Why Rebuild
Urgent Need * Mission * Vision * Guiding Principles * History * FAQ
Urgent Need
Human Rights Watch found the Israeli Defense Forces made 16,000 people homeless in Gaza since September 2000, regardless of whether their homes posed a genuine military threat (see Oct 2004 report, Raising Rafah: Mass Home Demolitions in the Gaza Strip). In observations confirmed by B'Tselem (an Israeli human rights organization) and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the pattern of destruction strongly suggests that Israeli forces demolished homes wholesale, regardless of whether they posed a specific threat, in violation of international law. In most of the cases Human Rights Watch found the destruction was carried out in the absence of military necessity. Read more....
Our Mission
The Rebuilding Alliance, a nonprofit organization, rebuilds homes and communities in regions of war and occupation. We advocate for government policies towards these regions based on human rights and international law. Through a mutual commitment to justice, we create alliances among our supporters, partners, and those who suffer injustice and violence, yet resist through rebuilding. Our projects are symbols of hope that help rebuild shattered communities and offer people around the world immediate ways to make peace, starting with the tangible support of a family's right to a home.
Our Vision
Vision is the desired state in the future. Here is the vision of the Rebuilding Alliance, as developed by our board during our strategic planning retreat on February 6, 2006.
- Concrete Viable Neighborhoods
- Constructive Engagement and Spiritual Inspiration
- Infrastructure, Culture, and Organizational WellBeing
- Diverse & Effective Alliances
- Policy and Advocacy
- Growth
Concrete Viable Neighborhoods
- Homes, schools, relationships rebuilt with reconstruction acknowledged as an important step in trauma recovery
- Completion of several concrete projects in different arenas which are symbolic
- Thoughtful and tested process that engages neighborhoods in rebuilding as response to demolition
- Earned recognition in core mission
Constructive Engagement and Spiritual Inspiration
- Leveraging rebuilding as symbol and vehicle of resistance
- Creating a model of reconstruction and reconciliation
- Defending the human right for housing
- Model for building peace without waiting for stalled political solutions
- Recovery, Rehousing, Revitalization, Restoration, Renewal, Recreation
- Being a focus for a vision of peace
- Improving public education and political participation
- Applying the paradigm beyond Israel and Palestine to other regions of conflict
Infrastructure, Culture, and Organizational WellBeing
- Strong Board; new members
- Financial stability with continuing focus on grassroots fundraising
- Health, energy, funding, staff, office, process of caring
- Palestinians, Israelis, staffed in TRA office
- Offices: Palo Alto (U.S.), Gaza, Jerusalem, Al Aquabah
Diverse & Effective Alliances
- Significant interfaith clergy involvement in TRA
- Partnerships with NGOs that re&house refugees, networks that aid the homeless, and groups that advocate for peace
- Creating new diverse networks and coalitions around inspiring projects
- Advancing sister cities and sister neighborhoods
Policy and Advocacy
- Increased flow of public and private funds for rebuilding projects
- Rebuilding whole neighborhoods — with financing in place to make this possible
- Established voice and advocate for a foreign policy that creates peace not conflict
Growth
- Hundreds Rebuilding Alliance locals, internationally
- Supporting and growing the grassroots base
- Solid capacity in the home office and branch offices overseas
- Family, Community, World Community, Home Office
