Dear Friend,

This year’s Nakba Ceremony is centered on Sumud in Humanity - but what does Sumud mean to us?

In places like Susya, Umm al-Khair, Bardala, and the villages of Masafer Yatta, Sumud is shaped by the conditions people are living under. Where building is restricted, it means rebuilding homes after demolition. Where land is under threat, it means continuing to farm and stay connected to it despite repeated settler attacks and pressure to leave.

In the Jordan Valley, where water networks and agricultural structures are damaged or removed, Sumud means restoring what is needed to keep going. In areas around Nablus and Hebron, it can mean showing up to the olive harvest even after trees have been burned or access has been blocked. In Masafer Yatta, where villages like Khalet al-Daba’a and Jinba face repeated demolitions under “Firing Zone 918,” it means staying in place even when everything is pushing you out.

Sumud looks different in each place, but at its core, it is the act of remaining and holding onto land, community, and the ability to live.