April 30, 2025
Dear JYC Global Family,
In JYC, we believe music and dialogue can confront even the deepest legacies of violence and generational trauma. Our singers have recently had several significant experiences centered on the theme of remembrance, including performing the finale at yesterday’s 20th Israeli-Palestinian Joint Memorial Day Ceremony, a powerful conversation with a Holocaust survivor, and recent intensive where we explored how our singers’ identities are shaped by historic events and tragedies. As one of our Israeli students, Hadas, reflects below, even when discussing the most divisive events, our group continues to choose compassion over conflict.
The experiences JYC provides to our singers shape a new generation of leaders—Palestinian and Israeli youth who refuse to be defined by inherited trauma or entrenched divisions. Through harmony and honest conversation, they are forging a shared future rooted not in fear or blame, but in empathy, justice, and the unwavering belief that the cycle of violence can end with them.
JYC at the Joint Memorial Day Ceremony
JYC is proud to be part of a growing movement for shared humanity in Israel-Palestine and abroad. Yesterday, two of our singers had the honor of performing the finale at the 20th Israeli-Palestinian Joint Memorial Day Ceremony, hosted by our partners Combatants for Peace and the Parents’ Circle. With hundreds of thousands of people tuning in online from around the world, this powerful moment—our second annual performance closing this landmark event—reflects the deep impact of our joint efforts. In a time of profound pain and division, and despite the depth of suffering all around, we are committed to aligning with those who choose the path of humanity over that of destruction.
A Holocaust Survivor Visits JYC
Also this week, our high school singers had the profound honor of hearing from Meir, a 95-year-old Holocaust survivor, who bravely shared his story with our group—many of whom were hearing such a testimony for the first time. It was especially significant that this was the first time in Meir’s long life that he had shared his story with Palestinians. As he spoke, themes of pain, loss, and anger surfaced, but so did moments of connection. Whether through their own family histories or the shared, ongoing reality of violence in the region, our singers were able to relate to his experience. They listened deeply, holding the weight of his words with empathy and care far beyond what their maturity levels should be at their young ages. This rare and courageous exchange was a step toward healing, reminding us that even the most painful truths can build bridges when met with open hearts.
Hadas’s Story
“A few weeks ago, the choir went on a retreat to the North. We had a lot of fun singing together, laughing, and spending time with each other. During the retreat, we had exciting and challenging dialogue sessions, in which we spoke about events from the past 100 years that took place in Israel-Palestine. Each of us was asked to choose an event that was meaningful to us and explain it to the group. We chose events like the Holocaust, the 1948 war, and October 7th. I knew we would have a hard time discussing these important historical events because we are all connected to them, both as unique individuals and as nations. And that’s what ended up happening. But even though it was hard, we still had powerful, meaningful, and fruitful conversations about these challenging topics.
During our conversation, there was one topic that stood out to me and it was the Second Intifada, also known as the Al-Aqsa Intifada. The Second Intifada was a major Palestinian uprising against Israel that lasted 5 years. It began on September 28th, 2000, and was sparked by the opposition leader at the time, Ariel Sharon, who stormed the Al-Aqsa mosque with over 1,000 armed policemen and soldiers. During this time thousands of people were killed, resulting in more anger and hate, and it was a terrifying and tragic time to live here. People feared to leave their homes because wherever they turned they found more danger and their lives could end at any second. But they didn’t stay hidden because they knew they were responsible for changing their reality.
I thought that this event, more than the other ones, would spark anger and heated arguments between the members, but instead, the thing I least expected happened. While my friend was describing the event and sharing her connection to it, everyone was silent and at that moment I felt a powerful sense of empathy in the room. While she was speaking, everyone’s eyes were locked on her and you could see the sadness and the empathy in their eyes. I’d never seen them like this. We are a group of strong-willed and opinionated people, and this was the perfect opportunity to begin debating who started the Intifada, who was at fault, and who the real victim was. Instead, we sat silently and listened to a fellow group member share her connection to the Second Intifada. This was the moment I realized that although we are a group of strong-headed young men and women who love to discuss pressing issues in our country, we are also capable of listening intently to a fellow group member and hearing what they have to say. We also try our best to understand how our friends feel and be vulnerable with each other. This healed a part of me that thought people only wanted to argue and prove that they were right. I know this is untrue because there is a group of Israeli and Palestinian teenagers who can sit in a room with people who disagree with them on many subjects and still have compassion for each other. For me, there is nothing more powerful than that.”
Double Your Impact: A $75,000 Matching Gift
With 82% of our operational budget dedicated to programming costs, your gift directly enables the profound experiences of our singers, like the story shared above. To help us fund our twice weekly programming in a time of significant need, JYC supporter Sally Gottesman has made an extraordinary $75,000 matching gift—doubling every dollar contributed by members of our community up to $75,000. This vital support will replace the $150,000 we expected to receive from USAID before our contract was officially terminated last month.
JYC is a powerful symbol of what is possible when courage, compassion, and creativity come together. Our singers’ voices offer a living testament to the idea that remembrance can be a bridge, not a barrier. We strive to embody the hope that even the deepest wounds can give rise to a new generation committed to peace, justice, and a shared future for all.
Join us. Support JYC. And together, let’s build a better future. With hope and harmony,
Micah, Amer, Jackie, and the Jerusalem Youth Chorus