

-Premilla Nadasen

Student groups calling for ceasefire and Palestine solidarity face repression by universities, People’s World, November 20, 2023

“The students in these groups are acting with moral clarity. They are protesting war and trying to save lives by calling for a ceasefire. By suspending Jewish Voice for Peace and Students for Justice in Palestine, Columbia has made a statement that Palestinians, students who support Palestinian rights, and Jewish students who reject the state of Israel’s actions in their name, are unwelcome on campus.”

Jewish Group Suspended by University After Pro-Palestinian Protests, Newsweek, November 10, 2023

“Columbia University’s decision to suspend Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace is a horrific act of censorship and intimidation. These are students doing exactly what we should all want our students to be doing: standing up for what they believe in and trying to make the world a better place.”

-Sonya Meyerson-Knox, JVP Communications Director

The Growing Jewish Resistance to Israel’s War on Palestine, In These Times, October 25, 2023

“Many Jews also frequently quote the portion of the Talmud that says, ​’whoever kills one life kills the entire world, and whoever saves one life saves the entire world.’ Any Jew who takes our teachings seriously should support a cease-fire and engage in loving kindness and any effort that might save even one life — because for each life we save, we help save the entire world.”

Protesters shut down Hollywood and Highland intersection while calling for cease-fire in Gaza, ABC 7, November 16, 2023

“Hundreds of protesters forced the closure of a major intersection in Hollywood on Wednesday afternoon while calling for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.“

Jewish Voice for Peace Rhode Island Holds Demonstration, WPRI, November 12, 2023

“We are gathered here today to memorialize each and every one of the children who have been killed by Israel’s bombardment–there have been at least 45 hundred children killed–and we are writing out each of their names to honor their individual lives.”

-Thea Riofrancos, JVP member