Roanoke College students organize second Israel-Palestine Peace Month
March 16, 2016
A student-led initiative to promote peace relations between Israel and Palestine begins this month at Roanoke College and continues through April 13.
For the next few weeks as part of the College's second Israel-Palestine Peace Month, Roanoke will host speakers, music, a narrative exhibition and more to elicit conversations and raise awareness about the conflict between the countries, with a focus on refugees.
I want people to know that this is still an issue. You can help this go away.
Leah Weinstein '18, who is Jewish and one of the student organizers of Peace Month activities
Roanoke's 2016 Peace Month comprises the following events:
Refugee Narratives
Monday, March 21, 7 - 8 p.m., Olin Gallery
The exhibition will feature stories from members of Roanoke's campus as well as others. It will include the story of Ahmad Ibrahim, a Roanoke College sophomore and Palestinian refugee living in Lebanon, along with Roanoke senior Zahava Urecki, a Jewish student whose family fled Poland during World War II to Argentina, and then immigrated to the United States. B'shara Nassar, a Palestinian who started the Nakba Museum Project in Washington, D.C., also will share his experiences and stories of other Palestinians.
Teach-In
Tuesday, March 29, Noon to 1 p.m., Colket Center
The Teach-In will feature three Roanoke professors who will give an overview of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, explain how and why refugees are important and field questions from students.
Heartbeat concert
Monday, April 4, 7 p.m., Antrim Chapel
Heartbeat is a small band of young Israeli and Palestinian musicians. The group's purpose is to unite these countries and build understanding and nonviolent tools for social change.
The Importance of Interfaith Dialogue: Avi Smolen
Wednesday, April 13, 7:15 p.m., Olin Theater
Avi Smolen, communications manager for Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership for Justice, will speak at Roanoke. Smolen manages website, email and social media communications for Bend the Arc, a domestic social justice organization in New York. He spent a year as a Faiths Act Fellow at the Malaria Policy Center in Washington, D.C., where he focused on engaging college students in multi-faith global health activism.
Read about the inception of Roanoke's Peace Month and last year's events here.