What we do

Jewish Voice for Peace supports human rights and equality for Palestinians and all people. We prioritize developing strategic campaigns and building people power through our working groups, investing in coalition work. In all actions we seek to act in solidarity with oppressed communities struggling for liberation. When requested, we try to serve as a source for speakers and resource materials.

As an all volunteer organization, we have to focus our energies. At the moment all our energies are focussed on trying to tend the on-going atrocities in Gaza, while not forgetting the on-going policy of harassment and land seizures in the West Bank. These activities have included demonstrations we have organized and joining our comrades in their demonstrations. We have also been working to get other groups on-board to a total cease-fire campaign, including various cities.

Supporting Palestinian causes

Jewish Voice for Peace supports the 2005 call from Palestinian civil society organizations for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) on Israel until it ends its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands and dismantles the separation wall; recognizes the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality; and respects, protects and promotes the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN Resolution 194. For more on the BDS movement, visit the Palestinian BDS National Committee.

Human Rights Advocacy and Protection Act (HRAPA)

As a member of the Illinois Coalition For Human Rights, we are working to pass the Human Rightas Advocacy and Protection Act (HRAPA) in the Illinois legislature. Illinois was the first state in the US to pass an anti-BDS law in 2015, and many states have followed since. Illinois' anti-BDS law requires the state's pension fund to avoid doing business with any company that boycotts Israel, which has pressured several companies to reverse commitments to BDS. HRAPA is the bill to repeal that law, restoring the right to boycott.

Israel Bonds divestment

The state of Illinois holds millions of dollars of investments in Israel Bonds, which are unrestricted loans to the Israeli government for them to use for any purpose, including military purposes. We are advocating for Illinois to stop investing in these bonds.