A beautiful red wildflower grows abundantly across historic Palestine in the spring and early summer. It is called Hannoun (passionate) and shakik (brother) in Arabic, the Palestinian poppy in English, and its Latin name is anemone coronaria. 

To make this craft, which echoes colors for Christmas and the Palestinian flag, gather the following supplies:

• Sheets of red, green, and black construction paper
• Glue
• Scissors

Cut out two green leaves and six red petals for each flower. Bend the petals slightly. Cut out a black circle and use scissors to make the edge of the circle fringed by making cuts close together all the way around the edge. Fold the fringe slightly upward.

Glue the petals together at the base. Glue the black center on top of the petals. Glue a leaf to the back side of a petal on opposite sides of the flower. 

Place your flower in the center of your dining table.

Or make this a group activity at your congregation and use the flowers to decorate the sanctuary or the refreshment and fellowship hall.

Read more at The Kobio Project. "There is...irony here. The Imperial British symbol of remembrance, the red poppy, is also a national symbol of Palestine, a nation whose obliteration was initiated in one of the closing acts of said imperium."

Post a photo of your poppy/poppies on social media with any or all of these suggested hashtags: #uupalestinepoppy #uupalestineaction #uujme #uuchristians #uusofinstagram #advent #palestine #indigenouschristians #palestinianchristians 

Consider tagging Palestinian Christian group Friends of Sabeel and ally Christians for a Free Palestine.

@fosnalive @christiansforafreepalestine

Photo credit: Emile Ashrawi

“Jesus in The Rubble”

Make a Creche Kit to Remember the Children in Gaza

In the occupied West Bank city of Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, city and church leaders canceled all Christmas festivities in December 2023 to mourn the more than 20,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza (at that time). A Christmas sermon, “Christ in the Rubble: A Liturgy of Lament,” delivered by Reverend Munther Isaac at the landmark Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, received international attention for a nativity scene depicting the figure of baby Jesus in a keffiyeh, surrounded by rubble. “If Jesus were to be born today, he would be born under the rubble in Gaza,” preached Isaac, who condemned using theology to justify Israel’s killing of innocent civilians. “If we, as Christians, are not outraged by the genocide, by the weaponization of the Bible to justify it, there is something wrong with our Christian witness, and we are compromising the credibility of our gospel message.” A link to a video of the sermon and an interview with Rev. Isaac can be found at the Democracy Now website, the show of December 26, 2026.

In our places of worship, we can remember the children in Gaza with a small, portable creche of “Jesus in the Rubble” made with simple materials. Wrap a baby doll in cloth or paper printed with a keffiyeh pattern. Darken the skin a bit if the doll is pink. Some Styrofoam painted grey and cardboard packaging materials can serve as the “rubble.” The lid of a box for shipping reams of paper can serve as the base for the scene. The whole box functions as a kit for transporting and storing the creche. It can quickly be “rebuilt” each time you set it up; there’s no need to glue all the parts in place.

At your place of worship, you could set up the creche alongside literature of your choice on the topic of peace and justice in Palestine. A backdrop/poster at the back of the scene reads:

Jesus in the Rubble

At the Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem,
Rev. Munther Issac explains why the Christmas manger
 is on a pile of rubble. A liturgy of lament.

Friends of SABEEL North America

www.fosna.org/preach-palestine-blog/born-under-the-rubble

This creche is not terrifying in any obvious way. Children in your congregation may look at it, read the backdrop, and ask questions. For thinking adults, however, this simple artwork might be a reminder of the ongoing violence in Gaza, which has been described as a “war on children” (as nearly half of the Palestinians in Gaza are children), a “holocaust,” and a “probable genocide” by the International Court of Justice. Who would have thought that nations of world would enable the violence to continue unabated for more than a year, with no cessation in sight. The statistics of the killed, the maimed, and the orphaned are there for anyone who cares to read them. But children are not numbers. And words fail us. Could a simple work of art rekindle some viewer’s empathy, and inspire them to action?

** *** **

Materials for making the creche shown below.

