Madison-Rafah Journal

The Madison-Rafah Sister City Project was started in 2003 by a group of concerned citizens in Madison, Wisconsin and Rafah, Palestine.

The goals of the project are to build wider public awareness of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and lasting person-to-person relationships benefiting both cities.

The Madison-Rafah Sister City Project is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, and donations are tax deductible. The Madison-Rafah Journal is a discussion forum for the Project.

We staff information and crafts tables at all of our events and the events of other groups; we annually participate in Madison's Fair Trade Holiday Festival and Overture International Festival and Milwaukee's Arab Fest. Our speakers and op-eds are frequently carried by WORT, 92.1 The Mic, and local papers. We get event coverage by the Madison Times, Fitchburg Star, Capital Times, and Isthmus. The Madison-Rafah Sister City Project offers a Palestine Film Lending Library with a large number of films available for local educational or individual showings.

We belong to the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, the Madison Area Peace Coalition, the Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice, and the Wheels of Justice Network.

Partners in Rafah
Initially the Project worked through the municipality of Rafah and Mayor Said Zoroub, with assistance from the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights. Since the summer of 2005, our formal partner in Rafah has been Al Mezan, which now has a branch in Rafah. In addition the Family Support Committee has a direct working relationship with the General Union of Palestinian Women-Rafah Branch via Fatma Khatib. The health committee is working with the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme.

Organizational Structure
The Madison-Rafah Sister City Project has a six-person Steering Committee which reflects most project areas. Our current active committees include the Family Support/Crafts Committee, the Health Committee, the Olive Oil project and Public Policy Advocacy. In addition, we have an overall coordinator responsible for events notices and a weekly briefing, a website coordinator, a postering coordinator, a literature table & leafletting coordinator, a film coordinator, and a graphics designer.

We also have a Board of Directors and officers as required by our 501(c)(3) status.

Beyond that, we have a small army of members and volunteers, including active members of our committees and others who consistently help with all the events and fundraising, without whom nothing would be possible. Our e-mail list has over 300 local and 75 out-of-town contacts.

For more information, see Goals & Contacts.