Past Event October 27th - 2025
How Direct Aid Helps Gazan Families to Survive the Genocide #
An Evening with Rabbi David Mivasair
- Monday October 27th 7.00 PM
- Comox United Church 250 Beach Drive, Comox, BC
Canadian-American Rabbi and former Zionist who has become a prominent Palestinian human rights activist, is well known for his steadfast advocacy for the rights of Palestinians. Over the past several years, he has dedicated himself to raising hundreds of thousands of dollars from donors throughout the United States, Canada and elsewhere – even in Israel.
These funds are sent directly to families in Gaza, providing them with critical support as they struggle to survive amid ongoing genocide. Rabbi Mivasair will speak about the significance of direct humanitarian aid, its life-saving impact, and the obstacles faced in providing this assistance.
The Comox Valley Fundraising Community and Comox United Church Social Justice Committee warmly invite you to this evening event to listen and learn from a rabbinic perspective based on Jewish teachings and perspectives at Comox United Church, 250 Beach Drive. To ensure accessibility for a wider audience, the presentation will also be available to watch by donation at Eventbrite. Donate at the door if you wish to join in person.
Rabbi Mivasair was raised in a secular Jewish family in Baltimore. As a teenager, he was deeply impacted by witnessing the 1968 riots, which erupted in response to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and the Catonsville Nine’s Vietnam War protest. These formative experiences drew him towards Reform Judaism, a movement known for its emphasis on the prophet message of social justice.
In 2018, a photojournalist in Gaza reached out to Rabbi David on Facebook. They struck up a long distance friendship. After months of conversation, the photojournalist in Gaza asked for help as he was having difficulty feeding his family. Without hesitation, the Rabbi sent $50, an action which led to the creation of a network dedicated to supporting Gazan families. This network came to be called Connecting Gaza.
To date, Rabbi David Mivasair’s project has raised over $500,000 through the support of more than 800 donors, assisting over two dozen families in Gaza and Cairo.
“We can and will stop genocide in Gaza. But this horrific situation was only possible because of the groundwork laid by the Israeli state over 75 years ago. Since 1948, the Israeli government has built a system of apartheid and illegal occupation. Just as we demand an end to genocide in Gaza, we must put the same effort into dismantling the systems of Zionism, apartheid, and colonialism that brought us to this moment.” - Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP)
For those who can not attend but still want to donate, please reach out!
You can read more about the families we support on our Learn page.