Yesterday, I was going to share my thoughts on privilege and my experience and understanding of privilege since moving to Istanbul, Türkiye .
But as I sat down to write, the only thing that came to my mind, heart, and thoughts was.
Palestine.
The babies of Palestine.
The mothers of Palestine.
The fathers of Palestine
The men and women of Palestine.
The sisters, brothers, and siblings of Palestine.
The people of Palestine.
Palestine has been on my mind.
How can it not?
What has happened on and since October 7th has been heart-shattering.
Watching people die senselessly.
Watching babies' lives get cut incredibly short.
Watching as people create reasons why Palestinians deserve to die.
Watching people sell out their souls to a deep-rooted ideology, one that says for me to exist, you have to die.
In what world does that make sense?
Watching the only Palestinian in the US Congress be censured for saying "from the river to the sea."
Hearing politicians say things like "finish them," calls for Gaza to "be flattened," saying that all Gazans are antisemitic, and spreading unverified narratives, lies, and half-truths.
Listening to world leaders deny that there is currently an ethnic cleansing and genocide happening in Gaza, even though UN experts and trusted scholars say otherwise
What is also on my mind:
The hostages Hamas took. I think about them daily and wonder why they disappeared from the Israeli Governments narrative. They have been all but erased from their government's talking points. My heart aches for their families, and I can only imagine the pain and suffering they endure daily as they patiently wait for any news on their loved ones. I pray for all the hostages safe return home.
The Palestinians that are in Israeli jails—thousands of innocent men, women, and children detained without due process. I pray they are reunited with those they love.
The individuals who have seen and experienced horrors that no human should experience. I pray for their healing.
Those who have broken away from family, friends, and their once trusted community because they refuse to debate genocide. They refuse to argue about what it means to be worthy to live.
My heart aches:
For those who are still grieving the murder of their family and friends. Communities that have been uprooted and will never be the same. The trauma that these individuals will have to live with. I pray for the return of their sense of safety and peace of mind.
With the global community as we watch these atrocities unfold. Feeling heartbroken, we often wonder if anything we do will make a difference. We helplessly watch video after video after video of children in excruciating pain, children losing parents, parents losing children, and entire bloodlines wiped out. People go without food, water, shelter, toilet, and all the basic human necessities.
For the land that people call home. The earth. The sea. The olive groves.
My prayers are with those who never wanted this and found themselves in the crossfires of a colonial project that has been underway for the past 75 years.
I hold all of these communities deeply in my heart.
I am holding us all deeply in my heart.
They tell us this is what war looks like.
Maybe.
But do we have to accept it as such?
For the past few weeks, I have been doing my best not to lose hope in humanity. To hold a vision of something greater for us all. A vision that includes hope, peace, and, most importantly, love.
We have forgotten how to love. How to be IN love. How to be loved. How to speak love. How to live love as our only ideology.
I've heard so many say we cannot bomb our way to peace.
I couldn't agree more.
Violence begets violence.
Trauma begets trauma.
But healing also begets healing.
We must find a way through.
A way where broken hearts are mended.
A way where humanity isn’t a question.
A way where we are all on one accord.
The only prayer we can pray now is ceasefire.
Get into action.
Call your member of congress and ask for a ceasefire now!
Jewish Voice For Peace - go to their website, type in your information, and they will share a script and instructions on how to call your member of congress.
5 Calls - makes it incredibly easy for you to call your local congressperson about issues that are close to your heart. Download the app, type in your info, and they will walk you through how to call your congressperson, and also provide a script of what to say.
What is soothing my soul:
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