JVPNNJ in Action! – Jewish Voice for Peace

#HandsOff Marches & Rallies • April 5, 2025

We debated about joining this action: our issue was noticeably missing. Still, solidarity matters—as was said during the climate march a decade ago, “To change everything it takes everyone.” So we answered the call, in Morristown and Teaneck, and our signs and shirts were welcome, even if national organizers avoided mentioning Gaza or Ukraine and supported NATO. When the people lead, the leaders follow.

Morristown

The focus is a large homemade sign with the message “The ‘New Riviera’ will be Build on the Mass Graves of Children”. Visible marching ahead are a crowd of people holding other homemade HandsOff signs.

crowd of ralliers, some with signs, gathering on overcast afternoon

Teaneck

Man in a keffiyeh holds an immigrant-supporting sign that says “WE ARE HONORED”.

Close-up of the back of a man wearing T-shirt with the message “JEWS SAY CEASE FIRE NOW”, wearing a keffiyeh around his neck

Picatinny Arsenal/Rockaway Town Center • Dec. 28, 2024

We supported a Picatinny Arsenal Vigil/Action led by PAX Christi NJ. First we protested by a Picatinny Arsenal display at the Rockaway Mall. Security left us alone as we chanted and sang: “Bombs are dropping, while you’re shopping” and “We’re gonna join hands for Palestine, Ain’t gonna study war no more!” Mall-goers clapped and sang along with us. Then we went to the Picatinny Arsenal and tied to the fence photos of mothers, fathers, and siblings cradling children who had been killed by weapons that had originated in the US. These weapons, paid for with our tax dollars, were made even more lethal by the engineers at Picatinny and the weapons contractors such as BAE systems, General Dynamics, and Northrup Grumman who rent space at the Picatinny Arsenal base.

activists at the balcony outside J.C. Penney at Rockaway Town Center. Banners include Not Another Bomb, Veterans for Peace, and Picatinny Kills Children and Planet Too.

activists at the balcony outside Foot Locker and a Picatinny Arsenal display at Rockaway Town Center. Banners include Picatinny Kills Children and Planet Too; Not Another Bomb, Thou Shalt No Bomb, Veterans for Peace.

Activsts outside Picatinny Arsenal gate. Banners include Thou Shall Not Bomb, Veterans for Peace, and Picatinny Kills Children and Planet Too, and May the Weapons Be Stopped; They will NEVER bring Peace—Pope Francis.

Montclair Independence Day Parade • July 4, 2024

More than 40 people marched with us from our core group and beyond. They came from as far away as Princeton. A few people spontaneously joined us and put on one of our black shirts. We carried the big banner up front, saying END MILITARY AID TO ISRAEL. END THE OCCUPATION. Twenty of us also carried posters of individual children who have been killed. 18 of the children were Palestinian and 2 were Israeli. A long sign from the Newark Encampment told how many children have been killed and injured. We all wore black shirts. There were no chants. We gave away all our leaflets explaining why we were marching silently and giving facts about the conditions children face in Palestine. Spectators were mostly sympathetic. Some cried. Many indicated they were supportive of us, but they didn’t seem to quite know how to respond. (Cheers didn’t seem appropriate). We were a somber presence in a July 4^th parade. There were a few hecklers but no one tried to get in our face or disrupt us.

Many many thanks to the Palestinian printer who made our beautiful signs. Photos by Meera Jaffrey.

some 20 marchers in black T-shirts, most with dark slacks and wearing hats, in the Montclair 4th of July Parade. About half are holding signs reading We Mourn, with a photo of a young child killed in Palestine/Israel since Oct. 7th (of the 20 signs carried, 18 honored Palestinian children, 2 honored Israeli children)

Teaneck RE Protest • March 10, 2024

Hundreds of protestors marched from the Teaneck Armory to Congregation Keter Torah, where a “real estate fair” was discussing purchase of land in Israel, including the West Bank. Photos to come.

