Dear Khani, 

Not long ago, I stood in Beit Jala, a Palestinian town in the occupied West Bank, with a group of religious Jewish men. As we sounded the shofar toward the hills, it might have seemed to outsiders that we were settlers. But we were there for something different: to stand in solidarity with a Palestinian family resisting the theft of their land.

The moment was surreal. Across the valley, settlers blew their own shofars in response. As I listened, I thought of the work I’ve dedicated my life to—resisting and breaking down walls - physical and ideological - that perpetuate injustice and supremacy.

My name is Roei, and I helped found the Freedom School of Faith, a program created in partnership with Combatants for Peace, Ir Amim, and Breaking the Silence. The school is a space for religious Jewish youth to grapple with the realities of the occupation, often for the first time. They study Jewish texts through a lens of justice and mercy, visit Palestinian communities impacted by the occupation, and engage stories that challenge deeply held narratives.

Though today I live in Jerusalem and work to end the occupation, my journey started when I was a teen, living in settlements, fully immersed in the ideology. But in 2014, everything changed.

That summer, during the Gaza war, I was a soldier stationed in the West Bank. One day, I saw the face of a high school classmate on the news—he had been kidnapped. A week later, my friend was injured in an attack. In the hospital, he said something I couldn’t shake: “I don’t understand what we did to make the terrorist so angry that he decided to harm Israelis.” For the first time, I began to question: What drives this violence? Why are we stuck in this cycle? What role do I play?

These questions eventually led me to challenge what I thought I knew and pursue nonviolent activism. Today, I believe Judaism’s deepest teachings—justice, compassion, and respect for the dignity of all people—compel us to take a stand. But I also know it is hard to question what you’ve been taught your entire life. That’s why creating a space for difficult conversations, reflection, and solidarity actions is so important.

The Freedom School of Faith is life changing. After Maria, a student from Jerusalem, visited Masafer Yatta, she explained: “I’ve always had questions about the conflict, but seeing the impact of the occupation firsthand changed everything. It’s the most important knowledge I’ve ever received.” Yonatan, who grew up in an ultra-Orthodox community, shared: “I thought I understood the occupation, but this program broke the last Zionist narratives I held. It transformed how I see the world and my role in it.”

The Freedom School of Faith is more than education; it’s building a movement grounded in joint values and shared humanity. It’s transforming individuals who can transform their communities. And it’s hope that we can create a future of just peace.

But we can’t do it alone. CfP programs depend on the support of people like you who believe in the power of transformative education and solidarity.

Will you join me in this work by making an end of year donation today?

If your place of worship or religious community is interested to learn about sponsoring our school and/or partnering with the students in 2025, please reach out at office@PROTECTED. We want to explore these opportunities with you. Together, we can bridge divides, transform our values into acts for justice, and build a movement that heals our world.

Now is the time to act. Join our movement.

American Friends of Combatants for Peace

48 Wall Street, Suite 1100
New York, NY 10005
United States

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