A screening of the Oscar-winning No Other Land documentary in 麻豆精选 was also an opportunity to raise funds for a Palestinian village.
The award-winning documentary was screened at the Central Okanagan United Church on Monday, May 19, with over 100 individuals in attendance.
The Canadians for Justice for Peace in the Middle East (CJPME): Okanagan Chapter and the Central Okanagan United Church put on the screening. While admission was free, $775 was raised by at-the-door donations, with all the funds going towards Masafer Yatta.
Masafer Yatta is a collection of hamlets in the West Bank that have been taken over by Israeli forces and systematically demolished. The documentary focused on the destruction of the community, which had been resisting forced displacement after an Israeli firing zone was declared on the land.
The donation of funds from the 麻豆精选 screening will help to launch a community centre, youth education and training, and emergency aid for individuals in Masafer Yatta.
Olive oil, dates, keffiyehs, za'atar, chocolates and coffee were also being sold at the screening, and $900 was raised from the goods. Funds will go directly to Palestinian farmers and their families, along with tuition support for students at Dar al-Kalima University in Bethlehem.
According to Debbie Hubbard of the CJPME: Okanagan Chapter, No Other Land was unavailable for viewing in the major theatre chains like Cineplex and Landmark.
"We thank you for being courageous enough to come out tonight to support the documentary," she said prior to the screening.
For more information on CJPME, visit cjpme.org.