** *** **

Steven Sellers Lapham is a board member of UUJME and volunteer for Voices From the Holy Land Online Film Salon

Concert of Traditional Palestinian Music: 
A Fundraiser for Gaza Aid

Wednesday December 18, 2024 - 4 pm PT/7 pm ET

First Parish of Watertown, MA and Livestream

$35 in-person, $25 livestream

35 Church St, Watertown, MA 02472

Ticketing information is here.

Download a flyer with QR code to print and share at your congregation here.

This concert celebrates the traditional music of Palestine, featuring a takht or chamber ensemble. All funds raised will support humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza by Anera, a nonprofit organization with no political or religious affiliations. The concert will also be livestreamed, and the video will remain available for seven days.

Featuring a takht (traditional chamber ensemble)
Lina Malshy, violin & artistic director • Jamal Sinno, qanun
Ghaleb Daouk, nay • Basem Batbota, percussion • Alejandro Castellano, oud
Georges Chedid, accordion • Alyssa Lawson, cello • Patrick Tabet, vocals

This ticketing platform allows fundraising with no fees whatsoever, so please be encouraged to add a donation to your ticket purchase!

Let's pull out the stops to support this important fundraiser for Palestinians in Gaza who are facing military attacks, cold, and famine.

Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East

2024 Annual Letter to Supporters

I am sending care to you during this time of turbulence in the nation and the world. As UUJME continues our mission to educate and mobilize Unitarian Universalists into greater awareness and advocacy for peace based on justice in Palestine and Israel, we need your support more than ever.

With the election of a Republican administration, there are growing concerns about the implications for multiple justice agendas. As this letter goes to the printer, a bill will be discussed in Congress that would give unilateral ability to strip non-profit status from any group. Main targets are Palestine solidarity groups and religious organizations involved in solidarity. If passed, such power can be used to target groups working for all kinds of rights that a fascist administration wants to deny.

The one-year mark has passed since the brutal response from the Israeli military after the Hamas-led attacks on October 7. And this tragedy did not begin on October 7.

During more than 400 days of genocide at the time of writing, I have felt deep grief for the worsening catastrophe, and I have felt inspiration from people’s responses. As our U.S. government continues to defy the will of the majority of people demanding a ceasefire, it is gratifying to see many UUs among people calling for a ceasefire, opposing repression of activism for Palestinian rights, and supporting an arms embargo along with boycott and divestment. One UU congregation and one UU social justice committee have become the first local UU signatories of the Apartheid-Free Communities pledge. More than 40 congregations held Empty Cups for Gaza rituals. These last two milestones are because of the presence and work of UUJME.

Despite and also because of the state of emergency around Palestinian rights, UUJME has achieved some historic accomplishments that I am proud to share with you.

UUJME Major Accomplishments since November 2023

• Received our first-ever grants from the Unitarian Universalist Funding Program.

A double grant of $29,200 was received in May 2024 for organizer hiring and educational programming. Title: Empowering UUs to Engage on Palestine and Israel.

• Hired two part-time organizers – for the first time in our history.

India Wood, a Jewish UU activist and seminary student, was hired as our first part-time organizer. Jolly Hollamon, former organizer for the UU Justice Ministry of California, was hired as our second part-time organizer. They have amplified our abilities.

• Passed an Action of Immediate Witness (AIW): Solidarity with Palestinians at the 2024 UUA General Assembly with a coalition of UU groups: 74% of delegates said Yes. See https://www.uua.org/action/statements/solidarity-palestinians.
• Co-sponsored UU Vigils for Gaza initiated by Diverse Revolutionary UU Multicultural Ministries (DRUUMM). View the recordings at https://www.youtube.com/@druumm.
• Produced multiple webinars – more than 1,000 RSVPs.
  Visit our Calendar page via https:/www.uujme.org.

  • Three webinars in support of the AIW, with multiple co-sponsors: Conflict Resolution in Congregations, Countering Antisemitism, and Multifaith Solidarity.

