 |  Palestinian and Israeli kids at 2018's day camp | Dear friends, Thank you for visiting Roots, for hearing about our work and for understanding our message. We hope the visit enriched your understanding of the conflict and raised some new possibilities. Within the turmoil of these days, we know that our work within the communities on the ground is a crucial part of any path forward. Here's an invitation to be a part of this change on your campus or community! Keep in touch with our projects and discourse, by "liking" our Facebook page. This coming November, our activists will be on an extensive speaking tour across the US (full itinerary here). Also below, find out about "The Field," a feature length-documentary about Roots. And if you want a peek at what really happens at Roots, here is a beautiful video from our recent summer camp. Roots is civil society engaging in the work for change, and our success have been built by partnerships with people like you who heard our message. Thank you for being a Friend of Roots! | Roots is a very unique and growing network of local Palestinians and Israelis building trust and partnership that are the groundwork to end our conflict. Sharing messages of nuance is an important part of changing the often toxic discourse around Israel/ Palestine. Our web-site contains more resources, links and ways to learn more.
If our values represent for you a step in the right direction, please consider helping to support this work. Bringing this work into new communities, engaging and leveraging our work within Israeli and Palestinian leaders are critical parts of our next steps. Below are some ideas of how it could look. |  a joint prayer for rain in a year of drought |  local Israeli-Palestinian youth at Roots summer camp | | |  Roots Young Adults taking responsibility and visiting a victim of extremist violence | Action Items: ▪ Publicize Roots in your community through your own local media. Bring our speakers and our discourse into your community (see below).
| ▪ | Publicize Roots in your community through your own local media. Bring our speakers and our discourse into your community (see below). | Our website contains stories, articles and more resources. ▪ Friends of Roots is our US-based registered non-profit and an active board of incredible people, dedicated to supporting Roots message abroad and work on the ground. B8 of Hope is a Geneva based inter-faith association also helping Roots message gain traction and exposure in western Europe. Feel invited to contact them and find how you can fit in. (find them on our web-site https://www.friendsofroots.net/team/).
▪ Engage your community to adopt a project of ours (Young Adults Program, Youth Photography, Womens Religious Leadership or more)
▪ Bring "The Field," a feature documentary about Roots, to your local film festival- more info below.
▪ And a critical one for US citizens, is to contact your congressional representative to support The Partnership Fund for Peace Act of 2019 (S 1727 and HR 3104). Roots is a member of ALMEP, the Alliance for Middle East Peace, who have worked with Senators Chris Coons, Lindsey Graham, Tim Kaine, Cory Gardner, and Representatives Nita Lowey and Jeff Fortenberry on the introduction of this bill to increase investment in grassroots projects.
| ▪ | Friends of Roots is our US-based registered non-profit and an active board of incredible people, dedicated to supporting Roots message abroad and work on the ground. B8 of Hope is a Geneva based inter-faith association also helping Roots message gain traction and exposure in western Europe. Feel invited to contact them and find how you can fit in. (find them on our web-site https://www.friendsofroots.net/team/). | | ▪ | Engage your community to adopt a project of ours (Young Adults Program, Youth Photography, Womens Religious Leadership or more) | | ▪ | Bring "The Field," a feature documentary about Roots, to your local film festival- more info below. | | ▪ | And a critical one for US citizens, is to contact your congressional representative to support The Partnership Fund for Peace Act of 2019 (S 1727 and HR 3104). Roots is a member of ALMEP, the Alliance for Middle East Peace, who have worked with Senators Chris Coons, Lindsey Graham, Tim Kaine, Cory Gardner, and Representatives Nita Lowey and Jeff Fortenberry on the introduction of this bill to increase investment in grassroots projects. | If you have would like more information about supporting us financially or would like to invite us to your community, please write us directly- info@friendsofroots.net. "The Field" A feature length documentary about Roots ---------- Spring of 2017 saw a feature length documentary broadcast on Israeli television, following it's premiere in the DocAviv festival, The Field is making the rounds at film festivals in US and Europe. (click here to see the trailer) and contact the director, R Mordechai Vardi about bringing the film to a local film festival or community screening: vardi@maale.co.il Did you ask where does this all lead? After visiting Roots and hearing about the work on the ground, you probably wonder and perhaps asked us about political solutions. While our work is focused on building and trust between our communiteis, 2 States 1 Homeland is an example that we point to as a political model that embodies much of Roots' values and discourse. Click here to see their presentation and learn more. Sharing their ideas around is a part of the process!
What we're doing: Roots' daily activities are reducing hate and creating trust within and between our communities. Our projects include formal and informal activities and activism; and engage local youth, teens, adults, religious leadership and more. You can find out more about our projects on the Projects page on our website. and through our quarterly updates from this address. | All of our programs and successes have been supported by people like yourself from around the world. If our discourse and work at the heart of the conflict reflect your values and hopes, please support our programs and help advance our work by donating through our US based 501c, "Friends of Roots." For more information, please write to: development@friendsofroots.net |  Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger and Khaled Abu Awwad on the radio in Colorado | Roots / Shorashim / Judur
Painful Hope
USA Speaking Tour
October 28-November 24 2019
We will be speaking in NYC, Chicago, LA, New Haven, Maryland, Tampa, Portland, the Bay area, Kansas City and DC in a variety of campuses, synagogues, community centers and more.
Click here to see full tour itinerary ---------- Shadi Abu Awwad, the Roots Palestinian youth director, and Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger, one of the founders of Roots, will share personal, interconnected stories and present the groundbreaking and challenging grassroots work of our initiative.
We invite mosques, synagogues, churches, Jewish and Muslim organizations, universities, organizations involved in peace work, and any other community organization to book a speaking engagement with Roots. Spring Tour 2020: If you are interested in bringing Roots to your community on future tours, please contact Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger: ravhanan@gmail.com | Roots has grown to where we are today through the support from those who believe in our message and our work on the ground. People like you who have heard our stories, our perspectives and of the work we do. If you felt even a sliver of hope in our land, please consider donating to increase our reach. Click here to donate through our website. |  Shaul Judelman, Ali Abu Awwad and Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger |  working for our common futures | | | Thank you for your support! | | |
