Bacon: Seeking Global Justice from a 'Jewish Perspective'

By Stacy Jeziorowski

Searching for your roots can lead to knowledge about yourself and about others.

This is true of Jesse Bacon, global justice organizer. In 1996, Bacon traveled to Israel, hoping to find a connection to his roots. Instead he found a deeper connection to a culture.

Bacon took classes in Hebrew and interacted with others in political debates. Eager to learn more, he made a return trip in 2001. During this time, Bacon built relationships with many Palestinians.

"By [this] time I had a lot of the information, but I didn't understand the importance of things like checkpoints and road blocks until I saw how much of the West Bank and East Jerusalem are slashed up by them and the cruel and impotent dictatorship of mostly young Israeli soldiers," Bacon said.

Bacon feels that because of the United States's role in these injustices, he should take responsibility.

Since 2000, Bacon has been active in Middle East peach with the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation. He works from Evanston at the Not In My Name chapter of the organization. It is a coalition of Jewish, Christian, Muslim and secular groups around the country, which is responsible for influencing legislators, media and grassroots education.

"I am hopefully the first of many regional grassroots organizers who will serve as a liaison to the Washington, D.C., office, recruit new individual and group members and strengthen cooperation among the groups," Bacon said.

Prior to this, Bacon worked with Welfare Rights Action helping advocate for the poor.

Bacon speaks from a Jewish perspective on violence in the Middle East at to church and secular audiences. He expresses his opinions with respect to his audience.

Bacon's presentation, "What's so hard about Palestinian Nonviolence?," notes the obstacles of the Palestinian nonviolence movement and how it could be further developed. He believes that people enjoy hearing a Jewish perspective, and has a strong support system.

"And since I have the support of my family, and my synagogue maintains a kind of official neutrality, I am not in danger of the kind of exclusion other people face," Bacon commented.

Bacon's other presentations include "A Dissenting Jewish Perspective," and "Divestment: How It Could Lead to Peace."

"I have very strong opinions, but I don't have all the answers," Bacon said. "I will definitely spur you to take your own action on this issue and not accept any excuses."

Bacon may be booked for speaking engagements through Voices-Exchange.