Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 12:29:16 -0800 (PST)
From: susan abulhawa
Subject: PfP Delivers Playgrounds to Khan Younis and Rafah
To: update@playgroundsforpalestine.org

PfP Delivers Playgrounds to Khan Younis and Rafah

Keeping with its mission of building playgrounds and recreation areas for +Palestinian children living under military occupation, PfP has delivered two+playgrounds to Gaza for the municipalities of Khan Younis and Rafah. Susan +Abulhawa and Mark Miller traveled to Gaza earlier this month to assemble the+playground in Khan Younis with local volunteers.

Photos from the installation at Khan Younis (click here) are available on +PfP's website where a full account of the installation will appear in the +next few days. (http://playgroundsforpalestine.org/worldphotos3a.htm) Information regarding +the installation at Rafah will be made available upon completion of that +project.

PfP wishes to thank ANERA (Americans for Near East Refugee Aid, +www.anera.org) for their invaluable assistance in making this project a +reality. PfP also wishes to thank its donors and friends who gave so +generously toward these playgrounds. Additionally, PfP extends its +appreciation to American Playground, Inc. as well and the municipalities and+people of Khan Younis and Rafah.

For more information about Playgrounds For Palestine, please visit +www.PlaygroundsForPalestine.org.

To make a donation or for information, visit PfP's website (click here) or +write to: susie@playgroundsforpalestine.org ( www.playgroundsforpalestine.org )

private prejudice vs. public offense

My husband and i had to pick up my car at local Pep Boys. We decided not to use their service as it was too expensive. So we paid the diagnose/misc fee of $55 and my husband also asked for a spark plug kit.

We were speaking to each other.

"dear, can we afford another twenty some dollars?" 
I demurred him, "no, we can't. but of course, we can put
the charge  on our credit card and continue to incur jewish 
interest. And if we can't pay off the interest in our life
 time, our son can inherit our debt as a gift of life..."

Admittedly, it has been my private, very biased, totally without any scientific merit to credit jewish people as the sole inventor and pusher of interest rate fueled financial services industry. But i do not, to the very far stretch of my imagination would anticipate that our very low pitched private conversation can ignite a protest from one of the two Pep Boys' employees who served us at the autopart counter. She is a clean goodlooking, tall young girl. "Excuse me, what's your comment about interest rate? I am a jew. I very much take offense of your comment." I do not know how to respond to this gril who not only sell Pep Boys' autoparts but also police people's private conversation" and make her disliking of my personal prejudice a public protest before the other Pep Boy employee.

There is no excuse for her to volunteer telling me about her jewessness when it wasn't called for. Do i take offense of her sense of'being offended'? I do. Not only for myself, but mostly for her and for people like her.

22 Jul 2002 17:06:09

Dear Friends,

1. Two new books, to which i've contributed, are being published. One, SHATTERED ILLUSTIONS, can be ordered. http://www.amalpress.com/ My contribution is an old article i wrote titled: "US aid to Israel: Tax dollars soaked in blood".

the other is in the works. It deals with Jenin with a forward by Chomsky and Charlie Reese. will send more info on that in the near future.

Noam Chomsky is also a contributor to 'Shattered Illusions.'

2. Those of you in PHilly, there will be a fundraiser for Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga). if interested, email me privately.

3. Teh playground is being delayed. everyone is under curfew and a new report indicates taht 67% of Palestinian children are malnourished, many are facing starvation.

4. this list will again be silent for a while. i am working on a documentary and tending to pressing personal matters. I will also be traveling back to Jenin in a couple of months.

5. Two of my friends who have been living in the Occupied Territories for the past two years (at least) as human shields, observers etc. are coming back to the states for a short while. they'll be giving talks around teh country--mostly on the west coast. if you'd like to have them speak in your town and are willing to set up the talk, let me know. i'm trying to set up a schedule for them on the east coast. they are both tireless activists, who have risked their lives numerous times to protect Palestinian civilians. they've been in Jenin since april and were the first people to talk with some of the residents who fled. they've also been living through the latest bombardment and curfews.

warm regards to you all, susie