Collection inventory

Overview of the Collection
Creator:	Syracuse Area Middle East Dialogue Group
Title	Syracuse Area Middle East Dialogue Records
Inclusive Dates:	1980-2021
Quantity:	2.5 linear ft.
Abstract:	Clippings, correspondence, and administrative records of the Syracuse-area dialogue and advocacy group.
Language:	English
Repository:	Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Ave., Suite 600 Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center/university-archives

Biographical History

The Syracuse Area Middle East Dialogue (SAMED) Group is a group of Arab. Palestinian, Jewish, and other concerned Americans that engage in conversation and promote amd advocate for a peaceful resolution to conflict in the Middle East. SAMED first came together in 1981, aiming to connect a divide between the Palestinian and Jewish communities in Syracuse. The group has limited membership to ensure balanced representation of the concerned communities. Meetings, which rotate between the homes of members, include administrative discussions, such as planning and scheduling meetings with congressional candidates and current legislators, as well as frank conversations about current events in the Middle East, and strategies for getting a concise and collaborative message out to members of the communities most impacted.

SAMED has issued several public statements about conflict in the Middle East, only publishing them when an overwhelming majority of the membershipagrees to do so. Their statements most often call upon individuals and governments to support peace efforts in the Middle East. To achieve this aim, SAMED has maintained an unwavering position of non-violent action and diplomatic negotiations.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Syracuse Area Middle East Dialogue (SAMED) Records span the years 1980-2021 and are divided into four categories: Administrative records, Correspondence subject files, Printed material, and Public statements.

Administrative records include by-laws, meeting minutes, and extensive internal correspondence. The internal correspondence primarily pertains to meeting planning and discussion of current events in between meetings.

Correspondence subject files contains correspondence between SAMED members and outside individuals and organizations, primarily with American political figures. The series also includes writings by individual SAMED members outside of official SAMED work.

Printed material comprises clippings of items written by individual SAMED members, often in conjunction with public statements, as well as clippings about SAMED's work and mission. Also included are miscellaneous articles which pertain to the history, politics, and public opinion of Israel and Palestine, particularly in reference to conflicts and peace treaties.

Public statements consists of statements that have been issued by SAMED as a whole regarding politics in the Middle East, particularly regarding Israel and Palestine. Statements include responses to United States diplomacy and political involvement in the Middle East, Israel-Palestine peace actions, and declarations of SAMED's beliefs and mission.

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Arrangement of the Collection

Correspondence-subject files are arranged alphabetically by name of individual or organization. All other series are arranged alphabetically by topic or type of material. Within the Administrative records series, internal correspondence, meeting minutes, and clippings are arranged chronologically; all other subseries are in no particular order.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advance notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Related Material

See also: the Louis Kriesberg Papers. Louis Kriesberg was a Syracuse University professor from 1967-1997 and is one of the founding members of SAMED.

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Subject Headings

Persons

Corporate Bodies

Subjects

Places

Genres and Forms

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Syracuse Area Middle East Dialogue Records (SAMED),
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of Syracuse Area Middle East Dialogue and Louis Kriesberg, 2025.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: Calvin Silver
Date: 23 Sep 2025
Revision history:

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Inventory

	Administrative
Box 1		By-laws
Box 1		Correspondence 1980-2021 (20 folders)
		Membership
Box 2			Membership materials 1989-1992, 2011
Box 2			Rosters 1981-2016, undated
Box 2			Stationery undated
Box 2		Minutes 1984-2013 (2 folders)
Box 2		Notes undated (2 folders)
Box 2		Principles undated - Contains SAMED's guiding principles and committment to peace as a group.
Box 2		Public events 1986-2011, undated
Box 2		Website development 2013

