All Systems Go!
Dear Friends,
 
All systems are go for what Jerusalem Peacebuilders does best - a summer of exceptional interfaith peace institutes. Over one hundred youth and adult participants are packing their bags, and the staff are fine-tuning the curricula. In their preparations, each honors JPB's commitment to a new generation of Israeli, Palestinian and American leaders.
 
On April 22, our dear friends and fellow JPB co-founders, Angela and Stuart Kensinger died in a tragic airplane accident. Since that dark day, people continually ask us, "What will happen to JPB's summer programs?" Our answer is simple: JPB's commitment to Mid-East peacebuilding remains vital and undaunted. Now, we ask you to pledge support for our five summer institutes.

Events in the Holy Lands continue to drive most Israelis and Palestinians apart. T hanks to you and our many local partners,  JPB offers a real alternative.  Indeed, our four summer youth institutes in Connecticut, Texas and Vermont are oversubscribed, as is our new interfaith teacher-training program at Cambridge University in England.  Most participants come from Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Nazareth, the Negev, Gaza or the Golan. Some are Jews, some are Christians, some are Muslims or Druze. All come committed to peace.

 
JPB's intensive summer institutes build on that commitment. Our curriculum empowers diverse and highly motivated Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Druze participants to reject being passive objects of history and to become co-creators of inclusive democracies that honor life and liberty. Helping them to discover the necessary vision, character and qualities within themselves is how we translate our commitment to peace into equipping tomorrow's leaders for action.

Will you help us to further peace ? Yes, 105 promising teachers and young leaders have been selected, the daily programming crafted and qualified counselors recruited, but 75 Israeli and Palestinian teens still need financial sponsorship at the cost of $2,500 per participant. Please help us further peace by sponsoring a young leader or by making a gift of $500 or $1,000 to defray the costs of housing, meals, transportation and staffing.
 
Bless these young leaders with opportunity, and join us in an undaunted commitment to peace.
 
(The Rev. Canon) Nicholas and Dorothy Porter
Co-Founders, Jerusalem Peacebuilders

JPB HOUSTON PROGRAM CONCLUDES FIRST YEAR
Successes reveal important avenue of growth

JPB's new Interfaith Youth Houston program concluded its first year after four very successful events. The final event of the year was an inspiring Ramadan Iftar at the local ILM Academy and El Farouq Mosque in Houston. Our work even caught the eye of the Houston Chronicle Newspaper and was featured on the front page of its Belief Section in May!  JPB Program Director Jack Karn and JPB Board Member Rabbi Steve Gross have worked with others to create this dynamic, joint program.  The program for the 2019-2020 School Year is currently being developed and will feature six meetings, service-projects, youth leadership roles, and more!

 

READ MORE ABOUT THIS STORY
CANON NICHOLAS FEATURED ON COFFEE HOUR AT THE COMMONS
Interview discusses JPB's growth and offers inspiration
Fr. Nicholas was recently featured on a great radio program called Coffee Hour at the Commons, in which he describes the work of Jerusalem Peacebuilders.  His description of the power of JPB's reconciliation work is well worth a listen.

"We finally said we have to contribute to the solution. Supporting these teens in their struggles, and struggling with them, has been an incredible engine of spiritual change and insight within myself, the teens, volunteers, and educators. Transformation, peace, connectedness, following God's way. It's in our DNA."

OUR WORK FEATURED IN THE INTERFAITH OBSERVER 
"A Non-Movement for Peace"
JPB was recently featured in The Interfaith Observer (TiO) online newspaper. The article explores JPB's approach to interfaith peacebuilding in depth and how our programs have evolved since our inception in 2011. TiO works closely with United Religions Initiative (URI), of which JPB is a new member, in helping highlight and promote interfaith work from all around the world. If you're looking for insight into our interfaith work, this article makes for a great read!

JPB RECEIVES TOP RATINGS FOR 2019 
Accolades awarded by two leading nonprofit assessment organizations
JPB was recently recognized for its work by two national charity assessment organizations: GreatNonprofits and GuideStar. After an outpouring of affirming reviews by donors, alumni, and supporters, JPB received  the Top-Rated Nonprofit Award from GreatNonprofits. With more than 1.6 million charities represented, GreatNonprofits allows people to share their personal experiences with individual nonprofits on its website.

JPB's commitment to programmatic and fiscal transparency was honored by GuideStar for the third consecutive year, with JPB being awarded the 2019 Gold Seal of Transparency. With more than 10 million users, GuideStar gathers, organizes, and distributes information on 2.7 million U.S. nonprofits. JPB plans to expand its membership in these types of nonprofit accountability programs by joining Charity Navigator this fall. These services help ensure we deliver on our commitments and display our pledge to financial  accountability and transparency.
 INVEST IN PEACE  

Help us fund this summer's programs for the next 
generation
of leaders and changemakers.

 
"In a world crying out for compassion, understanding and 
empathy JPB is needed more than ever. Everyone who is a part 
of this wonderful organization is a  better person and human 
being for having done so.  It gives me hope. "
 
                                                            - JPB Board Member 
Please donate securely online or make your donation check payable to 
"Jerusalem Peacebuilders" and send it to the following address:

Jerusalem Peacebuilders, Inc. 
3300 Chimney Rock, Suite 301
Houston, TX 77056 USA 

Jerusalem Peacebuilders (JPB) is a tax-exempt organization per section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is further classified as a public charity. Donations may be made directly to JPB and deducted under Section 170 of the Code. JPB's federal tax identification number (EIN) is 45-2233148.

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING YOUTH PEACEBUILDERS!


     
Because the future of Jerusalem is the future of the world