In death, a family has found peace.
The family of Winnipeg-born Israeli peace activist Vivian Silver, who was killed during the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, have launched a peace award in her name.
The Vivian Silver Impact Award will be presented annually to an Arab woman and a Jewish woman who “embody Vivian’s values and actions” of building Arab-Jewish partnership in Israel, establishing peace between Israel and Palestine, and advancing women to decision-making and leadership positions.
Silver, who was 74 when she was killed, had lived in Israel since 1974. She was known for her tireless advocacy for peace in the region, including helping to found Women Wage Peace, a grassroots peace movement in Israel that seeks a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Vivian Silver (Facebook)
Speaking from his home in Tel Aviv, Silver’s son Yonatan Zeigen, 35, said the award “is a way to keep my mother’s memory alive.”
Created with his brother, Chen, and Silver’s siblings in Canada, the award will be presented for the first time this fall around the anniversary of her burial.
“We want to give it to two women who are working in the fields of peace and the promotion of dialogue,” said Zeigen, a former social worker turned peace advocate.
The award uses the word “Arab” instead of “Palestinian,” he said, since they want to seek nominations from women across the Palestinian spectrum — those who live in Gaza, in the West Bank or who are Israeli citizens in the region.
Zeigen said the award acknowledges women doing his mother’s work and many are “paying a price of alienation and persecution in their own communities” for promoting peace and dialogue between Palestinians and Israelis.
PHOTO Dominick Gravel, LA PRESSE Yonatan Ziegen son of Vivian Silver, in Tel Aviv
Each award recipient will receive $15,000 that can be used to further their work.
For Chen Zeigen, 37, a graduate student in Connecticut, the award is a way to “commemorate my mother, continue her legacy and promote the things that were important to her.”
He said Silver was “always striving to promote Palestinians and Jews living together in peace in the same land, promoting peaceful and diplomatic solutions.”
The award will be administered by the New Israel Fund. Ben Murane, executive director of NIF Canada said the award is a way to “fondly remember Vivian, who worked with the fund over the years as a board member and part of the NIF family.”
NEW ISRAEL FUND – Photo used to promote the Vivian Silver Impact Award on the NIF website
He called Silver a “powerful force for peace, for Jewish and Arab partnership, and for women’s leadership.”
NIF Canada is helping to raise money for the award and a fundraiser is being planned for Toronto. There is nothing yet planned for Winnipeg, Murane said.
Rabbi Kliel Rose of Congregation Etz Chayim in Winnipeg said the prize was a lovely way to pay tribute to a “pursuer of peace.”
“She was firmly dedicated to advancing goodwill between Israelis and Palestinians … she strove to create a culture of civility between people of all faiths,” he said of Silver, who had ties to the synagogue.
The CEO of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg said Silver would live on through the award.
“Her compassion, empathy, and resolute pursuit of peace serve as inspiration to us all, urging us to carry forward her vision for a better future for both Israelis and Palestinians,” said Jeff Lieberman.
The Manitoba Islamic Association praised the award saying in a statement it “transcends tribal, religious, and racial boundaries” and is “grounded in the compassion that Vivian exemplified throughout her life.”
Silver’s family is hoping to raise US$750,000 for the award; US$100,000 has already been donated.
Donations can be made at http://wfp.to/y9G.
faith@freepress.mb.ca
John Longhurst
Faith reporter
John Longhurst has been writing for Winnipeg’s faith pages since 2003. He also writes for Religion News Service in the U.S., and blogs about the media, marketing and communications at Making the News.
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