Madison Rafah Journal

Anderson Auditorium
Edgewood College
7:00 pm

Diyar Dance Theatre of Bethlehem: 40 talented, enthusiastic and committed dancers, male and female, of different age groups and backgrounds. The vision of Diyar Dance Theatre is to celebrate Palestinian culture and history through traditional dances, while promoting creativity.

Diyar Dance Theatre is the only dance troupe in Bethlehem representing Bethlehem’s rich history, values and heritage in a theatrical dance form combining Dabka, modern theatre and contemporary dance.

Diyar Dance Theatre believes in building cultural bridges and considers dance a powerful medium to unlock hearts and minds.

“What We Saw, What We Can Do”

April 12, 2012, 7:00 pm
UW-Madison campus
(see Today in the Union)

Dr. Mads Gilbert, one of two Norwegian doctors who remained in Gaza under fire during Israeli Operation Cast Lead, will be in Madison to speak about his experiences.

Dr. Gilbert will be here as part of a U.S. tour discussing the book that he co-authored with fellow doctor Eric Fosse: Eyes in Gaza, which is available at Rainbow Bookstore. A book signing will follow the talk.

Featured guests: Craig and Cindy Corrie, parents of Rachel
(Program information to follow)

Cost: $20 per person/$35 per couple for a Middle Eastern dinner of hummus, falafel, salad, lentil spinach soup, fool moudamas, spinach pie and warbat dessert

All proceeds go to the Maia Project water filtration system for the Al-Shuka Girls Preparatory School in Rafah, Palestine

Space is limited and reservations are required. Please make your reservations now by contacting Donna Wallbaum at dwallbaum (at) gmail.com or 235-7870. Payment may either be mailed to MRSCP, P.O. Box 55371, Madison WI 53705 or paid at the door before 5:30 pm. If you are unable to attend, please notify Donna at least three days before the benefit for others to attend.

Overture Center, 11 am
Madison, WI

Join us in celebrating the 31st Annual International Festival, when Local Goes Global!

Overture’s International Festival weaves a rich tapestry of performances, crafts and foods with sounds, smells and flavors as colorful as the vibrant costumes that adorn the performers. We give full-throated voice to languages, cultures and people from around the world, even as all the performers currently call Dane County home. For one day every year, Local Goes Global! FREE.

As before, Madison-Rafah will have our hand-made Palestinian crafts, olive oil and olive oil soap for sale at the Festival. Come and check us out.

Children at the Tuyar Al-Jena Kindergarten in Rafah turn on the tap

Here in Wisconsin we’ve hardly been hibernating. So much is happening at the state and local level, to say nothing of the 2012 presidential campaign.

But now and again we need to stick our noses out of our local dens and act as citizens of the wider world.

So for GROUNDHOG’S DAY we suggest that you check out our “CLEAN WATER FOR RAFAH’S CHILDREN” campaign and for VALENTINES DAY, turn on the love with a contribution towards a water filter/desalinization system for the Al-Shuka Preparatory Girl’s School in Rafah. (Read on …)

Register for Feb. 12 Training in Milwaukee, WI

On Sunday, February 12, please join the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation’s National Advocacy Director Josh Ruebner for a training on:

Organizing to End Military Aid to Israel
10:30AM-12:00PM

followed by lunch and strategizing sessions on:  (Read on …)

Supporting the Next Generation of Unarmed Resisters: Palestinian Youth, Israeli Repression, and International Solidarity

Sunday, Nov. 20 at 5 pm in Anderson Auditorium, Predolin Hall, Edgewood College

The past year has seen a tremendous resurgence of unarmed revolt throughout North Africa and the Middle East as millions of people have risen up against authoritarian regimes in what has been called the Arab Spring. In the occupied Palestinian Territories, these revolutions have given momentum to the regrouping of popular resistance efforts against the Israeli occupation. Jeff Pickert will speak about the strategy and effectiveness of Palestinian popular resistance, in light of these global events. His presentation will focus on the repression of Palestinian youth, as Israeli Forces seem intent to try to stop the next generation of Palestinian leadership from engaging in nonviolent organizing. Jeff will also be drawing upon his experiences working on the ground with Palestinian villagers and activists in the southern West Bank, as well as his efforts to each Gaza as part of the most recent International Freedom Flotilla which was prevented from sailing from Greece.

Jeff Pickert is a 22-year-old American solidarity activist who has lived and worked in the occupied West Bank for a collective period of over a year and a half. In addition to studying Arabic and Palestinian politics at Birzeit University, Jeff also spent significant time engaging in direct action efforts against the occupation. (Read on …)