The Israel-Palestine conflict has been raging since Israel's nationalization in 1948. It is a complex and far-ranging issue, with enormous international implications.
Discussions can be emotional, spiritual, political, and intellectual. Here are resources to increase awareness and understanding and invite advocacy.
Find supplementary resources in our Social Justice: Israel & Palestine lib guide.
See also our War & Genocide lib guide.
The Start Here tab introduces participants to:
Group Norms, Trauma-Informed Awareness, and Spiritual Practices are essential to healthy discussions and will enhance interactivity as they support increased engagement.
The Advocacy & Peace-Making Organizations tab introduces:
The Biblical/Christian Perspectives tab includes resources for adults that dig into the Biblical witness and Christian perspective on the conflict.
The Challenge Antisemitism & Islamophobia tab includes curricula and a children & youth book list that amplify Jewish and Muslim lives and cultures and counters bullying and marginalizing behaviors.
The Children & Youth Resources tab offers supplemental books, videos, and curricula for younger folx.
The Intergenerational: Read/View/Discuss tab breaks resources into particular areas of engagement:
Each topic includes books/videos appropriate for Children, Teens & Tweens, and Adults.
These groupings are followed by Discussion Questions that are intended to support intergenerational dialogue.
Engagement takes many forms. In this particular issue, it may be best to engage different age-groups separately, while keeping them aligned with one another to encourage and support at-home and cross-generational discussions outside of the congregational setting.
The Speaker Organizations tab includes organizations of vetted public speakers.
Invite speakers to share in study, worship, or communal gatherings. Allow diverse voices to share their stories and perspectives on this challenging issue to ensure that growth and awareness-building are balanced with relationships and mutuality.
Be sure to include a diversity of perspectives: no one Speaker can speak for the entirety of a group of people they represent and no Speaker can speak from the perspective of an Other.
It is wise to prepare both Speaker and Listeners for their time together. Welcome Speakers with due diligence to their emotional and spiritual safety. Prepare Listeners for content and potential trauma-activators, and potential biases of Speakers. All will be well-served by Listeners who appreciate best practices in receiving Guests with grace and openness.
While the organizations in this list have been curated for conscientious presentations of data and stories, and general ethics, we cannot vouch for - or vet - every speaker from every organization.
The Worship & Prayer tab invites leaders to bring awareness and advocacy into the corporate work of all the people.
Litanies and liturgies, prayers, and sermon prompts are coming soon.
This Toolkit is arranged to support congregations at any stage of awareness and discussion around the crisis that is the Israel & Palestine conflict.
Please begin with the Start Here tab to establish Group Norms, develop Trauma-Informed facilitators, and Spiritual Practices.
Once Group Norms and a Spiritual Practice have been established, the Intergenerational Read/View/Discuss tab invites congregation-wide exploration from numerous entry points.
Follow study with Challenging Antisemitism & Islamophobia then invite Speakers to humanize the discussion.
All of these lead toward Advocacy & Peace-Making: engage whenever your group is ready.
If the Group is ready for deeper conversation, supplementary materials are identified by age-groups: Children & Youth Resources and Adults: Bible/Christian Perspectives.
Let awareness and advocacy infiltrate the entire congregation by bringing them into the corporate Worship & Prayer of the congregation.
