Justice, Learning Together and the Path Forward

Dear Friends,
 

Amid the immense suffering in Israel and occupied Palestine, we welcome the recent ceasefire and the liberation of the hostages and captives on both sides as a desperately needed moment of respite. It brings a vital opening for life-saving aid and a pause to mass killing – though it is far from justice. This ceasefire wouldn’t have been possible without the power of the many millions who have raised their voices in solidarity with Palestinians around the world for many months, demanding an end to the genocide. Yet the root causes remain: Israel’s military rule, occupation, settler colonialism and apartheid - and so must the growing movement for a just peace.
 

As a community, we stand with Palestinians in their struggle for freedom and dignity. We support their rights to self-determination, equality, and return and don’t see them at odds with the needs of Jews or any other group in the region. As Jewish Voice for Peace writes:
 

"For two years, Palestinians in Gaza have endured unimaginable hell under the Israeli state's genocide with no reprieve. The Israeli military has razed Gaza to the ground, destroying entire neighborhoods and cities, demolishing the centuries-old infrastructure of Palestinian life, decimating the healthcare system, water supplies, electricity grid, schools, universities and cultural institutions. We know from our own history how the trauma of this campaign of annihilation will unfold for generations. Our only option is to be bolder and clearer in defense of Palestinian life and liberation.”
 

Two years ago, in the days following October 7, 2023, we wrote:
True courage lies in breaking the cycle of trauma, in refusing revenge, in loving in spite of it all. What’s escalating in the Fertile Crescent is a worldwide traumatic pattern, in which we’re all involved to greater and lesser degrees and in which we respond to the possibility of pain returning with defense and attack. We need deep determination and each other’s solidarity to leave this automatism of patriarchal systems behind.
 

That call remains. What’s unfolding in the Fertile Crescent reflects a global pattern of trauma and defense. Healing requires determination, solidarity, and the courage to love beyond fear - and we’re committed to this work. 
 

In this spirit, we invite you to join our three upcoming online courses – spaces to connect, study, and deepen our collective practice of healing and nonviolence in these transformative times. We offer all three courses on a gift-economy basis, allowing you to choose what feels right to pay, so that learning and connection can be accessible to everyone, regardless of financial means.
 

With love and unwavering commitment to justice.

Uri Ayalon & A’ida Al-Shibli
for the Tamera Community

Join us for the Olive Harvest and 3 New Online Offers