“The people have to live the situation to understand it… to come and to see by their own eyes, [so] there will not be anything between them and the truth… that’s what we want and that’s what we need.”
— Sameeha Hureini, Youth of Sumud
Applications for our upcoming delegation are currently closed.
You can stay updated on our current and upcoming programs by signing up for our newsletter and following us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
What
The Center for Jewish Nonviolence brings Jewish activists from around the world to Israel/Palestine to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Palestinian and Israeli activists for 10 days of joint struggle and solidarity work. Activities include the use of creative direct action and civil disobedience, community coresistance projects, and critical education.
Why
As the reality continues to escalate in Israel/Palestine, CJNV is committing to sustaining and strengthening our solidarity efforts on-the-ground. We are continuing the movement building work with our Palestinian partners as we organize in response to surging settler-state violence. CJNV’s delegations contribute to expansive and exciting movement growth through direct partnerships and accountability. These delegations create moments of embodied solidarity and partnerships of coresistance between Jews and Palestinians, which has the power to shift material reality and movement landscapes, on the ground and around the world.
During delegations, activists:
Contribute to Palestinian-led on-the-ground resistance, achieving material gains by protecting land and building collective power.
Bring global attention to specific areas, issues and activists they work and engage with during the delegation time
Gain a deeper knowledge of and connection to this work and on-the-ground communities, activists and experiences.
Build skills and relationships to propel this work forward in your home communities.
We know that these delegations disrupt and destabilize the material and ideological systems that uphold the Israeli occupation, apartheid and efforts to displace Palestinian communities. These systems harm communities on both sides of the Green Line. When we come together as a part of a network of joint civil resistance – across different identities, privileges and proximities to power – we manifest new realities and possibilities, powerfully countering the systems of ‘divide and conquer’ and the narratives which sustain them.
Where
The Center for Jewish Nonviolence has relationships with a variety of Palestinian and Israeli grassroots activists to support their ongoing projects and resistance work. CJNV activists will engage in a range of nonviolent actions, campaigns and activities with these partners in the different communities where they live and work.
When
The delegation takes place 10 days during mid-May. Exact dates will be communicated to applicants once participation is confirmed. If the dates do not work for you, your acceptance can always be deferred.
Who
We invite multiple perspectives, approaches, beliefs and political ideologies, and we seek to cultivate conversation and negotiation about these differences. We come together under a common banner of solidarity and coresistance. We believe that in coming together across these differences we gain greater collective power, and we challenge and push each other to become fuller and more developed justice-seekers.
Our participating activists represent many genders, sexualities, races, nationalities, socio-economic classes, levels of formal education, forms of religious observance, and organizational affiliations. We embrace this diversity and expect that all participating activists will act with openness and respect.
We believe a robust and diversely connected movement is most powerful in building sustainable grassroots resistance and that we must actively transform the ways oppressive systems are perpetuated and internalized within our movements. That involves centering those most affected by structural oppression and cultivating a broad and diverse network of Jewish justice-seekers. We recognize that our organizing space is white-Ashkenazi dominant, and we warmly encourage Jews of Color, Mizrahi, and Sephardi Jews to apply and have scholarships available to support JOCSM leadership.
Learning
Learning, reflecting, and skill-sharing is a vital component to building vibrant networks of resistance. As part of our time together, we will devote time to shared learning and discussion about themes, histories, strategies, and tactics related to our work. We will also provide time and space for delegate-led workshops, in addition to delving deeply into regional and site-specific education with our partners.
Ahead of the delegations we encourage group learning to prepare for our time on the ground. This helps us to be responsible activists entering into landscapes and communities that are not our own, to develop ourselves as leaders in this movement, and to cultivate a righteous, audacious and grounded community. As a group, we hold a variety of political positions, analyses and conclusions. We aim to reflect the pluralism of the group in the materials we compile.
Accessibility
We are committed to creating an environment that is comfortable, safe and supportive for all participating activists, but individuals must decide for themselves if this kind of activity is within their capability. Here are some things to keep in mind:
Days during the delegation are long! Some days will involve many hours outside in the heat or cold, and some activities may include physical labor. Participating activists will likely be climbing staircases without railings, walking on dirt roads and/or cobblestone streets, and getting on and off buses multiple times a day. No one will be asked to over-exert themselves, and participating activists will be encouraged to set a work and walking pace that is comfortable for them.
Spending 10 days in a group of new people under intense political conditions can be emotionally draining. There will be some- albeit limited- alone time each day, though much of the delegation is spent as a group.
Not all sites have the same types of bathrooms; while some have indoor plumbing with running water, others are more in the style of an outhouse or “squat” toilets.
If you have more questions about accessibility during CJNV’s on-the-ground programming, please reach out to a member of CJNV’s on-the-ground staff: Oriel (oriel@cjnv.org) or Dina (dina@cjnv.org)
When
The delegation is being planned for mid-May 2023. Specific dates will be shared once you apply. If you are accepted and it turns out the dates do not work for you, we will hold your application for our next delegation.
Cost
Fee for participation is offered on a sliding scale. The program cost is all-inclusive and subsidized. Fees cover housing, transportation, food, insurance, projects, training, and supplies. Please note that the cost DOES NOT include airfare. Participating activists are responsible for making their own international travel arrangements to and from the region.
Sliding scale from $3200-$1800, here’s how you can place yourself on that sliding scale:
Solidarity rate is $3200. This rate covers program costs and contributes toward CJNV’s operational expenses, as well as supporting our scholarship fund for participating activists. We ask all those who are able to pay the solidarity rate to help subsidize the cost of participation for those with fewer financial resources.
Base rate is $2400. This rate covers the program cost per person for the delegation as well as CJNV’s operational expenses.
Subsidized rate is $1800. This is a subsidized rate that we offer in an effort to make this important solidarity work financially accessible both for us as an organization and for interested activists.
Scholarship Rate is $1000. We offer a scholarship rate for activists who are committed to joining but do not have access to wealth that would allow them to pay the higher rates. If you are interested in applying for the scholarship rate, please fill out the following questions in the application.
CJNV is committed to making solidarity activism financially accessible. We do not turn participants away based on ability to pay, though we do ask that participants pay as close to the top of the slide scale as is possible for them. Our sliding scale programming is sustained by grassroots fundraising and volunteer support. If you are unable to pay any of these rates, please be in touch.
Participating activists are encouraged to utilize grassroots sources and online crowd-fundraising to help offset the costs of their participation. In the past, participating activists have been able to raise the entire cost of their program through these platforms. CJNV organizers will support individuals with their grassroots and online fundraising initiatives.
Included in the cost:
Accommodation all nights of the delegation; double or triple occupancy rooms.
Local transportation between the hotel and work/partners sites; pick-up first day in Jerusalem and drop-off last day in Jerusalem.
Daily Breakfast & Lunch
Seven nights of dinner (2 free evenings)
Tours, panels, and lectures throughout the delegation by leading local experts and activists on a variety of issues including, but not limited to: political histories, contemporary realities and legal briefings
Nonviolent Direct Action training
Dedicated, experienced, and talented trip leaders
Not included: Airfare; transportation from the airport; three dinners; health or travel insurance. We encourage all participating activists to purchase health and travel insurance in advance; information about options will be provided.