It's no news to anyone what is happening in the Middle East. A conflict that has its roots back centuries ago. To this day, we are watching its repercussions, watching so many people suffering from past mistakes. 

How can we push towards a humanity that lives side by side in peace? I ask myself. 

It should not be that hard. We should not be expecting something "bad" to happen anytime news about Israel starts to spread. But we do. Whenever tensions in the Middle East rise, more antisemitic episodes around the world occur; Antisemitism strengthens and resurfaces. We see that it has not faded away; it has not gone anywhere. It's right here, right beneath us. We need to condemn it. 

We cannot keep living in a world that wishes for the extermination of one group just because, and this goes for the Jewish people and every other minority out there. 

As Shimon Peres said: “Let’s dream big, let’s look ahead, and make the world a better place, a peaceful place, for all people. I choose to live with hope.”

We have to be martyrs of peace, always, and for everyone. 

When I woke up that Saturday morning, I sat in front of the TV with my dad to watch the news. We were heartbroken and still are. It is anguishing having to force ourselves to believe that more than 1400 Israelis have died. Most of the people we know in Israel know someone who is missing or who is already dead. It is unbelievable, and I cannot even think of words to encapsulate this situation. 

That Saturday morning was the first time I felt fear for my life just for being Jewish. 

Of course, I have had a Jewish education all my life, and I have learned the history of our people; it is not unfamiliar to me. But it was always external, something that happened to people like me but never to me. It was out of my dimension to think I could be scared of someone assaulting me or wanting to kill me just because of the religion I was born into. It is absurd. But it happened. 

It was the first time I felt scared, impotent, targeted. It is not normal to be this scared so many kilometers away. 

There’s so much I want to say. There’s so much left to say. However, sometimes, fewer words make a bigger impact. Always remember. You are not alone. Always remember. Our fight is for peace for both sides. 

Let's show the world we fight with and for peace. Let’s show the world we remain together, united. Let’s show each other we can be our flashlights in the darkness. 

To anyone out there who is feeling lonely: I am with you. We will get through this.