Amid Israel’s war on the Gaza strip, my friend who’s a lawyer and educator organized a book club for his local Quaker chapter based on Rashid Khalidi’s book, The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine. My friend spent hours preparing thoughtfully-researched material to accompany each chapter of Khalidi’s book. His local Quaker community, many of whom were not aware of the history of Israel-Palestine, were appreciative of my friend’s lessons and learning about the history of the occupation, which did not start on October 7. In an effort to broaden the reach of my friend’s research and teaching material, I designed a website for his book club, which we named “Quaker Sumud,” referencing the Arabic word Sumud (صمود), which means steadfastness and perseverance amid intense hardship.
Link to Quaker Sumud: https://quakersumud.org.