John S. Friedman is rabbi of the Judea Reform Congregation in Durham-Chapel Hill, N.C. He has received awards for his activism in peace and social justice causes. He has been president of Durham Congregations in Action and the Mid-Atlantic Association of Reform Rabbis and has chaired the Interreligious Affairs Committee of the Central Conference of […]

Reconstructionist congregation Mishkan Shalom in the Manayunk-Roxborough section of Philadelphia draws members from all over the area for its commitment to social justice, to the survival of Israel and to the belief that Jews and Palestinians need to recognize and support each other’s right to national self-determination. Contact Rabbi Linda Holtzman.

Rabbi Gerry Serotta is a former chair of Rabbis for Human Rights – North America and works as the executive director of Clergy Beyond Borders.

Ellen Lippmann is founder and rabbi of the Kolot Chayeinu congregation in Brooklyn. The congregation identifies itself as comprising individuals of varying sexual orientations, races, family arrangements, Jewish identities and backgrounds sharing the search for meaningful expression of Judaism.

The Massachusetts Council of Churches’ website lists Jewish organizations and contacts involved in Middle East peace work.

Read an April 25, 2012, Al Jezeera article about major churches contemplating divesting from Caterpillar Inc. and Motorola Solutions.

Read a Dec. 6, 2004, Christian Science Monitor article about Christian churches considering divestment.

In September 2004, the Episcopal Church began studying whether to divest from companies helping to cause destruction in Palestine. Other religious groups speaking in favor of divestments are the Roman Catholic Sisters of Loretto and Jewish Voice for Peace, a small Jewish peace group.

Read on the Presbyterian Church (USA) website about the church’s 216th General Assembly approval in July 2004 of a controversial program involving possible “selective, phased divestments” from multinational corporations doing business in Israel. Caterpillar Inc. often is singled out for making bulldozers used to level homes and orchards of Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza […]