August 1-13, 2005

Interfaith Peace-Builder Delegation
arrives in Israel-Palestine

August 2, 2005

The Fellowship of Reconciliation is pleased to report that its thirteen person Interfaith Peace-Builders delegation landed at Ben-Gurion airport early Monday morning and is now safely in Jerusalem. En route to Tel Aviv, the delegates had a layover in Amsterdam and took the opportunity to visit the Anne Frank house there.

Eleven U.S. citizens and two Canadians from diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds departed on Sunday, July 31, 2005 for two weeks in Israel and Palestine as part of the Fellowship of Reconciliation’s 16th Interfaith Peace-Builders delegation. The delegation is led by Scott Kennedy and Kendra Froshman.

During their stay in the region, delegates are scheduled to meet with peace and human rights organizations, humanitarian assistance workers, community and religious leaders, refugees, settlers, and representatives from across the political spectrum. The purpose of their visit is to gain deeper insight into the issues surrounding the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, to examine the effects of United States foreign policy in the region, and to support the Israelis, Palestinians, and others who are working for a nonviolent and just peace.

The delegation includes the following people:

• Tom Ellis, a math teacher from Albany, New York.
• Sister Mary Ellen Francouer, a psychologist from Ottowa, Ontario.
• Kendra Froshman, the current FOR Interfaith Peace-Builders program assistant from Washington, DC.
• Jean Gregory, a teacher from Oakland, California.
• Khadija Haffajee, a retired teacher from Ottawa, Ontario
• Sanam Jorjani, a recent graduate of the University of California at Santa Cruz.
• Scott Kennedy, the Middle East Coordinator of the Resource Center for Nonviolence in Santa Cruz, California
• Carolina Martinez, a teacher from Santa Cruz, California.
• Dan Onorato, a teacher from Modesto, California
• Sara Todd, an administrative assistant from Louisville, Kentucky.
• David Werlin, a union organizer from Santa Cruz, California.
• Shalva Wise, a recent Ohio State University graduate, and future program assistant for FOR Interfaith Peace-Builders.
• Laura Zucker, a teacher from Santa Cruz, California.

Upon their return to the United States in the third week of August, delegates will share their experiences with the public, the media, and their political representatives. Media interested in interviewing the participants when they return, and groups wanting information about speaking engagements, should contact one of the people listed below.

The delegates will be sending back regular reports during their trip, which we will forward to our email network and post on the FOR website. If you are not part of our email network and wish to receive delegation reports and updates on the work of FOR’s Interfaith Peace-Builders Program, please email middleeast@forusa.org or phone us at 202-244-0821.