My name is Julie, from the Chicago land area, and I am here to raise funds for my friend Sondos Zaher Abo Jarad who is stuck in Gaza with her whole family, in a conflict that has been labeled by the UN, ICC & ICJ a textbook genocide. They just want to survive, grow up, and to not live in constant fear and discomfort. They are looking to raise 50,000. Whatever funds we raise here, will be sent to Sondos PayPal account. Here are her words:

I am Sondos Abu Jarad from Gaza, specifically Beit Hanoun. I am 19 years old. I was at the beginning of a year of high school, and my dream was to finish this year and get a high rank and go to my university and complete an education in the field of the English language, but the war came and I was deprived of this dream that I had. It would determine my future. I have very beautiful brothers who love life and have innocent dreams.

My father had a grocery store and had a job, but now the grocery store has been bombed, and my father has been without a job since the beginning of the war. My mother had a university degree. She dreamed of working as a teacher so that she could spend on us the expenses to continue achieving our goals and life’s necessities.

They are all in the beginning stages of achieving their goals. Waseem Kan dreams of becoming a doctor and a media professional in the field. Al-Sahafa, Sila and Abboud are children who dream of returning.

Our house is for them to play with their beautiful toys and wear their beautiful clothes, but our house is not suitable for living and it is not suitable for my brothers to return to put on their clothes and play with their own games. They need a lot of care and attention.

We lived among a loving family that enjoyed peace and security. We had a beautiful home, more beautiful ambitions, and goals that we worked hard to achieve so that we could have a bright and secure future.

Since the beginning of the war, we have been displaced from the far north to the far south, and every month the occupation’s threats force us to move from one place to another. We are still under threat.

Continuous starvation, extermination, fear and psychological disturbances. We live in harsh conditions that humans cannot bear, including bombing. Continuous and permanent, the sound of flying continues, the hot sun rays do not stop, and we do not receive any daily donations for food, all our food.

Our dream is to leave Gaza to live in peace and security

Our dream is simple, but it seems far-fetched

I want freedom and safety for me and my family. To leave this dangerous place, we need 50,000 US dollars

To cover the costs of travel and legal documents, this amount represents a large amount, but it is the only way to a life free of injustice, fatigue and exhaustion

Please help us share our story and give your voice to ours. Time is crucial

Your participation with us will really make a difference

Thank you for your sympathy and for taking the time to hear our story, and we will never forget your kindness to us

Greetings ❤️“