READ. THIS. BOOK.

In case you have forgotten, Rachel Corrie was the 23 year old American woman who was deliberately run over and killed by an Israeli bulldozer on March 16, 2003 while trying to prevent the destruction of a Palestinian home.

The book is a compilation of Rachel's writing from over her lifetime, edited and produced as a play by Alan Rickman & Katherine Viner. It is a short read, perhaps 45 minutes at the most. It's powerful, beautiful, and devastating. With my heart in my mouth, I read her correspondence with her parents when she was in Gaza. The combination of absolute pride that her mom and dad have for their spirited, beautiful, and intelligent daughter and fear for her safety in a dangerous place was agonizing for me, as a parent.

I don't have the words for this book. Please read it.

I am hopeful that our local professional theater will produce it next year. I know it is being considered.

Postscript: I am an outspoken person, unflinchingly dragging my soapbox into any arena. Although I personally believe beyond the shadow of a doubt that genocide is being committed by the policies of Israel toward the people of Palestine, I hesitate to speak out about it. Why? In some ways I have credibility; I am Jewish by birth. Some would probably label me a self-hating Jew, though words like that don't generally intimidate me. I am guilty of not paying as much attention to Palestine right now, as I once did ... and I understand that the circumstances in Gaza in particular, and for all Palestinians, have worsened. Rachel Corrie's death in 2003 touched me deeply and reading this book opened my eyes once again. Read this book read this book read this book read this book ...