October 26, 2021

Why I Commit

I see Heart of a Nation as a very bold, smart and heartfelt effort by progressives who care about Israel and Palestine and understand the danger of allowing the conflict to be framed as a zero-sum game between good guys and bad guys rather than what it really is: a tragic clash between two legitimate national movements, a clash whose resolution could advance considerably if Palestinian, Israeli and American progressives worked together.

The board is a powerhouse of accomplished people from diverse backgrounds who embrace the complexity and multi-faceted humanity of this place, staking out responsible, empathetic, grown-up positions at a time when so much of the public discourse around this issue (including much of the progressive discourse) is simplistic, zero-sum, and childish.

Hugs to everyone from Jerusalem,
Karen

In the News

African Americans are Threatened with Deportation from Israel

By Jonathan Kessler, A'shanti Golar, Joe Perlov, Stav Shaffir 
Click here to read in The Jerusalem Post

"The situation facing the African Hebrew Israelite community is disheartening to anyone concerned with democracy and civil rights in Israel."

"Democracies must treat all people fairly and humanely, and certainly this is true for people who have lived and contributed to that democracy for decades. The African Hebrew Israelites threatened with deportation have family and community ties to Israel. They see themselves as part of the fabric of Israeli society and behave accordingly. They have excellent relations with their neighbors and often serve in the Israeli army."

"Hebrew Israelites are hardly strangers, but even if they were, to love the stranger, the oppressed, the disadvantaged, is a profoundly Jewish value for the Jewish state to uphold."

Building Communities of Purpose

By E. Kinney Zalesne
Click here to read in The Christian Science Monitor

"Can devoted progressives from all three societies work side by side — not on our mutual grievances, but on our shared passions, including human rights, women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and climate — and in the process, maybe nurture some trust that will help us move forward together? I don’t know, but we’re going to try our best."

"Can intentional communities — built across race, class, generation, nationality, and professional identity — advance trust and the common good if they stop talking at, past, and about one another, and instead work together on causes they’re equally devoted to? It seems like our best hope."

Mapping the Future for Israelis and Palestinians from a D.C. Rooftop

By Gabby Deutch
Click here to read in JewishInsider

"Heart of a Nation, which Kessler calls a 'community of purpose,' is meant to create a network of progressives who can collaborate, problem solve and discuss issues faced in all three cultures, like racism and the unraveling of democracy."

"It’s about improving the nations we love, and fixing the things that are wrong with the nations we love,' Kessler told Jewish Insider."

Upcoming Events

November 16 - 12:00pm ET: HeartForum on Israeli and Palestinian Cultural Warriors with Karen Brunwasser & Special Guests — Heart of a Nation

December 8 - 12:00pm ET: HeartForum on The New American Majority with A'shanti Golar & Special Guests — Heart of a Nation

December 14 - 12:00pm ET: HeartForum on Supporting Asylum Seekers with Julie Fisher & Special — Heart of a Nation

January 16-22, 2022: Heart of a Nation Leadership Mission to Israel and Palestine 

Good Reads

HeartForum Transcript: Congress Funds Peacebuilding Effort

Featuring Meredith Rothbart, John Lyndon, & Huda Abuarquob
Click here to read in Medium

"We saw game-changing legislation enacted in the final days of last year — called the Nita M. Lowey Middle East Partnership for Peace Act named for former Chairwoman Nita Lowey who was chair of the Appropriations Committee and really helped to drive this legislation — and help to get the kind of bipartisan support that we know is so difficult to come by but is integral and necessary for anything that really moves the needle on this issue and many others."

"Our role at ALLMEP is to give our members and leaders a chance to get out of their comfort zone and start thinking about the issues that speak directly to their constituencies. Because if we keep working in bubbles, and in closed rooms, peace is not going to happen."

Liberal Zionism and the Troubled Committed

By Donniel Hartman
Click here to read in Sources

"Liberal Jews in North America will not embrace Zionism unless it is a liberal Zionism, and will not embrace Israel unless Israel embraces liberal values."

"The core of the Zionist discourse must envision Israel as it should be rather than defend Israel as it is and to see moral debate as an essential aspect of a commitment to Israel."

Worthy of Support

The Shira Center creates an innovative model in Israel that connects the benefits of academic campuses, to the needs of young adults with autism or intellectual disabilities who wish to continue learning, working and living a meaningful life, as part of the community.

Heart2Heart

Heart of a Nation Celebrates Images of Love and Family

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and husband Chasten welcome twins Penelope and Joseph to their family.

MK and Transportation Minister Merav Michaeli and partner Lior Schleien delight in their newborn son Uri, delivered by a U.S. surrogate mother.

Palestinian Chevening Fellows Hala Shoman and Ihab Saleh return to Gaza from university studies in England to celebrate their COVID-delayed wedding.

Tali and Natan celebrate their Ethiopian-Israeli wedding along with 900 guests.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis and Marlon Reis tie the knot in Boulder, representing the first U.S. sitting governor to have a same-sex wedding.

Twenty three same-sex couples in Israel celebrate their nuptials on the same day, despite their marriages not yet being recognized by the state.

About Heart of a Nation

We are Americans, Israelis, and Palestinians building relationships across diverse backgrounds to learn, think, and work together to advance progressive solutions to issues of mutual concern.

אנחנו אמריקאים, ישראלים ופלסטינים אשר בונים ויוצרים קשרים במגמה ללמוד, לחשוב ולעבוד יחד כדי לקדם פתרונות פרוגרסיביים בנושאים החשובים המשותפים לכולנו.

نحن أمريكيون وإسرائيليون وفلسطينيون نبني ونكوّن روابط من أجل التعلم والتفكير والمشاركة معًا حتى نشجع الحلول التقدمية بشأن القضايا التي تهمنا جميعًا.