Friends, I hope this message finds you safe and healthy. It's been a while since I've shared an update because, in all honestly, I've found it very difficult to find my voice in the midst of the tragic events and chaos that has engulfed the Middle East and the world since October 7th.
As someone who lived in the Holy Land and worked for peace for the better part of a decade, this conflict impacts me on a very personal level. Despite the years of optimism and collective efforts with Muslim, Christian, and Jewish colleagues, I have admittedly been consumed by fear and concern for the innocent victims, hostages, and beloved friends and family who are at war, as well as the hostility and religiously motivated violence spreading like wildfire throughout the world.
On Oct. 3rd, following my Fall tour in California and New York, I flew to Morocco for a personal writer's retreat where I had intended to work on my book about healing from trauma -- namely, trauma from being born into a post-Holocaust family. My intention in writing this book was to share the lessons I've learned through exploring ancestral trauma, epigenetics, and meditative, somatic healing practices.
Unfortunately, once the war began, it became impossible to focus due to the uncertainty of the times and traveling abroad alone. These unexpected, tragic events added another layer and a new chapter, so to speak, to my quest for an understanding of how to manage complex trauma and heal ongoing cycles of violence.
I know firsthand the long-term impact that genocide and war can have on families, especially children. As many of us have watched the events of the last six weeks unfold, it has brought up undeniable grief, shock, and other complicated emotions, including a sense of despair that comes with not knowing what the future holds for the region, or for us as a global civilization.
Despite this, I know with all of my heart that we do have the power to heal and transform this world, individually and collectively. But it is a process, and each of us is responsible for doing our part.
Today, I've released a music video to a very meaningful song called When the Children Cry.
'When the Children Cry' is a cover of White Lion's soulful ballad, and its message of peace is even more poignant today than it was when originally released in the late 80s. This song resonates through the generations with a heartfelt prayer for the children of the world.
The first time I heard it, I was nine years old and was experiencing tremendous violence in my household. The lyrics rang true for me in a way I'd never experienced before and was the first song I ever heard that spoke directly to my soul. It helped me find my voice by inspiring me to start writing my own songs as a kid. It made me want to write songs that made a difference and is, ultimately, the song that inspired me to become a musician.
Decades later, this song has helped me find my voice again, and
I hope it resonates with you. If yes, please comment, like, share, and help spread its message of healing through the world at a time when we need it desperately.
Praying for the innocent children,
Aliza Hava
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