What Are You Doing This Summer?

The Palestinian Summer Celebration 2007
June 20 to August 18
Come celebrate Palestine, learn Arabic, study history, know the people and their culture, share some time with local families and volunteer with a local community organization
The Palestinian summer celebration is a unique annual program that gives people from all over the world the chance to encounter the life and culture in Palestine in addition to donating some time to a local community organization through voluntary work and internships. The annual celebration is organized by Siraj Center for Holy Land Studies http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=294812875&url_num=15&url=http://www.sirajcenter.org/ in partnership with Bethlehem University
http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=294812875&url_num=16&url=http://www.bethlehem.edu/ and the US based Society for Biblical Studies, http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=294812875&url_num=17&url=http://www.sbsedu.org/.
Participants will also have the opportunity to listen and question high level speakers of various positions and expertise.

Interfaith Peace-Builders Delegations to Israel/Palestine
March 17 to 31
May 26 to June 9
July 28 to August 11
October 27 to November 10
Interfaith Peace-Builders (IFPB) sends delegations to Israel and Palestine so that US citizens can see the conflict with their own eyes. Participants have the opportunity to learn directly from Israeli and Palestinian nonviolent peace/human-rights activists, to spend time in Palestinian and Israeli homes, and to experience the situation of Palestinians living under military occupation. For more information, contact the IFPB office directly by phone (202-244-0821) or email office@ifpbdel.org.

2007 Congressional Accompaniment Project
April 1 to April 10
You can be a part of a group of peacemakers who will leave for a 10 day-trip to Israel and Palestine, accompanying several U.S. Congressional senior staff aides on a mission of peacemaking and fact-finding. It is an unparalleled chance to accomplish two important goals: expand and deepening your own knowledge of the Holy Land and the Israeli/Palestinian conflict through direct experience, and influence the political climate of Washington toward a more positive attitude and fair policies that will help enable a just peace in the region for both the state of Israel and the people of Palestine.
The time is growing short to sign on as an "Accompanier" for this 2007 Congressional Accompaniment Tour. For more information or to apply as an "Accompanier" for the 2007 CAP tour to Israel/Palestine, contact http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jspkey=294812875&url_num=20&url=
http://www.middleeastawareness.org/
Darrell & Sue Yeaney, Coordinators, Presbytery of East Iowa, sue-dy@avalon.net
319.354.7877

Global Exchange's Delegations to Palestine and Israel
April 21 to May 1
August 12 to 22
December 2 to 20
Global Exchange's delegations to Palestine and Israel provide first-hand exposure to the daily struggles and realities of Palestinians living under occupation. The delegations strive to further the US public's understanding of the conflict by listening to the aspirations and frustrations of Palestinians, by examining the dimensions of the human rights crisis under Israeli rule, as well as learning from Palestinians and Israelis who are working for a just peace and an end to the Occupation. For more information you can contact Global Exchange 800.497.1994 x. 251 or
email palestine@globalexchange.org.

Palestine/Israel : Prospects for Peace with Justice
April 21 to May 1
August 12 to 22
December 2 to12

ICAHD-USA Delegations to Israel/Palestine
Spaces still available for the Experience Travel Tours' 10-day study tour this spring to Palestine and Israel designed to educate people about the conflict, introduce key figures from both the Palestinian and Israeli peace communities and empower participants to be effective advocates for a just peace upon their return home. Some highlights of the trip, now in its seventh year, include visits to the Galilee, the Negev, several cities in the West Bank, the Dheisheh Refugee Camp, the Israeli Knesset and an Israeli settlement as well as meetings with Palestinian and Israeli peace activists, political figures and religious leaders, Palestinians whose homes have been demolished, Bedouin communities under siege and international activist groups in the field. Email: studytours80@hotmail.com for more information.

Middle East Fellowship for Palestine Summer Encounter 2007
May 24 to August 16
Middle East fellowship, in partnership with Holy Land Trust invites you to participate in the fourth annual Palestine Summer Encounter, a two month Arabic-training and volunteer program.
The purpose of the program is to create a dialogue between Palestinians and members
of the global community. During the program, participants will learn beginner or intermediate conversational Arabic through language immersion and class and partner with Palestinian non-profit organizations as a volunteer.

Zajel International Voluntary Work Camp
June 2 to 20
An-Najah National University is pleased to invite youth and adults up to 35, to take part in the "Step in the right direction" summer work camp. This project has been designed to provide international students and professionals the opportunity to meet and discuss the Middle East conflict, share ideas, enhance practical skills, foster relationships, and give assistance to members of the Palestinian community. The international summer work camp, "Step in the right direction", will bring together 25 young people from around the world who are interested in helping create a better world. We are specifically targeting people who are working with organizations led by young people that address humanitarian issues and social justice. We strongly encourage highly motivated and serious young men and women to apply.
For more information, please click here

Come with MECA to Palestine/Israel
For seventeen years, MECA has taken small groups to the West Bank, Gaza and Israel. MECA staff and local guides introduce you to activists, journalists, aid workers, teachers, social workers and others living under occupation. We'll stay with our "Ibdaa family" in Dheisheh refugee camp, and visit other MECA partners and friends throughout Palestine/Israel. For information, please contact Deborah Agre or Josie Shields-Stromsness deborah@mecaforpeace.org, josie@mecaforpeace.org 510.548.0542

Volunteer in Tel Rumeida
Tel Rumeida Project is an organization solely for work purposes therefore, volunteers are expected to be able to function well with instruction and independently. Volunteers will be working in the neighborhood of Tel Rumeida, Hebron, keeping a presence on the streets to prevent against settler attacks and soldier/police harassment of the Palestinian residents who live in the neighborhood. For more information, please see http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=294812875&url_num=33&url=http://www.telrumeidaproject.org/Volunteer.html