The fourth installment of the Bedari Kindness Institute’s Compassionate Conversations series features extraordinary members of the Parents Circle – Families Forum (PCFF). PCFF is a joint Israeli-Palestinian organization made up of more than 800 bereaved families. Their common bond is that they have lost a close family member to the conflict. But instead of choosing revenge, they have chosen a path of reconciliation. Through their educational activities, these bereaved members have joined together to take tens of thousands of Palestinians and Israelis on journeys of reconciliation. As a joint Israeli-Palestinian peace organization, the PCFF models constructive dialogue around shared values. American Friends of the Parents Circle – Families Forum shares the human side of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with the American public in order to foster a peace and reconciliation process. The Compassionate Conversations series features speakers who share a deep and humane commitment to engaging others with compassion, empathy, and respect. Members of PCFF embody this commitment. They will share about their experience of loss, dialogue, and peace building during the hardest of moments. This program is co-sponsored by the Dialogue Across Difference Initiative.
Participants stayed after the program to engage in dialogue with each other about their reactions and reflections
About the Speakers
Layla Alsheikh lives in Bethlehem in the West Bank. In 2002, her 6-month-old son, Qussay, became ill and Israeli soldiers prevented Layla from taking him to the hospital for more than five hours. Qussay soon died from the lack of timely treatment. Layla joined the Parents Circle in 2016. Following her son’s death, she never thought of revenge, but rather has devoted her time and energy to ensuring a better, more peaceful future for her children.
Mor Ynon is based in Tel Aviv. On October 7, 2023, her parents, Belha and Yaakov, were killed in their home in Moshav Netiv Ha’Asara by Hamas. The pain of losing them was a wake-up call and a reminder to pursue peace with a commitment to equality, justice, and security for everyone. Mor worked in global high-tech for 25 years, developing strategies and performance measures. Today she serves as the Israeli co-Chair of the Parents Circle Board.
