As we welcomethe Jewish new year, we look back at the year behind us to address ourcomplicity in the many injustices of our time by recommitting to our collectiveresponsibility for justice and humanity. In particular, we reflect on the commonplight and struggle of political prisoners and the many people across the worldwhose dignity is denied and liberty is threatened by mass incarceration andmilitary blockades.

We are inspiredin our struggle for justice by the sacrifice and courage of so many in the yearbehind us - the late Troy Anthony Davis, the Georgia prison strikers, Mumia AbuJamal, Ahmad Sa'adat, Leonard Peltier, the people of Gazaconfined to an open-air prison - and in front of us: the Palestinian prisonersand those jailed at Pelican Bay State Prison and other California prisons onhunger strike and carrying out civil disobedience in defense of the most basicof dignity and rights.

On September30, 2011, Palestinians across occupied Palestine - from the West Bank to theState of Israel to Gaza - put out a call for solidarity with Palestinianpolitical prisoners.  In response to this call, we Jews of conscience intend to startour fast of atonement a day early, on Friday, October 7, and take action todemand:

• An end to the isolation of Ahmad Sa'adat - General Secretary of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine;
• A meeting of the demands of the civil disobedience and hunger strike of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli occupation prisons;
• An end to the death penalty in the United States and all other places it remains a State practice
• A meeting of the demands of the hunger strike at California state prisons
• An end to the Israeli blockade on Gaza and unconditional and permanent opening of the Rafah crossing