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Newsletter No. 2 PDF Print E-mail
September 2008
 
This month’s Newsletter is to let you know what we are up to and what we plan locally and nationally in the next couple of months.

Wightman Road Mosque:

We were warmly welcomed for the 25th anniversary of the founding of the mosque, selling handicrafts etc. It was a very successful day both with sales and donations and we were given a lot of positive feedback

We now regularly run a stall on the last Friday of each month after prayers (1-3pm). We sell handicrafts made by a Bedouin women’s Coop in Aizaria which we support, olive oil soap from Nablus and extra virgin Palestinian olive oil. We are also doing additional events during Ramadan.

Boycott of Israeli goods:

Nationally the Palestine Solidarity Campaign is putting new pizzazz into the boycott of goods by raising the question of Israeli repression of the Palestinians with major supermarkets who stock and sell Israeli produce — they all do. This involves asking local groups to send letters to local papers and organise demonstrations outside the worst offending shops calling for a ban of produce grown and made on illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank. See http://www.bigcampaign.org/ for more information.

To this end HJfP are in the process of producing leaflets to circulate amongst local retailers in Green Lanes and the High Road to raise awareness of the occupation and encourage them not to stock Israeli goods.

Paul McCartney plays his first gig ever in Israel at the end of September.

If you have time please look at following links for info on how and where to write to him, asking that he think again:

Paul McCartney to perform in Israel (YNET news):

http://tinyurl.com/5ncjcq

Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) letter to the Beatles:

http://tinyurl.com/6devhg

For more info and a sample letter please visit:

http://tinyurl.com/5dsxb8

Maybe the comparison with Daniel Barenboim's West-Eastern Divan Orchestra which brilliantly unites Palestinian and Israeli musicians will be used to effect.

Twinning news

On the question of officially twinning Aizaria with Haringey some discussions with council members have taken place but we are aware that only pressure from below will move a majority of the council on this matter.
 
This of course raises another issue, we need to keep ourselves up to speed on the history, politics and current events in Palestine and be critically aware of the lives Palestinians live under Israeli repression. To that end we are planning at least one public meeting with notable speakers before Christmas. At this event you will also be able to purchase products from Aizaria for your Christmas stocking presents!

University and College Union Branch at the College of North East London  (UCU/Conel)

The UCU trade union branch at the College of North East London is active in raising awareness within the College of the Israeli occupation and how it affects the daily lives of Palestinians.

It is currently involved in several educational projects which hope to link schools within Haringey to similar schools in Aizaria.

Teacher Exchange :

Hornsey Girls’ School: Two teachers from Aizaria Secondary Girls’ School due to come over for an exchange last June unfortunately had their visas denied by the British Embassy in Amman. We are hopeful that this exchange will take place by the end of this academic year.

Highgate Wood School: Following discussions with the citizenship section at Highgate Wood concrete links will hopefully be made this coming term between them and Aizaria Secondary Boys’ School. There is talk of setting up a blog which students from both schools can regularly contribute to, sharing ideas and experiences.

Donated Computers :

The College of North East London has donated 10 second-hand computers to be shipped to Aizaria this coming term. The UCU/Conel branch will fund the shipment costs.

English Language Summer School at Al Quds University (Abu Dis Campus)

This is planned for the summer of 2009. We are currently looking for volunteer English teachers to be involved with this project. If you are interested please e-mail: Philip at info@hjfp.org.uk

Fundraising Events :

At Conel the UCU branch organise regular fundraising events to help fund the educational twinning projects. These range from plant sales and second-hand book/CD/DVD sales to sponsored bike rides/marathons. A second-hand book/CD/DVD sale is planned for October and a Palestinian handicraft sale planned to coincide with the end of Ramadan.

Donations of books, CDs, DVDs and plants warmly welcomed. Please e-mail:
Clare at info@hjfp.org.uk

Up and coming HJfP events:

'Restore The Rec' Community Festival
Saturday 13th September, 1-5pm
Lordship Recreation Ground, Lordship Lane, N17

Activities include: Fun-run, football, dog agility show, Tottenham horticulture and produce show, animal farm, performance showcase at the Broadwater Community Centre, Green Zone, children's play, health and fitness, skateboarding, cycling fun, history and nature walks, community stalls.

HJfP will being running stalls selling handicrafts and foodstuffs from Palestine and also a large second-hand book/CD and DVD stall

Tottenham Food Co-op
Saturday 13th September, 12-3pm
Broadwater Farm Community Centre,
Adams Road , N.17

A new place to buy and sell food which is organic, locally produced and/or ‘fair trade’.

HJfP will be holding a stall there selling fair trade produce from Palestine (olive oil, dates, za’atar and olive oil soap)

Stall at Wightman Road Mosque
Friday 19th September 2008

Between 1-3pm selling Palestinian handicrafts and produce.

Coming soon:

Jazz night with the Soner Ersin Jazz Sextet

 Fundraiser at the:

Emperor Banqueting suite, (corner of West Green Road and Stanley Road, N15)

7.30pm tickets £5 on the door, £4 pre-booked

Local events:

"Welcome to Ramallah" by Sonja Linden and Adah Kay

The play was written to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of the British Mandate for Palestine. The play explores an encounter between four people across the Palestine/Israel divide during the course of one dramatic evening in Ramallah. At the heart of the play are events that took place in 1948, with the creation of the Jewish State and the consequent dispossession and displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.

The two authors are Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD) UK board members.

Arcola Theatre
Arcola Street
Stoke Newington, E8
September 23rd - October 18th 2008
www.arcolatheatre.com

Next HJfP meeting 6th October 7.30pm at:

Kit@pEvi/ Bookhouse,
410 High Road, Tottenham, N17.
All are welcome!