The world lost an important voice when Gazan author Heba Al-Madhoun was killed in a 2023 Israeli airstrike, along with two of her beloved children, Hmaid and Abdulrahman.

As Boston-area friends of her bereaved husband, Jaser AbuMousa, and their surviving children, Sham and Abdallah, who have relocated to Massachusetts, we are reaching out to honor Heba’s legacy and provide hope and support for her family by translating one of her surviving manuscripts, Be a Phoenix, a poetry collection.

This project is more than a memorial. It is a testament to the power of solidarity and the enduring strength of literary voices. Our aim is to celebrate Heba’s life and ensure that her vision prevails.

Your donations will be used to pay an award-winning international literary translator who is excited to bring Heba's powerful words to English-language readers. Funds exceeding the translation cost will support the continuing project to publish Heba's poetry, and to translate and publish her other surviving work, a novel. Your act of kindness and generosity will ensure that Heba’s spirit continues to uplift her children and affect generations of international readers.

Steering this fundraiser is Boston author Naama Goldstein supported by other area friends of the family.

Thank you for your compassion and support.