Karen Paul — October 16, 2026
Last Thursday evening in Washington, DC, a group of progressive Jews and their allies gathered in community to honor and celebrate their commitment to peace, justice, democracy and a better future for all Israelis and Palestinians. In other words, New Jewish Narrative held its annual gala, and over 130 friends from diverse backgrounds and communities came together in solidarity and with hope.
We came together as progressive Zionists, who have watched the Israel we thought we knew collapse under the weight of a fascistic, felonious government. We came together as Americans, who have watched the America we thought we knew collapse under the weight of a fascistic, felonious government. We came together as partners – joined by our Palestinian friends, our coalition partners in civil and human rights, our allies from the LGBTQ community, and more. We came together in a space which, only a year ago, was devastated by a terrible act of terrorism that resulted in the deaths of two young Israeli Embassy staffers. And on Thursday night, we recognized those young leaders, and invited the enthusiasm and hope they represented back into the room.
At New Jewish Narrative, we are dedicated to building a peaceful, just and democratic future for all. Our work to support this effort in Israel-Palestine is borne out of decades of work of the organizations that preceded us. And it weaves into the same work we invest in today in the United States, as we too find ourselves steeped in a polarized society, worn down by our horrific government, but on the brink of enormous change.
And while we can describe the tools we use to do this – advocacy, organizing, education, messaging that engages support – perhaps the most important aspect of our mission is to build a new movement for peace, one that engages communities across the globe. From our deep and longstanding partnership with Shalom Achshav, the foremost peace organization in Israel, to our interfaith work with Jewish and Muslim partners, to our involvement with the civil and human rights movements of our era in the US – No Kings, Jews Against Ice, Thrive – The Jewish Coalition to Defend Trans and LGBQ+ Youth, Good Trouble Lives On, and more – to our close relationship with Habonim Dror North America, the premiere progressive Jewish youth movement, New Jewish Narrative is at the forefront of building a peace movement for our times.
And this is why we gathered on Thursday night. This is why we brought together people who represented the many threads of our work. This is why we opened with music from beloved Israeli musician and peace activist David Broza, featured new adaptations of American protest songs from local musicians Jeff Weintraub and Benjie Porecki, and closed the evening with the remarkable Jerusalem Youth Chorus, which brings together Palestinian and Israeli teens who learn to process their pain, their fear, and their hope through song. This is why we highlighted important words from Maya Wiley of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, from Charlotte Clymer, a writer and activist in the LGBTQ movement and a member of our Progressive Leadership Cohort, from Rabbi Scott Perlo of Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation, from youth leaders in Habonim Dror, and why we invited our close friend Aziz Abu Sarah, the Palestinian author and peace builder, to be in conversation with Jenna Weinberg, a local strategist and philanthropist and friend of NJN. And this is why we honored the extraordinary activist and organizer Heather Booth alongside our close ally Senator Chris Van Hollen, both of whom shared their wisdom and passion for our work.
We came together in community to inspire continued action. We came together in community to share our mutual aspirations. And we came together in community to invest in ourselves for an evening, and recharge our batteries for the work and battles ahead.
NJN is a small but mighty organization. We have big goals. But none of it is possible without being in this work together. As colleagues. As supporters. As a movement.
Many of you already know that at the end of the year I am leaving my position at NJN to fulfill my dream of being a full-time writer. But I will remain a part of the NJN community, because there is no other place where I belong as a progressive Jew – one who still believes deeply in the promise of both the US and Israel. Please join me here. Together we can move mountains.
Karen Paul is the Director of Development at New Jewish Narrative and will be retiring in the winter with more than 30 years of experience in nonprofit development and fundraising. Her book, Cartography of Loss: A Widowhood in Essays, will be coming out this winter.
