"Now, whenever my mom hears a plane, she worries it might be an airstrike. Time may soften the pain and memories can fade, but the weight of this generational trauma is heavy, and it doesn’t really go away, does it?..."
October 24, 2024
To:
Nancy Waugh, Managing Editor, CBC News
Brodie Fenlon, News Editor in Chief, CBC News
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) to express my gratitude for your recent news segment about a play featuring two friends, Rima Jaber a Muslim Palestinian and Natasha Greenblatt a Jewish Canadian who both have a connection to the same home in northern Israel.
I especially appreciate the space you provided for Rima to discuss the Nakba and her family's generational trauma. She shared her grandparents' expulsion from their homes in 1948, expressing the confusion of feeling both distant and deeply connected to her homeland. Her personal connection resonates with many viewers who, like her grandparents, faced forced displacement in 1948, when approximately 700,000 Palestinians were expelled, 15,000 were massacred, and 500 towns were destroyed, ultimately leading to the establishment of the State of Israel on 4,244,776 acres of stolen Palestinian land.
Hearing Rima’s experiences resonated with me on a personal level as well. My parents also endured three wars in Lebanon: the Israeli invasion in 1975, 1982, and 2006. I often think about the stories my parents shared about growing up during Israel’s wars. They had to leave school and move in with relatives, which made it hard for them to feel comfortable in places that didn’t feel like home. During the 1975 war, my dad told me one time he and his friends were outside playing and teasing the Israeli Offensive Forces (IOF), moving their heads up and down when one of his friends was shot right in front of him. He was only about eight years old. Now, whenever my mom hears a plane, she worries it might be an airstrike. Time may soften the pain and memories can fade, but the weight of this generational trauma is heavy, and it doesn’t really go away, does it?...
I thank you once again for shedding light on the often-overlooked topic of generational trauma. It has far-reaching effects on individuals and communities, yet it receives little attention in public discourse. I encourage you to continue highlighting these important stories, as they foster understanding and compassion among audiences.
Best regards,
Lynn Naji
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East