Palestinian Events In Portland

Here are events of interest regarding Israel/Palestine and the Middle East for the week of Oct. 14-21.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012, 7:00 pm

Freedom Sailors

Laughing Horse Books

12 N.E. 10th Ave., Portland

Hear Bill Dienst, co-editor of Freedom Sailors, discuss the first successful voyage to break the Israeli government's siege of Gaza. No international ship had sailed into Gaza since Israel occupied the Gaza Strip in 1967. But in August 2008, two ships, the Liberty and the Free Gaza, sailed into the port of Gaza City to a tumultuous welcome from nearly 40,000 Palestinians who had been cut off from the outside world after Israel turned Gaza into a virtual open-air prison. Bill Dienst, a physician from rural Washington state, was among the passengers. Freedom Sailors is a firsthand account of the voyage of the two ships told by many of its participants. All 44 passengers on the two ships risked their lives and possible imprisonment to call attention to the illegal blockade of Gaza, an ongoing blockade that represents yet another form of collective punishment meted out by the Israeli government against the Palestinian people. Hear how a group of ordinary people came up with a bold idea to bring international attention to the plight of Palestinians in Gaza.

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Thursday, October 18, 2012, 12:00 Noon
Arab Israeli Conflict and Cooperation: The Question of Water

Bring your lunch and join the Middle East Studies Center for this Lunch & Learn event!

Portland State University
East Hall, room 109, 632 SW Hall

A talk by Aaron Wolf, professor of geography at Oregon State University. This talk will explore the relationship between shared water resources and conflict and cooperation between Arabs and Israelis. Wolf has an M.S. in water resources management (1988, emphasizing hydrogeology) and a Ph.D. in environmental policy analysis (1992, emphasizing dispute resolution) from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.  His research focuses on issues relating transboundary water resources to political conflict and cooperation, where his training combining environmental science with dispute resolution theory and practice have been particularly appropriate.

For more information, see www.mesc.pdx.edu or phone 503-725-4074

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Sunday, October 21, 2012, 9:00 am

Holy Land Sunday at Central Lutheran Church
1820 NE 21st Ave, Portland

Palestine/Israel, the birthplace of Christianity, has historic meaning for Christians worldwide and contemporary meaning for Christians through ties with the ongoing community of Palestinian Arab Christians and their institutions. On Oct 21 we will focus on our common hope and our shared concern for broader issues of peace and justice in the region. Please join us!

·        9:00 am Adult Forum with Nurse Practitioner Maxine Fookson of Jewish Voice for Peace, who has served with medical missions in Gaza with Physicians for Social Responsibility

·        10:15 Worship with message by Oregon Lutheran Bishop David Brauer-Rieke,“temple talk” by Maxine Fookson, and special music

·        11:30 Coffee Hour with olive oil sales in support of Lutheran World Federation's Vocational Training Center, Jerusalem and Ramallah

Lutherans for Justice in the Holy Land – A Ministry of Central Lutheran Church, Portland, OR