	Correspondence subject files
Box 2		9/11 response 2001
			See also: Public statements: Iraeli-Palestine Peace is Possible [9/11 Statement].
		American Committee for Middle East Dialogue (ACMED)
Box 2			Conference 1985-1993, undated - Contains conference planning documents, notes, contact information for attendees, program information, and printed material for the conference. (2 folders)
Box 2			Proposals 1981, 1985-1986 - Contains proposals for the development of the conference and conference programs.
Box 2		American Friends Service Committee 1980-1995
Box 2		Americans for Peace Now 2001-2016
Box 2		ASPIRE 1991-1992
Box 2		Baker, James A. 1989-1990
Box 2		Boycott, Divest, Sanction (BDS) 2019
Box 2		Buck, Minna R. 2006-2007, undated - SAMED member
Box 2		Central New York Interreligious Committee on Peace in the Middle East 1988-1994
			See also U.S. Interreligious Committee for Peace in the Middle East.
Box 2		Clinton, Bill 2000
		Conference on Human Rights and Peace in the Middle East
Box 2			General 1986-1988 (2 folders)
Box 3			Syracuse Journal of International Law and Commerce 1987 - An special issue of the journal was published to contain the papers presented and discussed at the conference.
Box 3		Congressional records 1982-2021
Box 3		Geneva Accord circa 2003
Box 3		Gillibrand, Kirsten 2013
Box 3		Interfaith Works 2012
Box 3		Kriesberg, Louis 1981-2013, undated - SAMED member
Box 3		Moynihan, Daniel Patrick 1982, 1999
Box 3		New York Times 1982, 1985
Box 3		Obama, Barack 2009
			See also Administrative: correspondence 2009.
Box 3		Pooler, Rosemary 1988
Box 3		Rabbis for Human Rights 2003
Box 3		Reagan, Ronald 1982-1983
Box 3		Road Map Israel-Palestine 2003
Box 3		Schumer, Chuck. 1999-2012, undated
Box 3		Schwartz, Richard D. 1980-2003 2018-2019 - SAMED member
Box 3		Shalom Center 2003
Box 3		Trump, Donald 2017-2018
			See also: Public statements: Embassy move to Jerusalem.
Box 3		United Nations Security Council 2016-2017 undated
Box 3		U.S. Interreligious Committee on Peace in the Middle East 1988-2003, undated (2 folders)
			See also: Central New York Interreligious Committee for Peace in the Middle East.
Box 3		Walsh, James P.
Box 3		A, miscellaneous
			Afro-American Studies Program (Syracuse University); American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC); American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC); Al-Haq; American Council for Israeli-Palestinian Friendship; American Professors for Peace in the Middle East
Box 3		B, miscellaneous
			Baskin, Gershin; Beit-Hallahmi, Benjamin; Bleier, Brent; Blue White Future; Brit Tzedek; Brulé, Joe; Buerkle, Ann Marie; Bush, George W.
Box 3		C, miscellaneous
			Camp David; CBSCS; Churches for Middle East Peace; Church and Society Committee; Clinton, Hillary; Coalition for a New Foreign and Military Policy; Coexistence Initiative
Box 4		D, miscellaneous
			Dallal, Shaw; Dehority, Shirley; Directory of Dialogue Groups (2)
Box 4		E-F, miscellaneous
			Ehrenkranz, Joseph H.; Fadda-Conney, Carol; Fein, Leonard; First Presbyterian Church; Friends of Tents of Nations North America
Box 4		H-I, miscellaneous
			Hagenloh, Paul M.; Hopkins, Paul A.; Institute of Human Relations Press; Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism (INSCT); Interns for Peace; IPCRI; Israel and Palestine (publication); Israel Task Force of the Jewish Community Relations Council
Box 4		J-L, miscellaneous
			Jabaji, Nadim Nabil F.; Jerusalem Fund; Jewish Community Center; Jewish Peace Lobby
Box 4		M-N, miscellaneous
			Maps of Israel, Palestine, and West Bank; Mitzna, Amram; Mondale, Walter F.; NCCCUSA; Nusseibeh-Ayalon Agreement
Box 4		O, miscellaneous
			Oasis of Peace; Obeid, Anis I.; Oz, Amos
Box 4		P, miscellaneous
			Partners for Peace; Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO); Presbytery of Cayuga-Syracuse
Box 4		S, miscellaneous
			Shultz, George P.; Sultana Ensemble; Symposium for All Faiths on Palestinian-Israeli Reconciliation; Syracuse Coalition in Observance of the First Anniversary of the Palestinian Intifada
Box 4		T, miscellaneous
			Tal, David; Theological Understanding of the Relationship Between Christians and Jews; Tikkun
Box 4		V-W, Miscellaneous
			Volunteer Center; Washington Institute for Near East Policy; Webster, Gordon V.; Wortley, George C.

	Printed material
		Clippings
Box 4			About SAMED 1980-2019
Box 4			By SAMED group 1982-1997, 2001-2021 (2 folders)
Box 4			Miscellaneous 1988-2014 - Primarily consists of articles about various conflicts between Israel and Palestine. (7 folders)
Box 5			Miscellaneous 2015-2020, undated (4 folders)

	Public statements
Box 5		Between Hope and Despair 1980-2021
Box 5		Consensus 1980-1989
Box 5		Declaration of Conscience 1990
Box 5		"Dialogue" [3 statements] 1987
Box 5		Current State of the Middle East 2003
Box 5		[Embassy move to Jerusalem] 2018
			See also Correspondence subject files: Trump, Donald.
Box 5		[Halting implementation of Oslo Accords] 1996
Box 5		[Human rights] 1989
Box 5		Iraeli-Palestine Peace is Possible [9/11 Statement] 2001
			See also: Correspondence subject files: 9/11 Response
Box 5		[Kuwait] 1991
Box 5		Middle East Dialogue 1984
Box 5		[Occupation of Greek Orthodox hospice] 1990
Box 5		Open letter to the Jewish community 1990
Box 5		[Palestine National Council] 1988
Box 5		Path Toward Peace 1984
Box 5		[Reaffirming necessity of peace] 1986
Box 5		Rewarding nonviolent action 2012
Box 5		[Suggested initiatives] circa 1980-1983
Box 5		Support John Kerry's mediation 2013
Box 5		Two Candles Have Been Lit 2003
Box 5		[Urging U.S. involvement in peace negotiations] 2014
Box 5		Miscellaneous 1980-2015, undated (2 folders)

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