Welcome!

Sign on to this form to get involved in committee work with the Jewish Voice for Peace San Diego Chapter on occupied Kumeyaay land.

Since Northward Spring 5785/2025, committee members commit to conflict resolution to ensure we can sustain these values and agreements within our chapter relationships.

This is a process outline we developed for keeping ourselves accountable to these values and agreements:

• JVP-SD Chapter Conflict Resolution Process
  

Member Agreements

We envision a world where all people — from the U.S. to Palestine — live in freedom, justice, equality, and dignity.

Like generations of Jewish (and non-Jewish) leftists before us, we fight for the liberation of all people. We believe that through organizing, we can and will dismantle the institutions and structures that sustain injustice and grow something new, joyful, beautiful, and life-sustaining in their place.

In the following agreements, you will read some ways we can enact principled struggle together, and address or minimize the pitfalls and problems we may encounter while doing so. Our Member Agreements may change over time; if they do, we will all enter a collective process of changing them as needed. Currently, we ask all JVP-SD members to agree to the following:

Commit to JVP’s core values:
Accountability to Palestinian Partners; Commitment to Jewish Communities; and Racial Justice and Collective Liberation

Liberatory culture:
We are committed to uprooting racism, Islamophobia, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, ageism, antisemitism, Zionism, and all other forms of oppression. These systems of power may arise and manifest as mistreatment in meetings, in text communications, or in how we treat each other interpersonally. Uphold our vibrant and diverse community with respect and love.

Make space for all voices and perspectives:
Respect people’s need for space to weigh in on the conversation--online, in-person, over the phone. Whether in a team or project meeting, in conversations between smaller groups of chapter members, or in any setting in which JVPSD members are weighing in on a question or issue, if you’ve already had your say, please give others time to think it over and have their say.

Make requests rather than demands:
Bring opportunities, make requests, ask questions! But don’t make demands or expect your priorities to always match those of the organization.

Respect boundaries:
Request and confirm there is consent before initiating physical contact with others. Respect and abide by the boundaries people set in regard to personal space, personal information, their time and capacity. We ask all members not to touch someone else without consent. We also ask members to honor boundaries that people set verbally–without questioning them. We expect all members to engage in kind and respectful verbal and non-verbal communication throughout all JVPSD chapter work.  

Microaggressions:
The ways that people enact bigotry interpersonally are sometimes called micro-aggressions. They can include not listening or taking seriously someone’s perspective, misgendering, minimizing someone’s experience, feeling entitled to touch their hair or ask invasive questions about their body, history or identity, or making assumptions or generalizations about people based on their identities. While microaggressions may be made unconsciously, we commit to taking responsibility for the impact of our statements and actions, regardless of intent. We will provide support for people who perpetrate microaggressions to change their behavior, and we welcome dialogue about how this process can happen so that everyone feels welcome and valued in JVPSD.

Respectful communication:
Please communicate respectfully and approach any conflict that may come up with sincerity, in good faith, without any personal attacks. Use direct communication. Constructive critique and feedback is welcome, but personalizing, name-calling, or belittling someone else’s perspective or experience is never acceptable.

Threats:
We have a zero tolerance policy for threats and physically aggressive acts or intimidation. Any threats should be reported to the culture team, and will be handled on a case-by case basis.

Keep non-public information private:
We work in an embattled political climate, and discretion and confidentiality is critical. Sharing information that was explicitly intended to stay private/within the group is unacceptable, including personal information or using people’s personal images without their permission. When in doubt, please ask for consent before sharing someone’s words or information.

Enter dialogue in good faith:
Assume positive intent. Ask genuine questions, and give honest responses. Repeated, judgmental or interrogative questioning may be hurtful or interpreted as attack; this approach is not tolerated.

Welcoming a broad community of participants and fellow travelers:
JVP is an anti-Zionist organization, but members come to our organization from non-Zionist and anti-Zionist-curious positions. As JVP-National writes: “If you aren’t yet with us, but you are heartbroken or confused, questioning or searching for a justice-centered Jewish home, come as you are” –and we will welcome you.

Commit to shared politics when representing JVP:
When you are in a position where you are representing JVP San Diego, please make thoughtful decisions to best represent JVP's politics, rather than your personal politics (which may or may not be fully aligned).

Public speaking:
If you want to speak on behalf of JVP San Diego, please communicate with a member of the Coordinating Committee for approval, guidance, agreements, and talking points. If you are speaking publicly on your own behalf, speak freely! As needed, we ask you to directly state that you are not speaking on behalf of JVP San Diego.

Constructive feedback and accountability:
Whether a problem arises that feels personal, political, or organizational, we ask all JVP-SD members to provide and openly receive constructive feedback and proactively attend to conflict as an opportunity for learning and growth. We ask all members for direct communication about any problems rather than a public airing of grievances. When a problem cannot be resolved directly by the people involved, please communicate with the Coordinating Committee.

Paying Dues To JVP National: