The If Not Now Movement (INN) is organizing a “shiva” on Monday in west Los Angeles to call for a ceasefire and mourn the deaths of “over 28,000 Palestinians and the over 1,200 Israelis killed on October 7.”
The event is organized on the mobilize platform, an event-organizing tool frequently used by political campaigns and non-profit organizations. The invitation does not list a specific address for the shiva, saying that it will share the location after interested people sign up for the event.
The invitation begins, “As the Israeli government tightens its chokehold on Gaza, we, Jews of Los Angeles, continue to stand with the Palestinian people and demand the Biden administration call for a ceasefire now.”
The event will be held throughout the day and is divided into seven timeslots for participants to attend.
During each time slot, described as a “shift” in the invitation, attendees will recite the mourner's kaddish, hear from speakers, and engage in “rituals” together. The invitation states that five of the seven shifts have “themes,” including a children’s shiva, a healthcare workers shiva, a labor shiva, a women’s shiva, and an LGBTQ+ shiva.
The invitation emphasizes that anyone is welcome to attend any shift regardless of identity.
What is the If Not Now Movement?
Five days after October 7, INN organized a “Public Mourners Kaddish” at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square to “[grieve] for Israeli and Palestinian lives lost – from this week’s violence and from decades of apartheid, occupation, and the ongoing Nakba.”
INN, based in Washington DC, describes itself as a “movement of American Jews organizing our community to end US support for Israel’s apartheid system and demand equality, justice, and a thriving future for all Palestinians and Israelis.” The organization claims it represents young American Jewish voices. It is unclear what percentage of this organization holds Jewish identity since both Jews and non-Jews are permitted to join as members.
It is unclear what their solution to the conflict is. However, the organization supports "Palestinians returning to the places they call home," alluding to the right of return.