Prior to Sabbath Queen, we invite you to join us and Lab/Shul Partner and event co-organizer, Gili Getz, to watch the ceremony together at Judson Memorial Church. 

The Joint Nakba Remembrance Ceremony is a unique opportunity to commemorate the pain and tragedy of the Nakba (“catastrophe” in Arabic), when in 1948 more than 700,000 Palestinians were forcibly expelled from their homes, became refugees, and had their villages and cities destroyed. In Israel, even mentioning the Nakba is completely taboo, however, Combatants for Peace believes that peace and reconciliation involve a sincere and honest reckoning with this history that didn’t end in 1948 but continues until this day.

This year’s theme is “Sumud in Humanity”. Sumud—meaning resilience—is often understood as steadfastness, unbreakability, and a deep connection to land. Yet we believe Sumud is not the absence of pain; it is the conscious choice to remain human, especially when circumstances make it easier to dehumanize others. It is the courage to continue believing in justice and shared resistance when despair feels more rational. It means safeguarding our core humanity—dignity, compassion, and moral clarity—even when both history and present realities put it to the test.

This ceremony is rooted in the core belief of Combatants for Peace: that genuinely understanding the lived experiences and historical narratives of both societies is essential to breaking the cycle of violence and building a different future. It reflects a commitment to justice, acknowledgment, and accountability, and affirms that true peace can only emerge when all people are free and the humanity of every individual is upheld without exception.

Guests will also be invited to continue the conversation at Lab/Shul’s Shabbat ritual: Sabbath Queen.