A Quaker ‘Simple Meal’ for Ramallah Friends School
After Rise of Meeting, Poughkeepsie Friends gathered around tables for a shared lunch of homemade soups and fresh bread — a traditional Quaker “Simple Meal” fundraiser rooted in the testimony of simplicity.
The room was filled with warmth: steaming pots of soup, conversation across generations, and a shared commitment to peace and justice. Through this simple act of community, more than $1,000 was raised to support Ramallah Friends School in the West Bank, Palestine, and the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) Gaza Emergency Relief Fund.
Ramallah Friends School, founded by Quakers in 1869, continues to provide education grounded in peace, equality, and human dignity in the midst of ongoing conflict. Supporting the school reflects the long-standing connection between Friends in the United States and Palestinian Quaker communities.
Funds were also directed to American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) to aid humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza. AFSC, a Quaker organization committed to nonviolence and social justice, works to provide life-saving assistance and long-term support in communities impacted by crisis.
The Simple Meal itself was a quiet witness. Quaker tradition teaches that living simply allows us to redirect our resources toward the needs of others. By choosing modest fare — soup and bread — Friends embodied the belief that generosity does not require extravagance. Instead, it requires intention.
In Dutchess County and across the Hudson Valley, Quakers continue to live out their testimonies through community, compassion, and action. This gathering was a reminder that even small acts, shared in fellowship, can ripple outward in meaningful ways.
