A History of the Madison-Rafah Sister City Project
November 22, 2008
March 2003
Project founded with 10 initial members.
April — May 2003
Two public showings of the film Gaza Strip.
September 2003 — November 2003
Palestinian Labor Tour — Representatives of the Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions and The Farmers Union touring the United States. Two of the delegates also represented the “Stop the Wall” campaign.
Toward a Peaceful World conference at Edgewood College with speakers Adam Shapiro of the International Solidarity Movement and Jennifer Loewenstein of the Madison-Rafah Sister City Project.
Five Presentations on Palestine series at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church by Pastor Bruce Burnside on his three-month sabbatical in Palestine, including the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and Israel.
Reporting the Middle East Lecture Series in Madison with Amira Hass, Ali Abunimah, As’ad Abukhalil and Robert Fisk. Rainbow Bookstore and the Isthmus strike a blow for freedom of speech during Ali Abunimah’s appearance at MATC.
January 2004
Delegation to Rafah — Of three members traveling (George Arida, Cisco Bradley, and Jennifer Loewenstein), only Jennifer was allowed by Israel to enter Gaza. Jennifer met with the Women’s Empowerment Project of the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme, Human Appeal-Rafah, the Al Amal Rehabilitation Society, the Popular Refugee Committee, representatives of the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education, and Mayor Said Zoroub, Deputy Mayor Emad Shaath, and City Manager Ali Barhom of Rafah. Jennifer was hosted by the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights.
March — July 2004
Rachel Corrie commemoration with the Madison premiere of the film The Killing Zone and talks by Laura Gordon and Cheryl Broderson, Rachel’s aunt.
Visit by representatives of Neve Shalom — Wahat al-Salaam, a village jointly established by Jewish and Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel, to East High School.
Talk by Muli Linder of Courage to Refuse, an Israeli refusenik group.
“Balata Installation Tour”, a traveling exhibit about the Balata refugee camp in the West Bank.
Program by representatives of MOSAIC Communities multinational housing cooperatives, a non-governmental, non-profit initiative to establish and strengthen mixed communities throughout Israel on the basis of equal rights for all.
Approximately $2,000 raised to help rebuild water wells in Rafah. First material aid project.
Sister City Public Campaign
From spring to summer of 2004 the Madison-Rafah Sister City Project attempted to win official sister city status from the City of Madison. We met with a majority of the 20-member Common Council to explain the issues and purposes involved. Many indicated their support, the Common Council’s Committee on Sister City Projects approved our application, and chances of success looked very good.
Then a very strong attack was launched by the Madison Jewish Community Council (MJCC), who characterized our project as anti-Semitic and accused a Rafah partner, Mayor Said Zoroub, of association with terrorist activity. An organized campaign by MJCC put heavy political pressure on the Alders. In a climactic vote, the majority of Alders present voted in favor of the project, but by Council rule the proposal lost by one vote. Mayor Dave Cieslewicz had announced in advance that he would veto the Council resolution if it approved our project, a rare occurence in Madison government.
Although we lost this close vote, we felt that much was gained through discussion and public education. Our campaign was heavily covered by local media and appeared in the Christian Science Monitor, New York Times, Ha’aretz, Maariv, Jerusalem Post, Associated Press, Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Voice of America and other outlets.
The Project gathered a broad range of community support reflected in the testimony on our behalf during six hours of council debate. We secured the endorsement of the Capital Times. The campaign solidified our ties with other Madison sister city groups and positioned us firmly within the local anti-war and progressive movements. It also decisively exploded the myth of a monolithic Jewish community in Madison.
August 2004
Sponsored the Madison appearance of the “Stop the Wall Tour” with John Reese and Erica Kay, showing John Pilger’s film Palestine is Still the Issue.
November 2004
Co-sponsored talk by Noam Bahat and Shimri Zamaret of Shimistim high school refusers group, including visits to several area high schools.
January 2005
Delegation to Rafah — One member (Kathy Walsh) and her daughter entered Gaza with American Near East Refugee Aid and Playgrounds for Palestine. The delegation was hosted mainly by Fatma Khatib of the General Union of Palestinian Women, and visited schools, hospitals and public officials.
Co-sponsored two showings of Peace, Propaganda and the Promised Land at UW and Edgewood, with panelists from the local media.
February 2005
Co-sponsored the film Voices, Images and Hearts and a food benefit featuring Saul & Greg Landau, Haskel Wexler and The Iron Sheik.
