Madison-Rafah Journal

Friends,

Thank you so much for your support of the Rachel Corrie Ramadan Soccer Tournament for Youth. Because of your kind contributions we made our goal and the event was a huge success. Twenty teams of youths and mentors played as neighbors in an uplifing community event. Together we helped created a genuine community space where Gazans could meet to heal the wounds of internal violence. Already plans are forming for next year's tounament and we hope you will be there with us to make it happen.

To get all the updates, photos and commentary, please visit us at Rachel Corrie Ramadan 2008 Cup.

Sincerely,
John Harvey and Andrew Ford Lyons

Friday, October 3 from 12 noon - 2 pm
Saturday, October 4 at 7:30 pm
Anderson Auditorium, Predolin Humanities Center
Edgewood College

We are pleased to announce that Edgewood College will host two performances of the play My Name is Rachel Corrie in October.

My Name is Rachel Corrie was created from the writings of Rachel Corrie, an American peace activist who was killed in Gaza in 2003. Brittany Jordt, who performed before standing-room only audiences in Madison last spring, will again play the role of Rachel.

These are expected to be the production's final Madison performances. Both performances will be free and open to the public.

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Dear Members and Friends of MRSCP,

We have been asked by some of our friends from Olympia, Washington, Rachel Corrie's home town, to solicit support for an ambitious new undertaking to benefit the young people of Rafah.

In September, during the month of Ramadan, the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme (GCMHP), one of our partner groups in Rafah, plans to host the first ever all-Rafah youth soccer tournament. They hope that this tournament will begin the process of establishing a soccer park and organized soccer leagues in the war-ravaged Rafah community, providing a healthy outlet for Rafah's youth (over half the population of Gaza is under 18).

Organizers have set a modest but critical goal of raising $2,500 by August 1. MRSCP has agreed to contribute $500 to this cause. We urge you to join us.

Tax-deductible U.S. donations will be channeled through the Gaza Mental Health Foundation, an approved 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Please do not make out checks or send donations to MRSCP.

As always, we thank you for your support!

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Shafia Powell and her friend Nabila have generously offered to host a garage sale next weekend to benefit the Rafah Youth Soccer Tournament planned for this September.

THE SALE WILL BE ON MADISON'S NORTH SIDE AT 3601 MARCY LANE, OFF OF TROY DRIVE. THE TENTATIVE HOURS ARE:

FRIDAY, AUGUST 8, 12 NOON - 5 PM
SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 9 AM - 5 PM
SUNDAY, AUGUST 10, 9 AM - 3 PM

Tournament supporters in the U.S. were successful in raising the money needed to launch the tournament and will shortly be doing "Phase 2" fund raising to support it.

IF YOU HAVE ANY ITEMS TO DONATE TO THE SALE, please contact Nabila at 242-9179 to arrange to drop them off. If you need help transporting donations please contact Shafia at 772-5744. Holy Land Olive Oil should be available at the sale as well.

Please help us spread the word about this sale. And as always, thanks for your support.

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The Madison production of the play My Name is Rachel Corrie, featuring Brittany Jordt in the title role, will be performed in Door County from July 25 to 27:

Friday, July 25 and Saturday, July 26 at 8 pm
Ephraim Village Hall
9996 Water Street

Sunday, July 27 at 2 pm
Baileys Harbor Town Hall
2392 County Hwy F

$7 general admission, $3 students

For ticket and general information call 608-278-0483 or e-mail rafahsistercity (at) yahoo.com. Tickets will be available at the door, or you can reserve tickets by leaving your name and phone number, the performance you wish to attend, and the number of tickets desired. Your reservation will be confirmed by return call. Tickets must be picked up and paid for at least one-half hour before play time.

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“My Name is Rachel Corrie”

A. David Dahmer, The Madison Times, 13 March 08

Cindy and Craig Corrie stopped in Madison to see the opening of “My Name is Rachel Corrie,” a play based upon the writings of their daughter, Rachel Corrie, who was killed by an israeli military bulldozer in Rafah, Gaza, on March 16, 2003, while defending a Palestinian home from demolition.

Craig Corrie says that since she was very young, his daughter, Rachel Corrie, always connected to marginalized people in society.

“She felt that we were all common people here on earth and that we share far more similarities than differences,” he says. “She believed that when things aren’t right, it demands action for our fellow human beings.”

According to seven international eyewitnesses, though she was clearly visible, young Rachel Corrie was run over and killed by an Israeli military bulldozer in Rafah, Gaza, on March 16, 2003, while defending a Palestinian home from demolition.

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Amelia Cook, Isthmus, 03/08/2008

On March 16, 2003, Rachel Corrie, 23, was killed by an Israeli bulldozer while trying to prevent the destruction of a Palestinian home in Rafah, in the Gaza Strip. Those who saw it happen called it murder. The nation of Israel called it an accident. After Rachel's death, her account of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — told via emails to her family — was published in London's The Guardian to great acclaim.

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JEFF SCHORFHEIDE/Herald photo

Adrian Pijoan, THE BADGER HERALD, March 7, 2008

Rachel Corrie, a 23-year-old American peace activist, was killed in 2003 while volunteering for the International Solidarity Movement in the Gaza Strip. Corrie was fatally injured while attempting to prevent an Israeli military bulldozer from demolishing a Palestinian home in the city of Rafah. While the Israeli government claims the bulldozer was not the cause of the young activist’s death, seven international eyewitnesses and the U.S. State Department maintain Corrie was crushed to death by the bulldozer even though she was wearing a bright orange vest and in plain view of the driver. Tonight, a play based on her life and writings, “My Name is Rachel Corrie,” opens at the Orpheum Theatre.

Before the play opened, Corrie’s parents, Cindy and Craig Corrie, spoke with The Badger Herald, and they expressed their hope that people will realize that this play is fundamentally the story of the life of an American girl, albeit one who had a long-term interest in marginalized peoples.

“It’s not just 90 minutes of diatribe about what she’s seeing in Gaza,” Craig Corrie said. “Some of it’s very funny. People don’t realize that. It’s sort of about a kid. There’s a lot to it.”

After Corrie passed away, her parents felt it was necessary to deliver the story of her life to the public. The Royal Court Theatre in London, intending to produce a play, requested access to Corrie’s writings and received them near the end of 2004.

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