Who We Are
The Union of Progressive Zionists (UPZ) is a network of student activists organizing on campuses across North America for peace and social justice in Israel and Palestine. The UPZ was created to provide guidance, education and resources to students who seek to impart a progressive voice into the campus debate on Israel. Extremist voices pushing rigid "pro-Israel" and "pro-Palestinian" positions have come to dominate the discourse on many campuses across North America, obscuring the issues and alienating significant numbers of moderate students. We are committed to creating an alternate approach to Israel advocacy that embraces open dialogue and constructive activism, and that warrants critical analysis of policies, be they Israeli, Palestinian, American or other.Our Goals
The goal of the Union of Progressive Zionists is to influence the next generation of Jewish community members and leaders currently on campus with a new brand of pro-Israel advocacy. We hope to:- Create a channel for Jewish students to have a credible voice about Israel on campus and in the Jewish community while staying true to their Jewish roots
- Build support within the North American Jewish community for a Palestinian state alongside Israel, with peace and social justice for all inhabitants of the Holy Land
- Foster opportunities for conversation, debate and exploration of Israel among Jewish and non-Jewish students is an open and dispassionate manner
- Transform Israel education on campus to better reflect realities in Israel and emphasize the need for pro-active efforts to progress toward a two-state solution
- Create democratic and pluralistic Jewish institutions that encourage open debate about Israel, helping to build a future Jewish community with a nuanced understanding of the complexities of Israel's past and present with an eye toward ensuring her future success
- Serve as a building block for a growing progressive Jewish movement in North America
Our Principles
The UPZ's vision for Israel is based on the following principles:- A just and peaceful resolution to the Arab-Israeli conflict
- The cessation of all terrorist activity and violence against civilians, Palestinians and Israelis alike
- An end to Israel's military, civilian and economic occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip
- A negotiated two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that recognizes the rights of self-determination for both peoples
- Social and economic parity for all citizens and residents of Israel
- The continued resolve of the U.S. and Canadian administrations and the North American Jewish community to hold Israel - and its advocates - to the values of democracy, social justice and pluralism