4 November 2021
MAP supporter and comedian, Ivor Dembina, has been fundraising for our medical projects in Palestine through his comedy show in London since September 2021. We spoke to him about his experiences and why he supports MAP.
"Between 2002 and 2005 I paid three visits to Israel/Palestine. I guess it was the sight of a Palestinian ambulance destroyed by a rocket fire that first sparked my interest in the medical needs of the Palestinian people. I also recall hitching a ride in the back of an ambulance of which there was a 15-year-old Palestinian boy whose abdomen had been torn apart by an Israeli soldier's bullet.
I witnessed close-up the impact on Palestinian lives of the occupation and became humbled by the efforts of those who were doing their best (both Palestinians and Israelis) to address its damage to innocent people. I saw the way that the occupation not only takes lives but also prevents others from being saved.
As a Jewish comedian, I wrote a show about what I had seen and how it made me feel.
Entitled "This is Not a Subject for Comedy", the show was intended to be a letter to the UK Jewish community, to alert them to the plight of Israel's Palestinian neighbours. I tire of the way the conflict gets characterised as tribal when, as I saw, it is clearly a material one; a case of one group of people stealing land from another. That's why I try to help.
But, this is not just a political cause, it is a humanitarian one. My own humanity arises directly from my own Jewish heritage, something of which I am immensely proud.
But humanity is not a selective thing. You either fight for it when needed or look the other way. There's no halfway on this. That's why I publicly support those at the sharp end of the conflict and those who are trying to help them. That's why I support MAP."
You can watch Ivor's show 'This is Not a Subject for Comedy' every Saturday at the Hampstead Comedy Club in Camden, London until 18 December.
Thank you for your incredible support, Ivor!
Here at MAP, we love showcasing our wonderful community supporters. If you would like your fundraising to be featured in our next blog, contact Zahra at [email protected] with your story.
