First Conference Call Scheduled for Ceasefire NJ Project on Thursday, January 28

The first Conference Call Meeting for the Ceasefire NJ Project, now that it has newly merged under the umbrella of the Coalition for Peace Action (CFPA) has been scheduled for 7:30-8:30 PM on Thursday, January 28. If you are interested in being active in this important gun violence prevention project, please contact CFPA at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (609) 924-5022. The tentative agenda and the call-in number and password will be provided to you. The only cost of participating will be the normal  long distance charges of calling the conference call number. If you have unlimited long distance for your telephone, it is free.

New Jersey’s Premiere Gun Violence Prevention Group Merges Under CFPA’s Umbrella

We are delighted to announce that as the New Year begins, Ceasefire New Jersey (CFNJ), the state’s premiere gun violence prevention group, will merge under the umbrella of the Coalition for Peace Action (CFPA), and become a project of CFPA and its educational arm, the Peace Action Education Fund (PAEF). The boards of each entity have been exploring this option since the fall, and both recently voted unanimously to approve it.

The merger will utilize the strengths of each group to synergistically maximize effectiveness. CFNJ has a distinguished track record over the past 25 years, including passing and then preventing the repeal of New Jersey’s Assault Weapons Ban (still the strongest such law in the nation); and spearheading a broad coalition of over 50 groups in passing the first-in-the-nation Childproof Handgun Bill that mandates that all handguns sold in NJ be equipped with built-in technology that prevents them from being fired by anyone except the lawful owner.

Most recently, CFJN has co-founded and taken leadership in an interfaith campaign in Southeastern Pennsylvania called Heeding God’s Call, which succeeded in generating enough pressure from the faith community to close a gun shop last May in Northeast Philadelphia that was responsible for a substantial portion of illegal gun sales that were later used in violent crimes.

CFPA also has a long and successful history of interfaith leadership for peace and justice in the region, so there is a natural and mutually reinforcing collaboration that will increase effectiveness for gun violence prevention, as well as broader peace issues.

CFPA adopted “Halt Weapons Trafficking” as one of its three permanent priorities in 1993, in the wake of the first Gulf War. When the NRA tried to rescind New Jersey’s Assault Weapons Ban that year, CFPA decided that if it was opposed to trafficking weapons of war abroad, it should also opposed them in communities here at home.
Finally, CFPA brings strong administration and grass-roots organizing through its regional office overseeing 18 chapters and over 7,800 member and supporting households to the merger. Combined with CFNJ’s outstanding legislative and media successes, leaders of each group feel this is a win-win outcome.

The former board of CFNJ will re-constitute as a Project Committee of CFPA early in the new year. Any supporters of CFPA, or other interested people, are welcome to join that committee, whether or not they are members of CFPA. Please contact the CFPA office to join the Ceasefire Project Committee or for further information.

Supporters wanting to designate a gift for the work of Ceasefire NJ should now make their check payable to Ceasefire NJ (for lobbying work, not tax deductible) or to Ceasefire NJ Education Fund (for educational work, tax deductible). Checks should be mailed to the CFPA office at 40 Witherspoon St., Princeton, NJ 08542.