Saving Beit Ummar

To keep our 1,000 Facebook followers up to date on what is happening in Beit Ummar and surrounding towns, we regularly post news stories and on-the-ground reports from CFJ in Beit Ummar and nearby towns. Follow us on Facebook.

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CFJ Colorado sponsored a series of recorded interviews with Palestinian and local activists for the purpose of educating the public about the current situation in the West Bank.

With Jennifer Bing & Shaina Low.

With Rich Forer.

With Katie Miranda.

With Mousa Abu Maria.

With Yara M. Asi.

With Bessan Adi.

CFJ seeks to educate local elected leaders to speak out against the occupation in conjunction with groups throughout the state. We helped oppose the presence of the Jewish National Fund, which was holding its national conference in Denver to raise funds for the continued ethnic cleansing of Palestinian villages in the West Bank. We are active in pressing members of Colorado’s Congressional Delegation and local city council members to support a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, massive humanitarian aid, and an end to the US arming of Israel.

CFJ believes working with other social activist, church, Palestinian, and Jewish groups in Colorado is an important part of our educational and political work. We were instrumental in developing coalition work in Colorado, which began with a two-day event at a local Denver church in October 2022. It attracted hundreds of Colorado residents to learn about Palestinian culture and life under the Israeli occupation. This led to the formation of the Colorado Palestine Coalition https://copalestine.co/ which today plays a leadership role in our state.

CFJ Colorado has raised over $140,000 so far to build the first formal kindergarten in Beit Ummar. We also partner with an organization planning to establish a major non-violent center to be located next to the kindergarten.

To give children a respite from the daily horrors of the occupation, we funded a summer camp that taught computer technology.  We also have funded efforts by a women’s agricultural cooperative, purchased backpacks and supplies for school children, and provided emergency aid for families experiencing duress from Israel’s attempt to economically stifle the town.

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In conjunction with Friends of Sabeel - Colorado, we organized two Zoom interviews with Palestinian professor Dr. Hasan Ayoub, a visiting scholar at the University of Denver’s Korbel School of International Studies Center for Middle East Studies.