You are invited to join us on Saturday, December 20th, for the launch of the project “My Family in Gaza” - a collaboration between Zochrot and حلقات استقبال (Halaqat Istiqbal).

The project was born during the genocide in Gaza to shed light on the colonial reality and the ongoing consequences of the Nakba: the displacement of families to Gaza, the separation of communities that once lived together, and hundreds of families within the 1948 borders, mainly in al-Lyd, Ramla, and Jaffa, who remain far from their relatives in Gaza. Many families lost loved ones, while others still do not know the fate of their family members. In the face of silence and the denial of past and ongoing crimes, we believe in the power of testimonies as a decolonial tool to understand the reality in 48’ and Gaza. This project challenges the colonial geographic boundaries imposed by Zionism and advocates for justice, recognition, accountability, the return of refugees, and the reunification of families.

The project includes interviews with ten Palestinians from 48’ whose families are in Gaza. The testimonies will be published in a nine-part podcast in Arabic, each episode presenting the familial, emotional, and cultural connection between 48’ and Gaza.

The launch event will begin with a tour from Jaffa to Gaza led by Umar Al-Ghubari. | Meeting point at 15:00 at the Etzel Museum in Manshiya.

At 17:00 we will gather at al rabta ,الرابطة ,yefet Street 73, Jaffa, where historian Youssef Asfour will give a historical overview of the Gaza subdistrict. Afterwards, the project creators, Hanan Nafar and Abed Abu Shehadeh, will present the process of working with the testimonies, together with Mohammad Kundos, a project participant, who will share his family story.

Halaqat Istiqbal is a tradition of Palestinian women’s welcoming circles intended for sharing, support, and mutual assistance. This tradition was erased during the Nakba and was revived in 2017 to create a political, national, and female space that unites Palestinian women and restores ways of life and customs suppressed by Zionism

The event will be held in Arabic and Hebrew. 

For more information: zochrot@zochrot.org