  • Five Palestine/Israel 101 teach-ins. Co-sponsors include DRUUMM, Black Lives of UU, UU College of Social Justice, Church of the Larger Fellowship, and UU Refugee and Immigrant Services and Education (UURISE).

  • Webinars about protest safety, antisemitism, and anti-Palestinian racism.

• Organized UUs to attend the Interfaith Action for Palestine in DC in July.
• Published resources for the first time on the UUA Worship Web: Empty Cups for Gaza Ritual and Jewish liturgical resources.
• Sent an email with a flyer about Palestine/Israel resources to more than 900 UU congregations.
• Co-sponsored an Apartheid-Free training during the UUA’s Mosaic gathering.
• Initiated the first of regular sharing meetings with UUA senior leadership.
• Welcomed Rev. DL Helfer to the UUJME Board.

DL, the main AIW proposer, is a long-time solidarity activist and a Jewish UU.

• Welcomed Rachel Rott to the UUJME Advisory Council.

Rachel, who was instrumental in passing the AIW, provides communications advice.

Other Accomplishments

• Edited a three-tier resource document to match congregations with activities.
• Approved four new UUJME Chapters.

Chapters were launched in Michigan, Louisiana, New York, and California.

• Provided ongoing support for chapters, local advocates, chapter inquiries, and other groups.
• Coordinated federal, state, and local legislative and policy advocacy.
• Supported UU groups to explore signing the Apartheid-Free pledge.
• Produced a UU for Ceasefire T-shirt.
• Maintained an Actions and Information Google document.

See https://bit.ly/UUJME-Action-Info-Doc.

• Published more than 15 blog posts. See News and Events via https://www.uujme.org.
• Added more than 500 subscribers to our email list.
• Signed on to six solidarity statements and campaigns.

 UUJME Goals

• Raise $7,500 above our usual year-end donations to sustain organizers’ pay and webinar speaker honoraria. There is a possibility that the UU Funding Program grants may be renewed; the chance of renewal is boosted if we receive higher donations as the funding managers want to see that UUJME can sustain the programs.
• Continue to collaborate with UU faith leaders and activists on action alerts to UUs.
• Mail a union printed postcard to all UU congregations about resources.
• Donate to Gaza relief efforts and Palestine solidarity groups.
• Continue supporting UU rituals, actions for ceasefire and arms embargo, and additional Apartheid-Free Congregations.
• Continue Palestine solidarity work with UU groups and others.
• Continue enacting the priorities in our 2022-2025 Strategic Plan.

  • Organizing, political education, and UU relationship priorities strengthen UU engagement in the movement for Palestinian rights.

  • Internal Structures committee volunteers are analyzing and recommending important processes and policies.

• Continued collaboration with Palestinian and ally groups.
• A strong UUJME presence and coalition at 2025 UUA General Assembly.
  The General Assembly is a powerful opportunity to reach more UUs with our message. We want to ensure a strong UUJME booth. We plan to submit a proposal for a live workshop about the Apartheid-Free Pledge.

Your Support: An Investment in Transformation and Global Justice

Your support is an investment in the mission of inspiring more UUs to collective engagement for Palestinian liberation and a just peace for all people in the region. Thanks for all you are doing to bend the arc of the universe towards justice.

With immense gratitude,

Dana Fisher Ashrawi, President of UUJME

Ways to Donate

Your generous donation will help us to sustain our plans for organizing and programs.
Thanks very much for your support. UUJME is a 501c3 organization.

1. Send a check: Please make the check out to “UUJME” and mail to:
   UUJME, P.O. Box 380355, Cambridge, MA 02238-0355.
2. Donate online: Please go to our website https://www.uujme.org/donation. You can use your credit or debit card to make a one-time donation or a monthly recurring donation. Monthly donations ensure income throughout the year and allow us to predict how much money we will have at some future time. We have Stripe as our current donation processor. If you have been using PayPal, your donation will still process, but we encourage you to donate via our website so we can move all online donations to our new payment processor.
3. Make a bequest: The UUA department of Planned Giving can help with bequests to UUJME. Contact our Treasurer for information about various ways of making a bequest at [email protected]. Please let us know if you make a bequest so we can thank you.
4. Access matching funds from your employer. UUJME is registered with the matching funds site Benevity. Supply the name UUJMECORP and Unique Identifier number 261404531 when requesting matching charitable funds.
5. Share the collection plate. Ask professional and lay leaders in your congregation how to arrange for a sharing of plate collections made for UUJME.

