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A group of us are (hopefully) aiming to complete the 100 mile Scotland Coast to Coast Race for the Gaza Soup Kitchen, in memory of our friend Sam, on what would have been his 29th birthday.
Today, Palestinians are enduring overt and intentional starvation tactics cutting off basic food necessities. In Beit Lahia, a family responded by starting a soup kitchen with a significant lack of basic resources. On the first day, they fed 120 families. Now, despite continuing blockades and even military targeting of those involved in the organisation, the kitchens serve up to 3,000 people a day.
In 2015, after leaving school, Sam lived in East Jerusalem while studying Arabic at the Al Quds language school. He worked at a Palestinian primary school in Sheikh Jarrah and joined the olive harvest in the West Bank. An olive tree is planted there for him by his friend. The photo above shows him at the Ein Gedi oasis by the Dead Sea.
Supporting the Gaza Soup Kitchen is of course overtly necessary but also feels like a direct continuation of his solidarity.
As the Gaza Soup Kitchen team says:
“We are proud to serve the resilient communities of Gaza through our network of kitchens, providing daily hot meals and clean drinking water to those in need. Each kitchen is strategically located to reach as many families as possible, ensuring access to essential nourishment and support. Our work goes beyond food—we’re here to uplift, care, and stand in solidarity with every family we serve. Each meal represents our commitment to dignity, hope, and the enduring spirit of the Palestinian people.”
Supporting this work feels like the right way to honour Sam.
Below link to the Gaza Soup Kitchen: