Sumud is the Arabic word for determination, perseverance, and resilience. The Quaker Sumud project started in early 2024 as a book club at the Montclair Friends Meeting in New Jersey. We read Dr. Rashid Khalidi’s book, The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine, and felt inspired. While Sumud is still under the spiritual care of Montclair Meeting, it has expanded to reach Quakers across the U.S. with key lessons from the history of Israel/Palestine. The format of Sumud has also developed into seven live sessions with a structured teach-in component and queries for group discussion.
The Sumud curriculum includes a toolkit for each session that participants attend, plus several resources organized by theme for continued learning. All of these materials are available to access on this site. The only exception is Dr. Khalidi’s book, which participants are encouraged (but not required) to acquire and read, as its contents are the cornerstone of the Sumud curriculum.
The goal of this Sumud study is to anchor ourselves in the knowledge of the past, to be able to work more fruitfully for peace and justice in Israel/Palestine in the present. Some Friends might feel inspired to host a Sumud study of their own in their Quaker or other community circles. Please reach out to us to inquire about joining our next Sumud study or to host your own!