women with white hari and red knit cap wears a N-95 face mask and T-shirt reading “NOT IN OUR NAME”

Flags above the marchers during march: 3 Palestinian, 1 Democratic Socialists of America, and 1 Democratic Republic of the Congo under blue sky with cottony clouds and overhead wires

Hanukkah: A Live Menorah • Dec. 10, 2023

On Sunday, Dec. 10th—Human Rights Day—we had a Hanukkah celebration at Military Park in Newark. Our newest members joined us—one even as a candle!—as did members of the general public. Taking time to mark holidays even in dark times is important!

Military Park, Newark, rally on December 10. JVP members representing menorah candles with labels including movement, water, arbitrary detention, medical care, food, shelter, life, and the shamash reading “ceasefire” facing a group of onlookers — Military Park, Newark, Thursday, Dec. 10, 2023

Interfaith Communities for a Ceasefire • Newark • Nov. 13, 2023

With Central N.J. Jewish Voice for Peace, we led an interfaith rally outside Senator Booker’s office calling him to support a ceasefire.

Ralliers in Newark with Palestinian flags, front row holding posters of single letters spelling CEASEFIRE, last one holding the word Now.

NNJ JVP in Jersey City • October/November 2023

There have been three rallies in Jersey City: at Journal Square on Friday, October 20th, at Pedestrian Plaza on October 28th, and at City Hall on November 8th. A 4th event is being planned for November 21st.

packed crowd at rally on a sunny day in Pedestrian Plaza, Jersey City; people holding cardboard signs, Palestinian flag being waved by woman in hijab; speaker’s notes visible at bottom of photo — October 28th rally at Pedestrian Plaza, Jersey City.

March to End Fossil Fuels • N.Y.C. • Sept. 17, 2023

We joined a vastly diverse group of 75,000 marchers on Friday, September 17, 2023, at the March to End Fossil Fuels in New York City. Our flyer pointed out the connection between geopolitics and worsening climate change. Read more about why we joined the march here.

Marching in Montclair • July 4, 2023

About 8 members of Northern NJ JVP marched in the Fourth of July parade in Montclair, handing out literature on the latest israeli-settler violence in Palestine, info on the July film from Voices from the Holy Land, and the personal story of one Palestinian American and her family , both living and visiting Palestine. We were glad to get a good reception and gave out 400 flyers.

Members of NNJ JVP with banner and signs reading “End U.S. Military Aid to Israel” and “No Israeli Apartheid • Occupation • Oppression”

NNJ JVP Banner carried in parade behind Demolition Brass Band

Golden Rule Visits Liberty State Park • May 20, 2023

On Saturday, May 20th, 2023, the Veterans for Peace boat Golden Rule braved the wet weather to dock at Liberty State Park (actually, the rain really started when the event was well underway). The intrepid Solidarity Singers entertained, Kathy O’Leary of Pax Christie hosted, speakers were inspiring (including our own Joe Attamante), and we all left a bit more committed to a nuclear-free world.

Top, Golden Rule docked at Liberty State Park with its banner supporting the Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty; Left, activists gather alongside the boat before the rain; Right, Joe Attamante speaks as a member of host groups VfP Chapter 21 and Northern NJ JVP.

NNJ JVP Supports Ben & Jerry’s

After reading Stephen Shalom & Jon Moscow’s article in The Record (Oct. 4: https://njersy.co/3aCOjM7), we at NNJ JPV decided to put our principles into action—and have fun doing it! Five intrepid members decided to eat ice cream at the Ridgewood Ben & Jerry’s on a recent Sunday, and bring flyers to explain to customers and passers-by why we support Ben & Jerry’s principled decision not to sell their ice cream in illegal settlements—and why we were opposed to the N.J. law passed in 2016, sponsored by now-retiring senator Loretta Weinberg, that led the N.J. Pension Fund to announce divestment of its Unilever shares.