Dear friends,

Next week, the Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day ceremony will take place. This year it is especially important. We will mourn the immense loss of life and call for an immediate end to the war. We will offer a different vision. A vision of hope, a vision based on reconciliation and equality. More than a hundred children were killed this year in Israel, more than 14,000 children were killed in Gaza. Every child is innocent, and this year we will remember them together, Israelis and Palestinians.

Palestinian Singer Miriam Toukan writes, "I call the alternative Memorial Day Ceremony "the mirror meeting". Both sides have tasted the same sorrow and with all the pain of loss hovering, the ceremony is a point of light that is very focused and powerful, one aimed at hope. We await its return every year to derive more strength and inspiration from it and to help us move towards a common goal.

This year especially, we desperately need the ceremony, in order to revive our broken hearts that are lying in darkness and to spur us on in continuing to demand an immediate end to the war and an immediate return of the hostages. I personally will continue to raise my voice for a shared life with respect, freedom and security. Dedicated to an immediate dialogue that will achieve a just peace, no matter how dark our days and nights may be, and no matter how much justice is lost from our hands, we will continue to seek the good and promote solutions that guarantee our humanity, that will place the kindness and sanctity of life above every other interest."

We need your support to reach 100% of our fundraising goal for the ceremony - please share far and wide. We look forward to having you join us.

In Solidarity,

Carly Rosenthal

Communications and Development Manager, Tel Aviv