Israel/Palestine: Holding a Space for Peace
Melissa and Jon moved to East Jerusalem with a toddler in 1992 when Jon, a Quaker, was asked by Catholic Relief Services to lead their Jerusalem/West Bank/Gaza programs. By the time they returned to the U.S. in 1997, they had three children and deep ties to the region. Jon and Melissa have since led numerous trips to Israel/Palestine – 8 trips with students from Westtown School and 3 (so far) with adults, mostly teachers and supporters of Friends education. As the pandemic was winding down, they returned to the region for two months as volunteers to assist a West Bank-based travel organization in multiple ways, including receiving several hundred graduate students from U.S. universities coming during their spring break to learn about life in the West Bank. Jon and Melissa have also participated in two tours organized by Combatants for Peace, most recently in February 2025.
Their presentation will draw on what they have witnessed and learned over the course of their 30+ years of involvement in the region. They will also lift up some remarkable organizations and individuals, both Palestinian and Israeli, who continue to work with grit and determination toward a future of shared security and dignity for all.
Please join us – to listen, to learn, and to engage.
Tuesday, September 23, 2025 2:30pm
Friends Village, Styer Campus
331 Lower Dolington Road, Newtown, PA
Melissa Graf-Evans & Jonathan Evans
Register.
Please register at least 48 hours in advance.
Complete the registration form or contact Laura Hornyak. Via phone at (215) 968-3346 ext. 200 or via email at lhornyak@friends-village.org