{"id":1067,"date":"2025-04-08T01:11:19","date_gmt":"2025-04-08T00:11:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thecrunchylife.com\/?p=1067"},"modified":"2025-12-02T16:32:46","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T16:32:46","slug":"going-to-palestine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thecrunchylife.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/08\/going-to-palestine\/","title":{"rendered":"going to palestine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2025-04-08T01:11:19+01:00\">8 April 2025<\/time><\/div>\n\n\n<p>|<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"taxonomy-post_tag wp-block-post-terms\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thecrunchylife.com\/index.php\/tag\/palestine\/\" rel=\"tag\">Palestine<\/a><span class=\"wp-block-post-terms__separator\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/thecrunchylife.com\/index.php\/tag\/travel\/\" rel=\"tag\">Travel<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n<p>|<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author\"><div class=\"wp-block-post-author__avatar\"><img alt='' src='https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fa68586ef67d5c60f9538fb6a6ab36a8?s=24&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g' srcset='https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fa68586ef67d5c60f9538fb6a6ab36a8?s=48&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-24 photo' height='24' width='24' \/><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-post-author__content\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-author__name\">Christian Taylor<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>|<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-100 has-custom-font-size is-style-fill has-small-font-size\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/thecrunchylife.com\/index.php\/newsletter\/\" style=\"background-color:#82cc21\">Subscribe to future posts<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Other posts from Palestine<\/summary>\n<div class=\"wp-block-query is-layout-flow wp-block-query-is-layout-flow\"><ul class=\"wp-block-post-template is-layout-flow wp-block-post-template-is-layout-flow\"><li class=\"wp-block-post post-930 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-blog tag-palestine tag-travel\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-2 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thecrunchylife.com\/index.php\/2024\/10\/30\/update-from-christian-maria\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Update from Christian &amp; Maria<\/a><\/h6><\/div>\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-907 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-blog tag-palestine tag-travel\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-3 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thecrunchylife.com\/index.php\/2024\/11\/08\/occupied-by-the-occupation\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Occupied by the Occupation<\/a><\/h6><\/div>\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-941 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-blog tag-palestine tag-travel\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-4 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thecrunchylife.com\/index.php\/2024\/11\/10\/how-can-i-show-you-what-ive-seen\/\" target=\"_blank\" >How Can I Show You What I&#8217;ve Seen?<\/a><\/h6><\/div>\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-973 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-blog tag-palestine tag-travel\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-5 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thecrunchylife.com\/index.php\/2024\/11\/12\/a-people-not-broken\/\" target=\"_blank\" >A People Not Broken<\/a><\/h6><\/div>\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-995 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-blog tag-palestine tag-travel\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thecrunchylife.com\/index.php\/2024\/11\/13\/do-you-run-out-of-tears\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Do you run out of tears?<\/a><\/h6><\/div>\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1023 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-blog tag-palestine tag-travel\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-7 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thecrunchylife.com\/index.php\/2024\/11\/28\/lessons-in-power\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Lessons in Power<\/a><\/h6><\/div>\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1045 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-blog tag-palestine tag-travel\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-8 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thecrunchylife.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/31\/youre-so-brave\/\" target=\"_blank\" >&#8220;You&#8217;re So Brave&#8221;<\/a><\/h6><\/div>\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1067 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-blog tag-palestine tag-travel\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-9 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thecrunchylife.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/08\/going-to-palestine\/\" target=\"_blank\" >going to palestine<\/a><\/h6><\/div>\n\n<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<p>In our last post, I wrote about our decision to volunteer in Palestine; I wrote about our fears and doubts, and about how being there was incredibly meaningful. In this post, I want to share a poem\/reflection that I wrote during the weeks when we were wrestling with the decision of whether or not to go.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sharing this feels vulnerable, and reading it back now months removed and after not facing any physical violence (though we did face intimidation &amp; harassment), it feels a bit melodramatic. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Regardless, I still want to share this because I am convinced that many of us are too comfortable having the \u201cright\u201d opinions or voting the \u201cright\u201d way without actively confronting injustice. I include myself in this; I am still learning how to actively take part in shaping history rather than merely observing history.