Donation purpose designation. You may designate some, or all, of your donation for a specific purpose such as Organizers or Education or in honor of or in memory of an individual or organization. If donating by check, please include a designation note in the envelope. If donating online, make a note in the box for Donation Purpose or notify [email protected].

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Contact Information Form

If you cannot donate at this time, the information requested below is very helpful to us. Please provide this information online at https://www.uujme.org/join or print and mail to:
UUJME, P.O. Box 380355, Cambridge, MA 02238-0355

Name(s):

Address:

Phone: (______) _______-____________   Email: _________________________________________________________________

Congregation/Fellowship:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Donation Note:

______________________________________________________________________________________________

With the news of the election results comes the knowledge that the upcoming presidency will have catastrophic impacts for not only people in the United States, but for people all over the world. We care about all these impacts, and especially for UUJME's circle of concern: Palestine/Israel and the wider region. The incoming Trump administration has pledged unyielding support for Israel’s siege against Palestinians and has suggested the idea of striking nuclear sites in Iran. 

As for what policies a Harris administration might have carried out, we know that the Harris/Walz campaign doubled down on refusing to discuss ending military aid to Israel and stopping the slaughter in Gaza and Lebanon. With either election outcome, we would have work to do. With either outcome, we would expect increased repression of protest movements for Palestinian rights. With this outcome, we anticipate broader repression and sooner, along with expanded repression.

And it is not just the Executive Branch that poses a challenge. The sway held by fascist Christian nationalism in the Congress, the Supreme Court, and state and local offices holds severe implications.

Struggles for justice are deeply connected. UUJME sides with all our beloveds who face increased threats. We side with those who have been journeying and will continue to journey forward toward a just peace in Palestine and Israel and the Southwest Asia and North Africa (SWANA) region - an envisioned outcome that is deeply linked to the well-being of all people and the planet. This journey also demands action against the silencing of voices for solidarity with Palestinians and others in the SWANA region. 

In these upcoming weeks and months, as we face years of uncertainty and potentially violent rhetoric and policy, may we commit strongly in our congregations and organizing communities to build people power and find our bravery now more than ever to demand change and justice for all. It becomes critically important to combine the efforts of social justice movements and guide them to travel in the same direction.  

Let the steadfastness of the Palestinian people inspire you, like the beautiful red Palestine anemone growing amidst rocks in the image above. Let the principled commitment of Jewish and other faiths' solidarity activists serve as a template. Let love for justice fuel your cultivation of hope and courage. Remember that solidarity is love. We hope that Unitarian Universalist congregations and groups will join us in an ever more inclusive collective effort to engage in working for justice in Palestine and Israel, to side with love for all, pushing toward liberation for all.

There is a genocide to stop, apartheid to dismantle, military industrial complex greed and harm to be ended, and domestic human rights to be defended. And it will require involving many more people. Know that there are abundant resources and beautiful human beings that can be the springboard for sustaining movement energy and defending humanity.

And know that it is okay if all you can do right now is breathe and cry. There are abundant people to hold your pain and side with you. Please seek the care that you need at this difficult time.

The UUA and UU groups are offering different processing spaces. UUJME is also here to support you. Reach out at [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected].

Resources:

DRUUMM is an organization for BIPOC UUs and UU adjacent people; they have a caucus for people of SWANA heritage. Find out how to join at https://druumm.org/membership/.

UUA's Side with Love is holding a virtual vigil Nov. 6, at 5 pm PT/8 pm ET. UUA President Rev. Dr. Sofia Betancourt will be speaking. Learn more and register.

The UUA has resources for learning about community resilience and mutual aid: https://www.uua.org/safe/community-resilience