Changing Minds One Heart at a Time Shiri Ourian  Executive Director American Friends of the Parents Circle – Families Forum This article was published in the Winter 2020 edition of Perspectives: The Magazine of Promised Land Museum. Some have called it the saddest—and most optimistic—organization. Its own leadership says it’s the only organization that doesn’t … Continue reading Changing Minds, One Heart at a Time | Shiri Ourian

The Parents Circle has accomplished so much this year in the face of COVID-19, without permits and in the absence of political progress for peace.  Take a look back on 2020: On Tour with Award-Winning Apeirogon: In February, 2020, Colum McCann’s critically-acclaimed novel, Apeirogon was published and shortly thereafter, Stephen Spielberg purchased the film rights. The story is inspired by the real-life friendship … Continue reading What you helped us accomplish in 2020 for peace

by Robi Damelin  Bereaved Israeli mother  Parents Circle – Families Forum  The people of Israel were recently made aware of the fact that since April 2016, the country has been holding the remains of 68 Palestinians – a statistic provided by the B’Tselem human rights group. It seems that Israel’s government believes these remains could … Continue reading Ending the circle of grief | Robi Damelin

Five years ago I climbed a staircase in Beit Jala in the West Bank. I walked into a room where I met two men who, in the course of an hour, told a story which cleaved open my tired heart.   Rami, Colum, and Bassam Bassam Aramin and Rami Elhanan told me the story of the life … Continue reading Colum McCann: The ruin of the heart is when we do nothing. Do something today.

Recording available: We Lost Our Children, We Hold Onto Our Hope Dialogue Meeting with Roni Hirshenson and George Sa’adeh Roni Hirshenson is Israeli. In 1995, his son, Amir, was serving in the Israeli army when he was killed by a Palestinian suicide bomber. George Sa’adeh is Palestinian. In 2003, George’s daughter, Christine, was killed when … Continue reading WEBINAR — We Lost Our Children. We Hold Onto Our Hope: Dialogue Meeting with Roni Hirshenson and George Sa’adeh

Osama Abuayyash (left) and Yuval Rahamim (Photographer: Vardi Kahana) When we embarked on this journey as Co-Directors of the Parents Circle this past June, we knew it would not be easy working against the current of prejudices, eroding trust, and shallow, violent rhetoric. As active members of the Parents Circle, we were well prepared for this challenge. What … Continue reading You are our source of hope

“Even though we don’t have peace, we still have hope.” Layla Alshekh Bereaved Palestinian mother and Parents Circle member We are getting our hopes up. The U.S. election results are one step in the right direction. Now, we need to restore hope for Israeli-Palestinian peace.  Even though we can’t meet on the ground, we haven’t given up … Continue reading Get your hopes up!

Dear President-Elect Biden, The 600 bereaved Israeli and Palestinian families of the Parents Circle-Families Forum want to congratulate you on becoming the next president of the United States. We ask that you help us restore hope.  Mr. President-Elect, you know first hand what it feels like to lose a child and a close family member. … Continue reading To President-Elect Biden: Help Us Restore Hope

Mahmoud Awad Mahmoud, You were the first real joy in my life. I waited for you for five years to bring light into my world. When the family is sitting around the table and you are not there with us, I miss you so much. This brings on such deep pain that you are gone. … Continue reading A letter to my son, Mahmoud, killed in 2008