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not that I have any ability to shape history. None (or at least most) of us don\u2019t have any power individually. But we have power when we act collectively. Being part of collective action that challenges power comes with risks, and we all need to wrestle with those risks. \u00a0Wrestling with what risks I was willing to take on is what I was doing in this reflection. I hope that sharing it is helpful to someone who is grappling with some of the same things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Going to see the reality in Palestine with your own eyes is extremely informative and meaningful. There are many different ways to do this suited to different risk tolerance levels. So, just because we took on a higher level of risk, don&#8217;t let that deter you from going in a way that is right for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-default\"\/>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-verse has-small-font-size\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">going to palestine<\/span><br><br>if the bombs rain down <br>and its my turn <br>to join the martyrs <br>my main concern: promise that you\u2019ll speak about me<br><br>--<br><br>i hope that you speak about me <br>not for the sake of me <br>speak about me for the sake of those i work for<br><br>you are only hearing about me because i am american<br>maybe you\u2019ve heard of rachel corrie <br>maybe you\u2019ve heard of ay\u015fenur ezgi eygi <br>but have you heard of salam wael ahmed al-astal? <br>have you heard of dina dhafer hamdi al-akkad?<br><br>palestinians are being killed every day<br>if you care about me <br>but you don\u2019t care about them <br>then I hope you get my name out of your mouth<br><br>promise that you\u2019ll speak about me <br>but if you do speak about me <br>you must also speak up for <br>the displaced <br>the murdered <br>the imprisoned <br>those deemed \u201ccollateral damage\u201d <br>those born into open air prisons <br>the babies being killed <br><br>--<br><br>the other day i was walking down the street thinking about these things <br>and i saw a church <br>i sat inside looking at a statue of jesus on the cross <br>i sat there thinking about why he died on that cross <br>and if I would follow him there <br> <br>i thought he looked a lot like me  <br>a quarter because i have some palestinian in me <br>the rest because they\u2019ve made jesus white <br>if i share his fate, i hope you see the right similarities <br><br>you see, there are a lot of misconceptions about why jesus died <br> <br>some say the purpose was to save us from our sins <br>some say his crime was declaring himself king <br> <br>i see things a bit differently <br>i think his purpose was to show us how to live <br>and his crime wasn\u2019t attempting to seize power as a king <br>his crime was showing people that they have power <br>and that they are not each other\u2019s enemies <br>that they don\u2019t have to be beholden to the powers that be <br>that the rulers derive their power from the people <br>but rather that they can overturn these powers through humanistic solidarity <br>by collectively standing up for the oppressed <br>caring for the poor <br>loving their enemies <br>and fighting corrupt systems<br><br>--<br><br>but i am scared to do those things <br>am i willing to follow him to the cross? <br>just this week ay\u015fenur was shot dead by the idf <br>while peacefully protesting illegal settlements <br>i realize this could happen to me <br>this scares me <br> <br>i could have a comfortable life just caring about things from afar  <br>i could have a fun life traveling the world, climbing peaks, and diving to the depths <br>but i know that living in my privilege and doing nothing about the suffering of others kills my soul <br> <br>death comes to us all <br>i\u2019d rather live life pursuing justice and meaning and die young <br>than being scared and never truly living for anything bigger than myself <br> <br>of course i hope to live a long life <br>i will do this with hope and resolute determination to bring about change <br>but also facing the reality that doing so may mean facing death<br><br>--<br><br>i hope that you speak about me so that other people who feel powerless to change things, and other people who feel like living a privileged western consumer life is meaningless can see that they can use their privilege to work with others to bring about change, and that accompanying the poor and oppressed can bring their life meaning  <\/pre>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-default\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;ve read this far, I want to encourage you to get involved in an organization that is taking collective action. There are many great organizations; find one that is doing good work in your city. Here are just a few suggestions of organizations that have Palestinian liberation as their objective, or as one of their main objectives:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/cpt.org\/delegations\/palestine\">Community Peacemaker Teams<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/palestinianyouthmovement.com\/\">Palestinian Youth Movement<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org\/\">Jewish Voice for Peace<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ifnotnowmovement.org\/\">If Not Now Movement<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mennoniteaction.org\/\">Mennonite Action<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/christiansforafreepalestine.com\/\">Christians For A Free Palestine<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/palsolidarity.org\/\">International Solidarity Movement<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Palestine | In our last post, I wrote about our decision to volunteer in Palestine; I wrote about our fears and doubts, and about how being there was incredibly meaningful. In this post, I want to share a poem\/reflection that I wrote during the weeks when we were wrestling with the decision of whether or not to go.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1078,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"yes","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[13,9],"class_list":["post-1067","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-palestine","tag-travel"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thecrunchylife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1067","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thecrunchylife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thecrunchylife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecrunchylife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecrunchylife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1067"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/thecrunchylife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1067\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1086,"href":"https:\/\/thecrunchylife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1067\/revisions\/1086"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecrunchylife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1078"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thecrunchylife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1067"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecrunchylife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1067"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecrunchylife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1067"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}