Divest from the Occupation: A Call to Action from Jewish Voice for Peace

As you probably know, activists across the nation are demanding that TIAA-CREF,  one of the largest financial services in the US, stop investing in companies that profit off of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian lands and peoples. Despite their  slogan of “financial services for the greater good,” they have recently censored a shareholder resolution calling for an investigation of these companies, and have moved their annual shareholder’s meeting from New York City to Charlotte, NC, in an attempt to avoid protests.

Please join us in a national action day telling TIAA-CREF, “You can run, but you can’t hide!”

When: Tuesday July 19, 12:00 PM
Where: TIAA-CREF Office, 2 N. Lake Avenue, Pasadena CA 91101

Let’s show powerful institutions in this country that they can neither hide from the injustice of occupation, nor from the growing movement for boycott, divestment, and sanctions. Despite their efforts to dodge protests, we will turn out in force on July 19th, the day of their National Shareholder Meeting—to prove them wrong, shame them for their act of censorship, and draw attention to the realities of occupation. We’ll be joining activists in dozens of other cities who will  take the streets at the same time.

Please distribute this information widely to your lists. If you are interested in learning more, or  in helping to organize, please reply to this email or contact Estee Chandler at LosAngeles@jewishvoiceforpeace.org.

We have a great, creative, and fun action planned!

This day of action is a point of escalation on the We Divest campaign, a nationwide campaign to demand retirement giant TIAA-CREF divest from companies that profit from the Israeli occupation (companies such as Caterpillar, Motorola, Veolia, Elbit, and  Northrop Grumman.) The campaign was initiated by Jewish Voice for Peace and is led by a coalition of groups including Adalah-NY, the US Campaign to End Israeli Occupation, Grassroots International, and the American Friends Service Committee.

We Divest activists who are also TIAA-CREF clients submitted a shareholder resolution  for the CREF annual meeting. TIAA-CREF responded by censoring our shareholder  resolution and then fleeing from their NYC shareholder meeting for North Carolina.

We need to show TIAA-CREF that they can run but they cannot hide! With your help, we’ll turn out in force on the day of the shareholder meeting. There will be an anchor event in Charlotte, North Carolina, outside of the CREF shareholder meeting.  Concurrently, if you help us, we’ll be one of 30 creative demonstrations at TIAA-CREF offices  all over the country.

If you haven’t been involved in a “creative action” before, this is  a fabulous time to jump in!

Peace and Hope,
Estee Chandler, Jewish Voice for Peace-LA Organizer

* Subscribe to our blog Muzzlewatch.
* Check out our new blog, The Only Democracy?
* Inspired by what we’re doing? Please donate now. Every donation makes a difference.
* Contact us directly at Jewish Voice for Peace. 1611 Telegraph Avenue, Suite 550. Oakland, CA 94612 510-465-1777 info@jvp.org