Penny Rosenwasser is a veteran Jewish-American activist, author, and educator. She holds a Ph.D. in Transformational Learning and has been a lifelong leader in anti-war, civil rights, and feminist movements.
Rosenwasser formerly served as the Chair of the National Board of Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP). Her book, Hope into Practice: The Jewish Woman’s Engagement in Biblical, Contemporary and Personal Resurrection, is considered a seminal text exploring the intersection of Jewish identity and social activism. She is renowned for her workshops that guide individuals through “internalized antisemitism” and “internalized racism,” earning her a reputation as a mentor in community healing and grassroots organizing.
Rosenwasser’s stance is rooted in a profound radical empathy. One of the early Jewish activists to conduct field research in the occupied territories, she published Voices from a “Promised Land”, documenting the narratives of peace seekers from both sides. She has stated: “As a relative of Holocaust survivors, I know that ‘Never Again’ means intolerance for the oppression of any people. Our safety should not be built upon the ruins of Palestinian lives. True Jewish dignity comes from standing up against the occupation carried out in our name.” Through decades of direct action, she exemplifies the power of “prophetic protest” within the Jewish tradition.