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Justice in the Middle East
Justice in the Middle East (JME) is a group of members of Main Line Unitarian Church who work to promote peace and justice in Israel-Palestine. JME affirms the right to equality, dignity, freedom, and security of all peoples involved.
Originally formed after a vibrant discussion in response to a sermon by Rev. Osterman entitled "Is There a Promised Land?", the MLUC Justice in the Middle East group has since grown in size and scope. The MLUC chapter is now part of the national organization Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East (UUJME).
Education and discussion within our congregation and in our community are important contributions toward the goal of justice. Accordingly, we strive to inform people instead of trying to form their beliefs. We also promote political action in support of justice, based on our understandings and beliefs.
JME is committed to finding ways for the congregation to further pursue Justice in the Middle East. Film screenings, speaker series, and discussion groups will be scheduled throughout the year. Check this space and other church communications for event information.
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Recent Events
Sunday, February 19, 12:30 p.m.
"Waking Up to Shatter the Silence"
All are invited to the McGinness Room for a video screening of Hanan Watson's award-winning sermon from the 2011 General Assembly in North Carolina. "Waking Up to Shatter the Silence" was the winning entry for the Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East’s (UUJME) contest, which had the theme "Why are UU congregations reluctant to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and how can they overcome this reluctance to help our faith community contribute more meaningfully to the cause of peace and justice for Israelis and Palestinians?"
Hanan Watson, of All Souls Unitarian Church in New York City, was chosen to present her moving sermon at GA 2011. Watson was born in Jerusalem to Palestinian Christian Arab parents and in 1948 became one of the 750,000 refugees from the newly established State of Israel. She earned Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees from the American University of Beirut. After moving to New York in 1966, she worked in the executive search field until retiring to devote herself to volunteer work.
Thursday, March 1 
Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa
Potluck Dinner in the Fireside Room at 6:00 p.m. followed by an author presentation at 7:00.
Each year the MLUC Social Action Leadership Council recommends a book that corresponds with a social justice issue of interest and relevance to the entire congregation. The choice for 2012 is Mornings in Jenin, a novel by Susan Abulhawa. On Thursday, March 1, the author will join us for a potluck dinner with book discussion to follow. All are welcome to attend. Copies of the book are available for purchase in the MLUC book cabinet.
This novel is the story of four generations of a Palestinian family exiled from their village and their struggles during the over 60 years of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The story takes us from the Jenin refugee camp to Jerusalem, to Lebanon and to the anonymity of America. The human voices of this riveting story encourage us to take another look at one of the defining political conflicts of our lifetime.
Susan Abulhawa was born to refugees of the Six-Day War and moved to the United States as a teenager. She is a resident of Philadelphia and founded Playgrounds for Palestine, an NGO that builds playgrounds for Palestinian children in refugee camps and in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Recent Film Screenings
Budrus
An award-winning feature documentary film about a Palestinian community organizer
Amreeka
Journey into the lives of Palestinian immigrants
Beyond Belief
The story of two pregnant 9/11 widows
Sentenced Home
Cambodian refugees growing up in America
Very Young Girls
The tragedy of human trafficking
Speaker Series
JME regularly hosts guest speakers from various walks of life to address topics related to Justice in the Middle East.
Recent speakers include:
May 15, 2011
Susan Landau, founding member of American Jews for a Just Peace.
Resources
For more information about these issues, consider visiting some of these web sites.
Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East
Foundation for Middle East Peace
American Muslims for Palestine
