On Friday, May 22, 2020, @RussellTheRunner from Toronto ran a one-person marathon to support the families facing eviction in East Jerusalem. Read more.
On October 18, @RussellTheRunner will return.
This time he will be dressed as Elmo in support of the children in East Jerusalem. His hope is to continue to bring attention to the grave situation for the children and their families in East Jerusalem. Perhaps a few Sesame Street friends will join him.
Just Peace Advocates is pleased to be able to support this urgent work of the Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem at this time by providing support for vulnerable families who are doing their best to stay safe, keep their homes and resist the efforts to change the demographics of Al Quds/Jerusalem.
Elmo and his Sesame Street friends have a history with Palestine.
Big Birds are rare in Palestine. Daoud Kuttab knows. The ups and downs of producing a world-famous children’s program quickly escalated into more than just teaching Elmo to speak Arabic like the new Palestinian characters, Kareem and Hanin. The executive producer of the Palestinian version of Sesame Street endured working under Israeli occupation, navigating through checkpoints and M15s, arrest, and personal tragedy. Animating hand puppets against a backdrop of the turbulent Palestinian-Israeli peace process drew him into exciting, tense times that made Cookie Monster’s search for sweets seem like child’s play. After a surprise phone call from Children’s Television Workshop, Daoud took the chance of a lifetime to create a Palestinian coproduction of Sesame Street.
Donations
This is a fundraiser for the Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem.
The Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem is the only Palestinian-led civil rights organization in Jerusalem fighting against the Israeli government’s policy of eliminating the Palestinian presence in Jerusalem through land theft, home demolition, or violent repossession of homes for Israeli settlers, and through family separation and forced displacement. Read more about CCPRJ
Donations for Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights Jerusalem made in Canada via etransfer to info@justpeaceadvocates.ca, or any where in the world through credit card on our donation page on this website.
You can donate $1, $2, or any amount you choose for each kilometer of this marathon*, or make a set donation. Your contribution will go to Just Peace Advocates, a Canadian not-for-profit which will ensure the funds raised go in their entirely to the Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem in order to support Palestinians in East Jerusalem facing threat of immediate eviction.
*a marathon is 42.2 kilometers
An update from @RussellTheRunner
Want to join in the Action
Want to join in the run and do your own walk or run–5 KM, 10 KM, half-marathon, marathon or any distance, to help support the Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem, contact info@justpeaceadvocates.ca
