Wednesday, September 8 at 8:00 p.m. at
the Quaker Meeting House, 228 Rooney St., Santa Cruz 

The Free Gaza Movement is having a series of nationwide fundraisers to raise money for the Audacity of Hope, the US boat being outfitted for the Free Gaza Flotilla planned for the Fall. The flotilla will bring humanitarian supplies to Gaza and raise public awareness about the plight of Gaza’s 1.5 million residents. According to many studies, and most recently an August UN report, Gaza residents face widespread under-development, poverty and malnutrition.

SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE DETAILS IN SEPARATE POSTS FOR THESE EVENTS. If you don’t see details on this page for an event, click on “previous entries” at the bottom of this page.

COMING EVENTS:

August 8: Audacity of Hope – -

Gaza Flotilla Fundraiser

*September 26: Robert Fisk: “Lies, Misreporting and Catastrophe in the Middle East” at the Rio

*Oct. 31 – Nov. 13: Olive Harvest Delegation to Israel & Palestine.

*We need DONATIONS of items, services, or gift certificates for our upcoming ONLINE AUCTION. If you can donate, or know of a business that might consider a donation, please contact Shirley, shirleyfly@yahoo.com or call Anita at RCNV: 831-423-1626×101.Thanks for your support!

*OFFICE EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Quality color printer; preferably a laser printer that can network, but an ink-jet printer would be considered. Must work with Mac 10.4.11or Windows. Quality black & white Laser printer: preferably networkable. Must work with MAC system 10.4.11. Sturdy office staplers. Contact Anita, 831-423-1626×101 or anitaheckman@gmail.com

*ONGOING:  *GI Rights Hotline: 877-447-4487 or 831-359-0202 for direct line to counseling.  *Protest the Escalation of the War in Afghanistan: see letter you can sign- scroll back in “previous entries at bottom of page. *TUESDAYS - Youth Coalition Santa Cruz (YCSC) meets, 5-6:30p.m. at RCNV. For young people from 14 to 23 who are interested in social change and environmental activism. *BOOKSTORE – Palestinian Fair Trade, NEW:  sundried, handrolled,couscous (with recipe), tree-ripened olives, dried, salted and smothered in olive oil. olive oil in bottles and tins, pottery, keffiyehs and Za’Atar (thyme, & roasted sesame seeds). Hours: M-TH 12-5:00;  Call 423-1626 for more information.

Robert Fisk: “Lies, Misreporting and Catastrophe in the Middle East ”

with Khalil Bendib

Sunday September 26, 2010

7:30 p.m. Rio Theatre

1206 Soquel Avenue, Santa Cruz

Presented by the Resource Center for Nonviolence

For tickets- scroll down for details on 7:30 event, special seating and Reception following event;  contact the Resource Center for Nonviolence, 831-423-1626, www.rcnv.org by PayPal or e-mail to robertfiskinsantacruz@gmail.com

Robert Fisk is Middle East Correspondent for the Independent and one of Britain’s most distinguished journalists. Educated in Britain and Ireland and based in Beirut for more than three decades, Fisk holds more journalism awards than any other foreign correspondent. His reporting has covered major revolutions and wars in the Middle East and North Africa, from the Iranian revolution and civil wars in and invasions of Lebanon, the Iran-Iraq War, Gulf Wars I & 2, Kosovo, and Algeria. Fisk won the 2000 Amnesty International award for his reports from Serbia on NATO’s bombardment of Yugoslavia and received numerous awards for his reporting from the Middle East, including the 2006 Lannan Prize for Cultural Freedom. His books include  “The Age of the Warrior: Selected Essays”  (2008), “The Great War for Civilization: The Conquest of the Middle East “ (2007),  “Pity the Nation: The Abduction of Lebanon”  (2002),  “In Time of War: Ireland, Ulster and the Price of Neutrality”  (1996).

Fisk brings unparalled insight into and encyclopedic knowledge of history and current events, keen analysis, engaging story-telling, and razor-sharp wit to bear on events in the Middle East.

Khalil Bendib is an Algerian American, a widely syndicated cartoonist, radio talk show host, and commentator. Bendib s radio program  Voices of the Middle East and North Africa,  appears on KPFA Radio in Berkeley, Fresno, Tampa and other cities. VOMENA is distinguished by its scope, magazine format, authenticity, philosophy and perspective. VOMENA consistently brings listeners deeply informed and authentic voices that take listeners beyond the headlines into the richly diverse and fascinating world of culture and politics of the Middle East and North Africa, exploring the complex web of class, gender, ethnic, religious and regional differences which separate and distinguish the ways of life and political and ideological perspectives of people in that part of the world.

Sponsored by the Resource Center for Nonviolence and Palestine Israel Action Committee. FMI: 831-423-1626. Organizational cosponsors welcome!

7:30 p.m. Presentation on  “Lies, Myths and Catastrophe in the Middle East  featuring Robert Fisk, with Khalil Bendib. “

Tickets:

General Seating $10.00 -$20.00 sliding-scale ($5.00 for unemployed, seniors, & students available in advance from RCNV).

Preferred Seating $25.00  $50.00 (sliding-scale): Preferred Seating at 7:30 program & Special Reception at 9:00 p.m.

One person- $75.00  $100.00 sliding-scale donation, includes preferred seating and the post-event reception, one Fisk book of your choice (see below) for author s signature and two complementary tickets to  Little Town of Bethlehem  screening at Del Mar Theatre on Tuesday October 19 at 7:00 p.m.