March 2005
$10,000 raised by the Playground for Rafah Campaign to install a playground from “Playgrounds for Palestine” in the Tal al-Sultan area of Rafah. Madison-Rafah material aid to-date totals over $12,000.
April 2005
Co-sponsored Three Women, Three Faiths, One Shared Vision speaking tour at both First Unitarian Church and Memorial UCC, Fitchburg.
Helped organize and participated in a Madison Community Seder which benefited the Milk for Rafah Campaign and the Oscar Romero Memorial Tree Project in El Salvador
June 2005
Hosted Upper Midwest Regional Conference of the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, including public talks by Norman Finkelstein and by the Corrie/Nasrallah “Rebuilding Hope, Rebuilding Homes in Rafah” tour.
September — December 2005
“Grand Gallery Opening” benefit featuring the Art of al-Tatreez (Palestinian embroidery) at the Casbah Restaurant, raising money for a revolving fair-trade crafts fund to help support the makers and their families. Approximately $2500 was raised, and the fund is now self-sustaining. Madison-Rafah material aid to-date totals over $14,500.
Co-sponsored appearance by Dr. Tawfik Nasser of Augusta Victoria Hospital.
Co-sponsored “Finding Hope in Unexpected Places” film series at Edgewood College, and the films Rana’s Wedding and Until When… at UW-Madison.
Co-sponsored the Ibdaa Dance Troupe in Madison, including visits to two elementary schools.
Casbah “Seasonal Dinner Dance” fundraiser with the Madison-Arcatao sister city and WORT radio.
March 2006
Over $6,000 raised by the Milk for Rafah Campaign was diverted, with permission from the major donors, to the Middle East Children’s Alliance for emergency food parcels in Rafah. The original plan to supply Wisconsin powdered milk to Rafah was prevented by Israeli border crossing delays. Madison-Rafah material aid to-date totals over $20,500.
April 2006
Joint benefit with Madison-Arcatao Sister City (El Salvador) at the Casbah featuring April Fool’s Day with Comic Dave Lippman, AKA George Shrub.
Co-Sponsored a Madison visit by the Ibdaa Health Committee from the West Bank, featuring Wisam Hasanat, Areej Ja’fari and Talal Shihade.
Co-sponsored Madison appearances of Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi, leading Palestinian human rights activist and independent member of Palestinian parliament.
November 2006
Participated in a sister city workshop at the “New Directions for Peace” conference at Edgewood College, organized by the Wisconsin Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies.
December 2006
Co-sponsored the Madison appearances of “Gaza On The Ground” journalist and photographer Mohamed Omer from Rafah.
February 2007
Co-sponsored a campus talk by Ali Abunimah of Electronic Intifada.
April — May 2007
Co-sponsored the “Bitter Harvest” speaker and film series commemorating 40 years of the occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza. Speakers included Fawwaz Trabulsi, Laila El-Haddad, Sara Roy and Jonathan Cook. The series included the “Three Women of Jerusalem” tour, which appeared at three local high schools and two public talks.
Hosted a “Palestinian Crafts Extravaganza” at Escape Java Joint with Palestinian food, dance and crafts sales.
August 2007
Booth at Milwaukee’s Arab Fest selling crafts and olive oil.
October 2007
Sponsored Madison appearances by Jeff Halper of the Israeli Committee Against Home Demolitions (ICAHD), which raised $6,000 for a home rebuilding campaign. Madison-Rafah material aid to-date totals over $26,500.
Approximately $6,000 has been raised to help Rafah build a Mental Health Library of professional books requested by healthcare providers. Madison-Rafah material aid to-date totals over $32,500.
Helped publicize the Wisconsin Book Festival appearance by Susie Abulhawa of Playgrounds for Palestine, author of The Scar of David.
Approximately $13,000 has been donated over the life of the Project for emergency relief and infrastructure repair in Rafah. Madison-Rafah material aid to-date totals over $45,500.
December 2007
The Crafts Committee presented Palestinian embroidery, soap and olive oil at the 11th annual Fair Trade Holiday Festival on December 1 at MATC. Proceeds benefited participating craftspeople in Palestine.
February 2008
The Crafts Committee again offered Palestinian crafts at the Overture Center’s International Festival on February 16. Proceeds benefited participating craftspeople in Palestine.
