Washington, DC – Americans for Peace Now (APN) mourns the passing of President George H. W. Bush and salutes his legacy of efforts to advance peace between Israel and its neighbors. 

Yossi Alpher is an independent security analyst. He is the former director of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University, a former senior official with the Mossad, and a former IDF intelligence officer. Views and positions expressed here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent APN's views and policy positions.

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On a wall at APN’s Washington office, there’s a Hanukkah poster that we produced years ago, which says, “It’s not about the oil, it’s about the light.” The idea was that the true miracle of Hanukkah was not the Maccabees finding an extra pint of oil, but their using it to generate the light needed at a time of severe adversity.

Today, still, it's all about the light.

An upcoming documentary, Healing Hearts, shows how Israeli and Palestinian doctors at Jerusalem’s largest hospital are saving the lives of Jewish and Arab children suffering from heart disease. The film focuses on the families of the doctors and the children they treat, both Jews and Arabs. Through them, it shines a light of hope for Israeli-Palestinian coexistence and reconciliation.

Director Katya Chelli continues her work on the film, but she and her team need help to bring it to completion. Your support on Giving Tuesday can make this happen.

By supporting APN’s crowdfunding campaign, Healing Hearts: A Message of Peace and Coexistence, you will help highlight the efforts of Palestinian doctor Ibrahim Abu Zahira, Israeli doctor Sagui Gavri, and Professor Jean-Jacques Rein, head of the Department of Pediatric Cardiology at Hadassah. In witnessing the experiences of Israeli and Palestinian parents who accompany their sick children, viewers are immersed in the daily life of the families and the Hadassah medical team. The film will show how the work that these inspiring doctors perform can alter perceptions and attitudes about the other side of the conflict.

On this Giving Tuesday, please help spread the message of Israeli-Palestinian coexistence, common cause and life. Support Healing Hearts: A Message of Peace and Coexistence now.