Build the Movement: Support Achvat Amim!

Dear friends and partners,

In these first days of Chanukah, the divide between light and dark feels more palpable than ever. We are devastated by the horrific antisemitic shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, where a Chanukah celebration was targeted and at least 15 people were killed and dozens more injured. This tragedy has struck our hearts deeply--one of our own staff members has immediate family and close friends in Sydney, and has already heard unimaginable stories of loss, fear, and trauma. These acts of hatred have no place in our world. In the face of such darkness we also honor the bravery of Ahmed al-Ahmed, whose courageous actions in tackling and disarming one of the shooters helped save lives. Ahmed reminds us that solidarity is not passive--it is a choice, made even in moments of terror. Chanukah asks what it means to hold fast to our values when the world around us feels unstable, and how we sustain this movement over time.

Thank you for standing with Achvat Amim during a period of deep challenges. Over the past months, our work has continued in close partnership with Palestinian and Israeli movements on the ground, while we’ve welcomed and trained a new cohort of participants who are stepping into this work with renewed energy. 

This year, 44 participants joined Achvat Amim programs, contributing over 15,000 hours of direct action and volunteering with our partners across Israel-Palestine. Alongside this, participants engaged in 300+ hours of collective learning—through beit midrash sessions with Shaiya Rothberg, learning days, language study, movement-building seminars, and facilitated reflection with our staff. 

Participants have been placed with a wide range of partner organizations, including Rabbis for Human Rights, the Jerusalem Youth Chorus, Satyam, Hand in Hand, +972 Magazine, the Storytelling Project, and others, supporting efforts that range from protective presence to media, education, and cultural resistance. This model—learning alongside action—remains at the heart of Achvat Amim’s approach.

At the same time, the space for this kind of solidarity work is shrinking. In recent months, our participants and partners have faced increasing repression, surveillance, and intimidation aimed at isolating Palestinian communities and deterring Jewish and international solidarity. Rather than retreat, Achvat Amim has doubled down on what we know works: sustained presence, strong relationships, and political education rooted in lived experience.

One of the clearest signs of this impact is what happens after participants leave the program. Today, over 80% of Achvat Amim alumni remain actively engaged in movement-building, many holding leadership roles in organizations such as Breaking the Silence, Gisha – Legal Center for Freedom of Movement, Rabbis for Human Rights, and other grassroots initiatives in Israel-Palestine and across the diaspora. Achvat Amim continues to function not only as a program, but as a long-term movement platform and community of practice.

None of this would be possible without you. Your support sustains the infrastructure that allows this work to continue—covering participant scholarships, partner support, staff coordination, and the legal and logistical realities of operating in an increasingly hostile environment. Every contribution helps ensure that this work remains accessible, accountable, and rooted in solidarity.

Thank you for your partnership, your trust, and your belief in the power of education and relationship-building to move us toward justice and dignity for all.

Wishing you all a Chanukah Sameach and better days ahead 

Miriam Alexander
Resource Development & Operations Director
Achvat Amim – Solidarity of Nations