MINUTE FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Sandy Spring Monthly Meeting

As Friends we seek to live in the virtue of that life and power that takes away the occasion of all wars. We are heartbroken over the war between Israel and Hamas, as we are over hostilities elsewhere in the world. We are filled with compassion toward all those who are suffering as a result. Our faith leads us to seek ways to alleviate this suffering. We urge all engaged parties to open their hearts to the cessation of violence, the delivery of humanitarian aid, the resolution of conflict, reconciliation, and the establishment of a lasting and just peace.

12th Month 2023

The following organizations dedicated to peace advocacy, restorative justice, and human rights are endorsed by the Peace Committee of Sandy Spring Monthly Meeting and supported in the Meeting’s annual operating budget. We strongly recommend individuals and families support these organizations through direct donations. To donate, click on the name of the organization to visit their donation page.

  • Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL): A Quaker advocacy organization which lobbies Congress to promote peace, justice, and environmental stewardship;

  • American Friends Service Committee (AFSC): A Quaker organization promoting global peace and sustainability in communities; works to overcome oppression and for justice for immigrants and prisoners;

  • Fellowship of Reconciliation: The oldest interfaith organization promoting peace and justice, ending violence and war, and building the Beloved Community;

  • Friends Peace Teams: An organization that forms long-term relationships in places of conflict worldwide to promote peacebuilding, healing, and reconciliation;

  • Quaker House: Director Wayne Finegar (Sandy Spring Monthly Meeting member) counsels GIs and veterans by providing a house of refuge and peace in the military town of Fayetteville, North Carolina (Fort Bragg);

  • Center on Conscience and War: An organization that advocates for conscientious objectors;

  • Peace Action Montgomery: An organization seeking to lower the violent “footprint” of Montgomery County, MD and opposes nuclear war;

  • United Palestinian Appeal: An organization that supports programs in health, education, and economic development for Palestinians;

  • Ramallah School Scholarship Fund: An organization that financially supports families to maintain attendance at RFS;

  • Olive Oil Ministry: An organization that supports Palestinian producers of olive oil; bottles of olive oil can be purchased at Sandy Spring Monthly Meeting; contact Frank Massey;

  • Poor People’s Campaign: A national organization advocating for economic and social justice for all people;

  • CASA de Maryland: A leading advocate for immigrant families, justice, and refugee resettlement;

  • Right Sharing of World Resources: An organization that provides small micro-grants and training to women’s groups in developing countries, such as Kenya, Sierra Leone, Guatemala, and India;

  • African Great Lakes Initiative: An organization promoting peace activities in AGL countries, training for conflict management, trauma healing for young mothers, and which maintains a peace library; to donate, select “African Great Lakes” under “Designate Your Gift” on the Friends Peace Teams donation form;

  • Maryland Alliance for Justice Reform (MAJR): An organization that advocates for policies to minimize incarceration and its harsh practices, reduce prison inequities, and lessen the impact on prison families in the state of Maryland.