June 2021 CMEP Monthly Update

June 2021

This month we are excited to offer a number of opportunities for you, including more CMEP Journey events. We are particularly excited to offer virtual tours of the Holy Land. Read on for more information about how to engage with CMEP in the upcoming months.

What's Happening | Upcoming & Recent

Join CMEP for an Upcoming Virtual Tour of the Holy Land:

In partnership with MEJDI tours, CMEP will be offering three virtual tours of Jerusalem, each focused on a different Christian faith tradition: Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and a tour featuring the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem. The tours will feature key voices and highlight sites and locations specific to each communion. This is a great opportunity to support the tourism industry in Israel/Palestine, which has been devastated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Journey with your Community:

CMEP is pleased to offer private events and experiences for your church, scheduled for a time that works for your community. Whether you want to have a casual evening of experiencing the culture of the Middle East or host an in-depth discussion on the religious history of the land, current theological conversations, and the root causes of the recent war in Israel and Palestine. CMEP is eager and willing to support the work you are doing in your community.

Learn More

Take Action: Tell The Biden Administration To Oppose Violence and Evictions in East Jerusalem:

Even though the fighting has paused, the underlying issues are still at play and it is critical to raise your voice and tell the Biden Administration to help stop the aggression toward Palestinians and help broker a cessation of violence. We grieve the loss of life and while we are grateful for a ceasefire, it is not enough. The violence and potential evictions in East Jerusalem are part of a larger and systematic effort to displace Palestinians throughout the West Bank.

Take Action Now

Webinar: The Situation in Israel/Palestine on May 19, 2021:

CMEP hosted a webinar addressing the current situation in Israel/Palestine, hearing directly from leaders on the ground. Panelists were: Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb (Founder and President of Dar al-Kalima University College of Arts & Culture), Rula Salameh (Education and Outreach Director, Palestine Just Vision), Suha Salman Mousa (the Executive Director of The Mossawa Center), and Bassam Nasser (Head of Office, Catholic Relief Services). The discussion was led by CMEP's Executive Director, Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon with an advocacy update from Kyle Cristofalo, CMEP's Senior Director of Advocacy and Government Engagement.

Watch Here

Webinar: Israeli Peace Partners on June 2, 2021:

CMEP hostsed a webinar with leading human rights advocates from Israel working to advance a just and sustainable future for all in Israel/Palestine. Our panelists are Tania Hary (Executive Director of Gisha - Legal Center for Freedom of Movement), Jessica Montell (Executive Director of HaMoked: Center for the Defence of the Individual), and Rabbi Elhanan Miller (Rabbis for Human Rights). The discussion is led by CMEP's Executive Director, Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, and focuses on the next steps now that the ceasefire between the State of Israel and Hamas is in place. With Palestinian families in East Jerusalem still facing pending expulsion orders and significant damage to infrastructure and loss of life in Gaza, our panelists will share the critical work they are doing in Israeli society on behalf of justice and human rights.

Watch Here

Webinar: From Ferguson to Palestine:

From the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol through the guilty verdict of Derek Chauvin to the current surge in violence in Palestine and Israel, the world has been awakened anew to the realities of racial injustice and systemic oppression. For years, many leaders have pointed to the parallels between the racialized systems within the United States to those within Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank. One of these parallels is the role of Christian Nationalism and Christian Zionism in perpetuating the pain. On May 20, The Network of Evangelicals for the Middle East (NEME), in partnership with Global Immersion and the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) explored the current surge of violence in Palestine and Israel, revealed some of the parallels between the Christian Nationalism that threatens our continent and the Christian Zionism that undergirds the violence in the Middle East, and discussed how those committed to racial justice here can become committed to racial justice and liberation over there. CMEP's Executive Director, Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, was a guest panelist.

Watch Now

CMEP1835 Advocacy Training:

CMEP1835 hosted an Advocacy Training on Wednesday, May 26th, designed to engage and equip young professionals to make their voices heard. Kyle Cristofalo, CMEP’s Senior Director of Advocacy and Government Relations, shared key insights on how to advocate with Congressional members on behalf of peace and justice in the Middle East. Content from the training will be shared with broader audiences via our @CMEP1835 accounts on social media.