Two people- $125.00  $175.00 sliding-scale donation, includes preferred seating and the post-event reception for two, one Fisk book of your choice (see below) for author ‘s signature and four complementary tickets to  “Little Town of Bethlehem”  screening at Del Mar Theatre on Tuesday October 19 at 7:00 p.m.

Organizational Sponsors $100.00: Groups and organizations are encouraged to become cosponsors of Robert Fisk s visit. Cosponsorship includes being listed on advertisement as cosponsor, 4 preferred seating at 7:30 p.m. program and two tickets to the reception.

When making your reservation or purchasing your ticket, please let us know which book you want, either:

-The Age of the Warrior: Selected Essays by Robert Fisk  (2008);

-The Great War for Civilization: the Conquest of the Middle East  (2007); or

-Pity the Nation: The Abduction of Lebanon  (2002).

For tickets contact the Resource Center for Nonviolence

831-423-1626, www.rcnv.org by PayPal or e-mail to robertfiskinsantacruz@gmail.com

Saturday, June 5, 2010 at the First Congregational Church Social Hall, 900 High Street, Santa Cruz

Featuring Israeli Peace Activist & International Peace Prize Winner, NOMIKA ZION speaking on “Raising Another Voice.”

5:30 p.m. Hors D’oeuvres & Silent Auction
6:00 p.m. Dinner - vegetarian Middle Eastern Cuisine
7:00 p.m. Program- Brief concert with First Congregational Gospel Choir and New Beginning Community Gospel Choir, followed by featured speaker Nomika Zion

Reservation Information:

General reservations: $35-100 per person sliding scale for the Dinner and Program.

PROGRAM ONLY at 7p.m.: $7-25 sliding scale

$250 – $1000  “Sponsor” reserves a table for 8.

$100 – $235  “Host” reserved seating for 2 people

$50 “Supporter” reserved seating for one person;

**Scholarship Donation:  If you cannot attend, consider giving a scholarship for young people or families.

Please make Reservations : 831-423-1626.

ABOUT OUR SPEAKER: Naomi (Nomika) Zion, is a granddaughter of Yaakov Hazan, co-founder of the first kibbutz in Israel. In 1987 Nomika founded the urban kibbutz Migvan in Sderot, Israel, situated in a quiet agricultural area a mile and a half from the border. Since the beginning of the Second  Intifada in 2000 Sderot became the target of relentless bombardment by Qassam rockets launched by Palestinian militant groups in Gaza.  The intensification of rocket-fire in 2005 has made Sderot a household name in the West.

In August, 2009, Nomika published the Sderot War Diary “Not in my name and not for me you went to war.” The Diary takes Israel to task for the invasions of Gaza, and was published in 22 different languages. Because of this powerful letter, Nomika received several international peace prizes including the 2009 Niarchos Prize for Survivorship.

Nomika is active with the “Other Voices” group in Israel, a peace collective comprised of residents of both Gaza and neighbouring Israeli towns like Sderot. Other Voices seeks to present an alternative to the majority of pro-war opinions that currently dominate the media in Israel and the USA. Zion is also director of the Center for Social Justice in memory of Yaakov Hazan at the Van Leer Institute in Jerusalem.

Reservations are required for dinner: 831-423-1626 .

On Wed., May 12, speaker Norman Finkelstein is joined by Lowkey, Hip Hop artist from the U.K., and Jody McIntyre, international solidarity activist.

5:00 p.m. Fundraising reception at SOIF Wine Bar, 105 Walnut Ave. $100 includes a light dinner, wine, reserved seats at the 7:00 p.m. program and a copy of Finkelstein’s latest book, “ This Time We Went Too Far: Truth & Consequences of the Gaza Invasion.” 1/2 of proceeds benefit the Middle East Children’s Alliance’s “Let the Children Play and Heal” in Gaza.

7:00 p.m. Program at the United Methodist Church, 250 California St., S.C. Under 18 free. $5-$20 suggested sliding-scale donation.  $10 reserved seating tickets available.  1/2 of proceeds benefit the Middle East Children’s Alliance’s “Let the Children Play and Heal” in Gaza.

8:00 p.m. Kresge Town Hall, UCSC, FREE.

Finkelstein is author of “Beyond Chutzpah,” “The Holocaust Industry,” “Image and Reality of the Israeli Palestinian Conflict,” and his latest “This Time We Went Too Far.” Finkelstein was denied tenure at DePaul University following a campaign by pro-Israeli forces headed by Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz to overturn departmental recommendation of approval. In 2006 local religious leaders and the daily newspaper unsuccessfully attempted to force cancellation of his visit to Santa Cruz. This year his detractors will organize competing events to draw attention from Finkelstein’s visit in Santa Cruz. Support the right of Americans to a robust discussion of critical foreign policy and human rights issues.  l/2 of the proceeds from the two events downtown (not the UCSC event) will benefit the Middle East Children Alliance’s “Let the Children Play and Heal,” a program that is giving tens of thousands of children and youth opportunities to express themselves though art, dance, music, story-telling, theatre and puppetry; to get support from the larger community; and to have fun and just be children. The visit by Norman Finkelstein, Lowkey and Jody McIntyre iscosponsored by the Middle East Program of the Resource Center for Nonviolence, the Palestine Israel Action Committee, and the Committee for justice for Palestine, UCSC. www.normanfinkelstein.com