March 2008
Co-sponsored four Madison performances of the play My Name is Rachel Corrie by Alan Rickman and Katharine Viner. The play opened March 7 at the Orpheum Theater with a benefit dinner featuring guests Craig and Cindy Corrie, parents of Rachel. A second performance was held on March 8. Both Orpheum productions were accompanied by the photo exhibit “Palestine in Focus” featuring photographs of Rafah and Gaza by Rafah journalist Mohammed Omer, local Lutheran Bishop Rev. Bruce Burnside, and MRSCP founding member Jennifer Loewenstein.
Co-sponsored two performances the following weekend at the Overture Center in Madison. All shows were standing room only and featured UW drama student Brittany Jordt in the title role.
Presented a reading and discussion of Ilan Pappe’s The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine (2006) on March 22 at the Escape Java Joint in Madison.
April 2008
Co-sponsored a talk by world-renowned Israeli journalist Amira Hass on April 3 at the UW Pyle Center, with the UW Middle East Studies Program and Playgrounds for Palestine – Madison.
Co-sponsored another performance of My Name is Rachel Corrie on May 3 at St. Stephens Lutheran Church in Monona, WI. The play was part of St. Stephens’ annual month-long silent art auction to benefit Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem.
Held a Nakba protest on May 8 with other groups, including Jewish Voice for Peace – Madison and Students for Justice in Palestine, at the “Israeli Independence Day” event on the UW campus. For four hours we leafleted passersby, carried signs and held up banners proclaiming “60 Years of Ethnic Cleansing” and “No Reason to Celebrate”. The student group also set up a display on Bascom Hill featuring small flags marking each of the hundreds of Palestinian villages that were destroyed in 1948 or shortly afterwards.
July 2008
Helped organize three performances of My Name is Rachel Corrie on July 25-27 in Bailey’s Harbor and Ephraim in Door County, WI. The play again featured Brittany Jordt, who grew up in Bailey’s Harbor, as Rachel.
August 2008
The Crafts Committee held a Palestinian Crafts Party on August 17 with Jewish Voices for Peace – Madison. Proceeds benefited participating craftspeople from Gaza and the West Bank.
October 2008
Co-sponsored two final performances of My Name is Rachel Corrie on October 3-4 at Edgewood College, Madison. The play was again accompanied by the photo exhibit “Palestine in Focus”.
Held a “Farewell to Bush (and Shrub)” joint benefit on October 26 with the Dane-Andres Eloy Blanco Sistering Alliance (Venezuela) and the Madison-Arcatao Sister City Project (El Salvador) at the Harmony Bar in Madison, featuring satirical songster Dave Lippman and his alter-ego, singing CIA Agent George Shrub.
Miscellaneous Notes
The Madison-Rafah Sister City Project is incorporated as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization, and donations to the Project are tax deductible.
We staff information and crafts tables at all of our events and the events of other groups; we annually participate in Madison’s Fair Trade Holiday Festival and Overture International Festival and Milwaukee’s Arab Fest. Our speakers and op-eds are frequently carried by WORT, 92.1 The Mic, and local papers. We get event coverage by the Madison Times, Fitchburg Star, Capital Times, and Isthmus. The Madison-Rafah Sister City Project offers a Palestine Film Lending Library with a large number of films available for local educational or individual showings.
We belong to the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, the Madison Area Peace Coalition, the Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice, and the Wheels of Justice Network.
Partners in Rafah
Initially the Project worked through the municipality of Rafah and Mayor Said Zoroub, with assistance from the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights. Since the summer of 2005, our formal partner in Rafah has been Al Mezan, which now has a branch in Rafah. In addition the Family Support Committee has a direct working relationship with the General Union of Palestinian Women-Rafah Branch via Fatma Khatib. The Health Committee is working with the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme.
Organizational Structure
The Madison-Rafah Sister City Project has a six-person Steering Committee which reflects most project areas. Our current active committees include the Family Support/Crafts Committee, the Health Committee, the Olive Oil project and Public Policy Advocacy. In addition, we have an overall coordinator responsible for events notices and a weekly briefing, a website coordinator, a postering coordinator, a literature table & leafletting coordinator, a film coordinator, and a graphics designer.
We also have a Board of Directors and officers as required by our 501(c)(3) status.
Beyond that, we have a small army of members and volunteers, including active members of our committees and others who consistently help with all the events and fundraising, without whom nothing would be possible. Our e-mail list has over 300 local and 75 out-of-town contacts.
For more information, see Goals & Contacts.
