'If We Lose Hope, We Lose Everything': Telling Life Stories of Jewish and Arab Women Waging Peace in the Midst of War
I try to post stories of hope or articles I think people need or want to read that are about activism or hope or courage. It's too painful to post the horrors of what is happening in Gaza and face the inevitable responses . . .
So...
Articles like this may give comfort to others here like me - or to some who may want to know more about real people and what they are doing and living with each day. This article from Haaretz is about a group of women, inspired by the amazingly inspiring Vivien Silver who was a peace activist murdered on Oct 7. The stories these Israeli and Arab women have collected are being published in a book "Women Write Hope: Arab and Jewish Women Share Their Journeys Toward Peace and Reconciliation." The book is a tapestry of female voices, each different, each shaped by its own heartbreaks and hopes, yet all linked by a common refusal to give in to fear or despair. The Hebrew edition was released earlier this year. The English version is now available, with an Arabic translation planned for the near future. I am still looking for the English version and will purchase as soon as I can find it. I have found the Hebrew version. Also below I found the Hebrew site for the book which does contain an excerpt "Julia's Story" in English that some could read if they wish.
Their most recent idea to create an anthology of life stories was born from a shared desire to honor one woman whose own life story cruelly reached its final page on October 7: Vivian Silver, a Canadian-born activist who spent decades advocating for Gaza residents and co-founded the movement Women Wage Peace. She was murdered by Hamas in her home in Kibbutz Be'eri, "in the very safe room I spent many nights sleeping in," Hani, a close friend of Silver's, recounts.
"Vivian wasn't well-known to the broader public until she was killed," Rubin explains. "But we shouldn't have to wait for tragedy to recognize the work these women are doing. We wanted to tell their stories while they were still alive."
"During that time, through all the darkness and death, there was an incredible surge in social activism" she continues. "We wanted to shine a light on the tremendous efforts that were taking place but not being talked about, as Israel went from bombing to bombing, and so much attention was placed solely on the suffering."
SNIP
The book opens with Lieblich's interview with Vivian Silver's son, Jonathan, who reflects on his mother's work and legacy in the wake of her death. What follows are 20 profiles of women – mothers, teachers, organizers – who have spent years fostering connection between people, communities and causes, often in quiet ways and at great personal cost.
Lieblich, Hani and Rubin all return to the same question: Why now? Why invite women to speak about hope, about shared futures, when the present feels so bleak? Because, they say, this is exactly the time. "I'm not disconnected from reality," Hani insists. "I understand the moment we're in. But I also know that if we lose hope, we lose everything."
"People abroad often feel they have to choose a side. I hope this book helps show just how much more complex the reality is, how many people from across the spectrum are determined to put an end to war and extremism." That, she says, is the book's underlying message and why it was so important for her that it be translated into English. "I want people who do not live here to understand that there are those who have endured, and are still enduring, unimaginable suffering, and yet continue to work toward peace. If they still believe it's possible, we all can." She hopes the nuance of multiple truths will resonate with international readers. "People abroad often feel they have to choose a side – declare themselves pro-Israel or pro-Palestinian. I hope this book helps show just how much more complex the reality is, how many people from across the spectrum are determined to put an end to war and extremism."
Like Hani and Silver and so many others, "Women Write Hope" has no easy answers. The book is not intended as a roadmap, a clear directive on how to achieve peace. Instead, it offers something just as important: a record of what it looks like to keep trying. A reminder that peace isn't a slogan or a summit – it's a daily decision to listen, to speak and to stay human, even when that feels impossible.
Important words.
Archive link to article: https://archive.is/xgj5t#selection-1383.0-1383.402]
Hebrew link about book that also contains a link to preview English version: https://www.womenwritehope.com/] has Julia's Story. Well worth reading.
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