Jean Zaru

Jean Zaru was born in Ramallah, Palestine in 1940, eight years before the Palestinian diaspora. Her life has been devoted to dialogue and non-violent social change. Jean is the presiding clerk of the Ramallah Friends Meeting in Palestine and has served in that capacity for over 17 years. Recently, Jean spearheaded an effort with an international steering committee to restore the historic Meetinghouse and establish an International Friends Center with the aim of contributing to the building of a culture of peace and nonviolence in Palestine. In addition, Jean serves as a consultant and resource person for many faith-based organizations, including church related development agencies. In August 2008, a collection of her writings was published under the title, “Occupied With Non Violence: A Palestinian Woman Speaks”.