“Palestinians and Jews for a Shared Future”
As Palestinians and Jews in the Philadelphia, USA, area, we understand our common stake in building a shared future for our peoples based upon peace, justice, and equal rights. The atrocities of and since October 7th have proven once and for all the us-versus-them paradigm is disastrous for Palestinians and Jews alike. We seek an end to the current genocidal assault on Gaza and the long-term de-escalation of violence, an end to Israeli occupation and apartheid, and an ideological shift away from ethnic supremacy. We draw on our Jewish, Christian, and Muslim traditions of nonviolence as we call for equality, justice, and peace for all people in the Holy Land.
How we are
PfPA is pursuing a long-term strategy that seeks to move the political center of gravity to support peace, equality, and justice for Palestinians and Jews. PfPA brings our message to the grassroots in religious congregations, recognizing the moral authority held by religious institutions and the responsibility of nonviolent faith traditions to speak out for peace. We mobilize our communities for change while maintaining relationships with those in power whom we need to bring to our side. Among ourselves we prioritize building trust, hearing out disagreements, and finding consensus. While we recognize that the Jewish and Palestinian experiences are different, we understand that we will build a stronger movement by honoring both people’s motivations for engaging in this work.
How to start
- Bring together individuals from the Jewish and Palestinian communities. The founders of Prayers for Peace Alliance came from Jewish (IfNotNow), Christian Palestinian (Friends of Sabeel North America), and Muslim Palestinian (Alhidaya Islamic Center) organizations, who first met from a chance encounter at a protest.
- Identify sponsoring organizations. Our sponsors, IfNotNow, Friends of Sabeel North America, Alhidaya, Nonviolence International, and Council on American-Islamic Relations provide legitimacy, visibility, resources, and expertise. External funding is not necessary; we have been an entirely volunteer movement that believes in our project. Sponsoring organizations and local businesses provided some support for large events.
- Build your base. PfPA Philly started with base-building. We reached out to our communities to stand in front of churches with a shared message – pray for a ceasefire in Gaza. Taking action together in the rain and snow created a strong bond of trust. The response to our initial visits was transformative.
- Network with other groups. PfPA built relationships with like-minded activist organizations. We supported their events, and in turn they have aided our efforts.
- Expand and consolidate your base. PfPA reached out to a larger faith-based network of clergy with a ceasefire petition that was signed by 120 imams, rabbis, pastors, and others. We celebrated this milestone with 100 clergy, PfPA volunteers, and other community members at an Iftar for Ramadan. PfPA has continued to hold events for religious observances and vigils honoring those killed in Gaza, to further our mission of bringing our communities together while building legitimacy as an organization.
- Engage elected officials for policy change. PfPA convened a network of a dozen organizations to work on legislative efforts related to Palestine. This has allowed us to coordinate timely lobbying efforts and public campaigns.
- Throughout every step, maintain a focus on building community and developing trust.
Donations are tax-deductible. We are a fiscally-sponsored project of Nonviolence International, a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
As a sponsoring organization, Nonviolence International is required to retain discretion and control of the funds, which will, in all events, be used for the intended, charitable purposes.
If you'd like to donate by check, please make the payment out to "Nonviolence International" with "Prayers for Peace Alliance" in the memo line and mail it to:
Nonviolence International
PO Box 39127, Friendship Station NW
Washington, DC 20016 USA
For additional ways to donate, please see the FAQ on this page.
Please Note: We don't accept donations via American Express - they charge a larger percentage. We accept all other major credit cards.