Dear Iqraa friends,

Hope. It’s spring again and, despite the causes of our sorrow, there’s reason to hope. In part, because life and history cycle continuously through ebbs and flows, akin to lunar cycles or the dualities of joy and sadness. We’ve had more than our share of grief lately, but spring always provides an opening for optimism.

There’s also the promising fact that we possess agency: we can act. 

To paraphrase Hamlet, we’ve suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, and now it’s nobler that we take action against this sea of troubles and pray that we can end them thus. 

Grass roots action. Hope lies in our action. So long as we can act, there’s hope. Even modest goals are worth our time and effort and, for most of us, the arena of action is local. Act where you are.

At the grass roots, we can all find options for action that are meaningful to us and that contribute to the cause of justice. On the local stage, we can all engage!

Options for action. There are so many things available for us if we look around in our community. And as we proceed, we’ll open doors to new opportunities. The action I’m highlighting most today is our running group, Iqraa (Read!, in Arabic), but if you’re not a runner you can do many other things to address the injustice in Palestine. 

If you’re not sure where to start, begin with an activity on/for Palestine that interests you. It may be a book club or a film group, or a committee at your temple, church, or mosque. You might join an advocacy team in your district, or a teach-in at your school, or a discussion with friends, family, or teachers. You can contribute to help whereever you feel most needed. And don’t forget to vote!

Commit. The important thing is committing to make a difference… to BE the difference. Perhaps we can’t always count on others, but we can count on ourselves to make a difference. And we can inspire others who’re on the fence or don’t know what to do. 

So don’t just sign up, show up!

Remember, when you act on behalf of something, you are representing. Be positive. Inspiration comes from positive energy!

Iqraa. Now, about Iqraa…We’re non-partisan and committed to education as a right for all. Palestinians deserve education as much as anyone, and too often are denied.  

At Iqraa, we’ll run for miles to bring education to Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza, and Jordan. 

How it works. You commit to training and raising funds in our partnership with United Palestinian Appeal, which is responsible for overseeing and implementing all the funds that Iqraa raises toward education. 

Iqraa provides training in partnership with Marathon Charity Cooperation, a coalition of charities that include Iqraa. We meet every Saturday morning from May to October at various trails in the DC metro area. You pick the race you want to complete and we help you achieve your goal. 

If I have to summarize us in a phrase, here’s our slogan….Iqraa: Running for a brighter Palestine! 

Upcoming dates. Come meet us at our 5k fun run on Apr 12 in Anacostia: Register here.

Or join us for an info session at UPA’s Dupont Circle office or by Zoom on Apr 16 (6:30 pm) or Apr 19 (1 pm).

Our first training session is May 3 at 8 am at Lock 6 on the C&O towpath.

Contact me for more info: kirkcruachan@yahoo.com. All are welcome to run with Iqraa!

Takeaway. I love this poem as an emotional takeaway; I had thought it was authored by the feminist and anti-fascist Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892-1950) but haven’t been able to confirm that. Call its provenance inconnue (unknown) and a mystery…

Spring

I am the sun, the wind, the rain,

I am the earth, the sky, the trees, 

I am the life that flows and grows,

I am the hope that never dies.

So let us rise,

And embrace the world,

With open hearts and hands,

And make our mark. 

Hope to see you on the trail this spring,

Kirk