"I want to tell you how great it was to read you email and your website. It brought back my faith in the American people. You have no idea how devastating it was to see my work for the last 9 years go down the drain."
- Alia Oriban, AIS Gaza Librarian
Raising 15000 books and $10000 for AIS Gaza
After a night of insomnia and CNN, I decided I needed to do something to help those 250 students from the American International School in Gaza, which was destroyed in january of 2009 by rockets from Israel. What matters in this situation is these students have to start from scratch and somehow get the textbooks and library books they need to continue their studies. No one should be denied an education, especially because of lack of materials and this is where Books4Gaza comes in. Under international law Palestinian children in Gaza Strip have a right to an education and Books4Gaza is just trying to make that right a reality.
Let’s make a difference!! Let’s help them out. Let's get 15,000 books and $10,000!!! So far we have raised 8079 books and $745. We are definitely on our way!!!
Books4Gaza is collecting any books K-12 that can be used in the classroom or to stock the Library. I’m sure everyone has at least one or two books that you have already read, just laying around your house/apartment collecting dust. I know I do for sure. If you can't think of what books would be useful, just imagine your own public library. As a student you need books for research and books for pleasure. Check the Book Lists page for specific books needed and ideas or visit the Books4Gaza Amazon.com wish list. Sending non-fiction is great, just try to make sure they are newer than 1990. Thanx!!
For those of you sending books or monetary donations please email me, Rebecca, at books4gaza@gmail.com so that I know what to expect and can answer any questions or comments you may have. The money that Books4Gaza raises will be used to pay for the 20ft container it will require to send all 15,000 books from Denver to Israel and then on to Gaza Strip. Books4Gaza is in contact with an NGO based here in the USA and in Israel to help with customs and possible storage in Israel.
Please, let everyone know!! Obviously the more people, the more books, the more money, and the faster those kids can get back to studying.
Spread the word. We can do it!!
Thank you!!
Rebecca Herrera
PS. We must thank the New York Times (www.nytimes.com) for the map.
