Save the Sumarin Family’s Home
A Campaign developed with the Sumarin Coalition
Take Action:
The Sumarin Grandchildren. Photo by David Shulman
(1) Email Congress to ask them to make two calls on your behalf to the U.S. State Department and to the Israeli Embassy to recognize the right of the Sumarin Family to remain in their home
(2) Email the KKL-JNF, JNF USA and other affiliates to press them to settle the case and keep the family in their home.
(3) Give to Help the Sumarin Family Go to Israel’s Supreme Court Your contribution will give the Sumarins a chance at reclaiming their home. Donate to a landmark case to disable a law that is used to displace Palestinian families in East Jerusalem.
Fact Sheet: The Sumarin Family Home in Jerusalem and Why it Matters
Status:
June 24, 2020:
Here is Home: A Virtual Tour from the Western Wall to the Sumarin Family Home
On June 24, 2020, House and Senate staff and constituents paid a virtual visit to the endangered Sumarin family in Silwan, East Jerusalem. Hagit Ofran of Peace Now and Rabbi Arik Ascherman of Torat Tzedek hosted this tour, and Amal Sumarin welcomed them into her home.
The fate of the Sumarin family may be decided in an appeal on June 30th. Thirty years ago, the Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) asked the Israeli government to seize the family home based on Israel’s Absentee Property Law even though the family had rightful title and were never absent! The KKL-JNF swapped other holdings to acquire the property and has sought to evict the family ever since. Once acquired, the KKL-JNF has transferred many other seized properties to settler groups dedicated to "Judaizing" East Jerusalem.
The Sumarin case not only impacts the 18 family members living in the Sumarin family’s home, but is a portent of massive potential dispossession if there is an annexation in the occupied West Bank.
June 13, 2020:
130 Congress Offices want meetings with Constituents about Sumarin Family
Good Start: so far, some 130 Congressional Offices have written back to request a telecon briefing to learn how to prevent the expropriation of the Sumarin family home in East Jerusalem — Democrats and Republicans, both Senate and House. A guest speaker will join from Jerusalem to speak on behalf of the family and we’re inviting the Constituents who sent a letter to join each briefing because your ask is the reason they take action.
If you haven’t already, please Email Congress now to ask them to make two calls, to the U.S. State Department and to the Israeli Embassy, to recognize the right of the Sumarin Family to remain in their home.
Most offices want a list of constituents before they schedule the briefing and if you live in — or if you know anyone who lives in — one of these states or districts we especially need your help. The staffers want to meet but so far, there aren't any letters from their state or district. Please forward this link to friends https://actionnetwork.org/letters/save-sumarin-family-home/ asap so we can set-up the following briefings:
— Senate offices in Idaho, Kansas, Nevada, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and West Virginia;
— House offices in California-27 (Chu-D), California-44 (Barragán-D), California-23 (Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy-R), Indiana-02 (Walorski-R), Kansas-03 (Davids-D), Michigan-13 (Tlaib-D), Pennsylvania-06 (Houlahan-D), Texas-07 (Fletcher-D), Texas-29 (Garcia-D), Washington-06 (Kilmer-D), and UT-3 (Curtis -R).
Great news: so far, 42,912 emails have been sent to the Jewish National Fund. If you haven’t already, email the KKL-JNF, JNF USA and other affiliates to press them to settle the case and keep the Sumarin Family in their home. One of the performers in the JNF fundraiser on Sunday, Ethan Herschenfeld, the comedian, actor, and opera singer, is speaking out on the issue (see his letter below).
Lastly, you are invited to join a virtual meeting with the Sumarin family this Sunday morning (June 14th) at 12-4 pm Eastern | 9am-1pm Pacific | 11am-3pm Central | 7-11pm Jerusalem time, sponsored by the group, Ir Amin, one of the members of the Sumarin Coalition. To register for the Zoom, click this link: https://forms.gle/UugWjF57wdHY6kmA9. The event will be in Hebrew with English subtitles and will also be broadcast on Ir Amin’s Facebook page.
Thanks for your help with this. It is one home, 3 generations of one family — and a precedent that may impact thousands of Palestinian families.
P.S. A broad coalition is forming to save this home, and frankly, that's what it will take to recognize this Jerusalem family's rights and protect Palestinian homes and property. If your group wants to join the coalition, invite them to sign the letters and reply to this email.