Week 1: Kumi New Year

Week 1: Kumi New Year

January 1 to 7

Welcome to a new year of Kumi Now! As you look back at your own year past and forward to the year ahead, we at Kumi Now are doing the same. So, first of all, consider letting us know what you thought of the last year of Kumi Now, and what we should do differently in the coming year. 

Chances are this isn’t your first week of Kumi Now. But even if you are a Kumi Now expert, it is a good idea to take this week and review the basics of Kumi Now and how (and why) it all works. And if you are ringing in the new year by joining Kumi Now, then welcome! You’ve made a great new year’s resolution. Here’s what you can do this week to get started:

Read the Launch Manual on page 22: This will give you a step-by-step guide to getting Kumi Now running as an individual or as a group.

Understand the “Why” of Kumi Now: Read Bible Study on Mark 5:21–43 on page 7 and Why Nonviolence? on page 13.

Get connected: Register on KumiNow.com to receive the weekly newsletter and gain access to our Kumi Now Online Gatherings and follow Kumi Now on social media:

Set your Kumi Commitment for the year: Consider how much time and for how many weeks you want to participate this year. You can record your commitment on the form you will find at the front of this book. Don’t worry! No one will question you about meeting your commitment. Rather, it is a goal and motivation for yourself.

Be a Kumi Ambassador: You can help grow the Kumi Now movement in two ways:

  1. Are you working by yourself? Is your Kumi Now group stuck at the same size it has been for months? Think about what you can do let other people know about Kumi Now and encourage them to join. Are there clubs at school that might get involved? Or social studies teachers that would be interested? Or groups at your church? Or friends or adults?
    Set yourself another little goal, just in your head. Something like, “I’ll tell 3 people about Kumi Now in person.” Or, “I’ll email 5 people about Kumi Now.” Or, “I’ll share the Kumi Now initiative on 2 social media networks.”
    You can use a message and hashtags like, “Do you know about Kumi Now? It is an initiative to unite people everywhere in support of Palestine and international law. Register at KumiNow.com. #KumiNow” Post your message on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
  2. Do you know of any organizations that should join? While there are already dozens of diverse and exciting organizations taking part in Kumi Now, there are many more that should be working together to increase their effectiveness. Let them know about Kumi Now, or let us know about them and we can let them know someone thinks they should join.

Learn more about Palestine: Finally, to be both most effective and taken seriously as an activist, it is important to know about the subject. How much do you know about the Palestinian situation? Once you register on KumiNow.com, you will receive a link to a formative quiz that will give you an idea of how much you know and provide some suggestions on how you can learn more. But you can always flip to the Additional Resources section at the back of this book (page 458) and find a film or documentary or book that can help further your knowledge. Or, find additional resources on the website at https://kuminow.com/resources.

That’s it, for now. We look forward to working with you throughout the year, participating in nonviolent actions and building worldwide solidarity for the Palestinian cause. Together we can rise up!

Additional Resources