Update: Jan 1, 2025

At the start of this New Year, I am happy to share good news about our friend Montaser.

As you know, after many months of a grim and brutal existence, Montaser was able to cross the border out of Gaza last June, with nothing but the clothes on his back. Then can a months-long wait for a visa to the intended hosting country, still separated from his family.

Thanks to your ongoing support throughout this ordeal, I am happy to share that Montaser has at last been able to rejoin his family and bring them to their new home in Finland. Now, he is making his way through the asylum process there, so that he can continue his career as a university educator.

If you have been following this GFM, you know the devastation that has descended upon this family, along with thousands of other families, since October 2023. Montaser continues to work remotely with colleagues and students in Gaza who are striving to provide care, basic needs, and safe learning spaces for many thousands of suffering children and families. Though it was a very hard decision to leave their homeland, I know there is no one more grateful than Montaser and his family for all of you who have steadfastly supported them on their long journey.

A message from Montaser:

Dear friends,

… It was a long agonizing journey, and it consumed all my strength. But now I am hoping for a new start with my family. Thank you again for all the support you provided. I hope that someday I will be able to repay each one. Thank you so much.

Now, as the new year begins, we invite you to open your hearts again and support the final leg of Montaser’s journey, as he awaits the completion of his asylum application in order to become a full member of his new community.

Hello friends,

My name is Kate Copeland, a retired international teacher educator based in the US. Thanks for taking a moment to read about my friend and fellow teacher, Professor Montaser Al-Halabi. A few years ago, I had the privilege of working with Montaser on an international teacher education project in the region where he lives. (Read below for some details about his work.)

Since the conflict in Gaza began, I have watched in horror as Montaser’s family suffered catastrophic losses. The university campus where Montaser had a remarkable 30 year career no longer exists; in fact, all the university buildings in Gaza are gone. His family home was destroyed, along with all the other homes in his city. Montaser’s wife was wounded, close family members lost their lives, and as they moved from place to place struggling to survive, the children lived in fear for months.

Thanks to many generous donations to this GFM, Montaser’s family narrowly escaped with their lives to Cairo almost two years ago. But Montaser was not permitted to leave with them. For more than a year, he endured a grim and brutal existence, while his wife, cut off from financial support, struggled to provide for their five children in Egypt.

When he found a way to cross the border last June, we, his colleagues and friends, were re-energized with hope. After a months-long wait for a visa, Montaser was finally able to rejoin his family and travel to Finland, his final destination. Now he awaits the completion of the asylum process, and a future is at last in view in which Montaser and his family can start a new life.

Please know that the difficult politics of the catastrophe in Gaza are not the focus of this appeal. Our goal is humanitarian support for a fellow teacher and his family, and to facilitate the possibility for him to continue his work in education in his new home. All funds are transferred directly to Montaser for his benefit and that of his family.

As an educator, I came to know Montaser through an international collaboration and gained great respect for his dedication to improving the lives of children in Gaza through education. Montaser has continued his work to support courageous young teachers who hold classes in their own makeshift homes with whatever materials they can find in order to provide hope for children in Gaza who've lost everything. You can learn more about some of his current efforts here: Mesbah-Mentoring Student Teachers in Gaza. You can also view his LinkedIn Profile to learn about his work prior to the conflict.

Will you be a part of this family’s story? Every donation, no matter the size, will make an immeasurable difference in their lives. If you cannot donate at this time, please share this appeal with friends and family who might find it in their hearts to help.

In the meantime, please keep Montaser and his family in your prayers for the coming year.

Thank you!

Kate