Sawa: Newton-Area Alliance for Peace and Justice
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“Sawa” means “together” in Arabic, and that’s our goal and our practice. Our mission statement says: Driven by a vision of collective liberation, our diverse peace alliance advocates for equality and justice for Palestinians, Arabs, and Muslims, and inclusion for all.
Open communication can nourish and strengthen relationships across lines of difference, so we are disappointed that our mayor, city council, school system, and other civic leaders have failed to provide a space to constructively talk about our complicity in the war on Gaza, nor have they acknowledged the war’s local impact on Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim families here in Newton. Talking about the devastation in Gaza is considered too uncomfortable, or even dangerous. Many are being falsely accused of being antisemitic just for standing up for the dignity and safety of Palestinians.
We believe that those who seek to polarize the Newton community are small in number, but their loud voices have led to dehumanization, harassment, and further silencing. Members of the Palestinian, Muslim, and Arab communities in Newton have experienced racist hate speech, harassment and censorship, and even death threats. Meanwhile, the statements that come from our public officials and neighbors express compassion for some but not for others. We are disappointed by the way that some city leaders have enabled this discrimination.
So we decided to take care of one another.
Sawa is a warm and diverse group, inclusive of Palestinians of various faiths and citizenships; Muslims from many countries and ethnicities; Arabs from many backgrounds; Jews including Israelis; and many others who support Palestinian human rights, all of us holding various intersectional identities. We are bound together by love, respect, and trust, inspiring us to take action together (sawa!) toward our collective goals of equality, justice, and peace.
To raise awareness about what it has been like for many of our families to live in Newton during these difficult times, we have met with Mayor Fuller, Superintendent Nolin, city councilors, school committee members, state representatives, faith leaders, teachers, and other members of the community. We have written letters and attended protests. We have held large meetings to discuss the experiences of Palestinian, Muslim, and Arab children in Newton schools and brought community leaders together to hear from Palestinians and Israelis. We advocated for calm civil discussion at the Nakba photo exhibit at the Newton library, and are supporting a city council “Letter for Peace” that calls for a ceasefire, release of all hostages, and humanitarian aid.
We are fervent in our belief that the freedom and security of all, including Israelis and Palestinians, are intertwined. We will continue uplifting this belief even when we are slandered and attacked.
Sawa: Newton-Area Alliance for Peace and Justice has more activities in the planning stages, and we look forward to widening our circle to include others who want to advance dialogue and to work for the safety and freedom of all peoples. We invite you to join us in any way that feels right for you. To learn more about the group or explore becoming active, please write to us at info@sawanewton.org.
