We are deeply saddened to share that our friend, colleague, ally, and mentor, Vivian Silver, remains missing following a Hamas invasion of her community and home on October 7th. 

Vivian, a dedicated Canadian-Israeli peace activist and leader in the field, aged 74, has spent much of her life tirelessly working for Israeli-Palestinian peace. She has played a pivotal role in the leadership and evolution of countless ALLMEP member organizations, and she played a critical role in the birth and growth of ALLMEP itself. Joining our board and serving as the co-chair of ALLMEP’s membership committee, her wise counsel and strategic advice helped grow ALLMEP from an all-volunteer initiative to the organization it is today. 

Her impact on the broader peace movement is immeasurable. As Executive Director of AJEEC-NISPED, Vivian worked closely with the Bedouin community in both Israel and Gaza. As a local leader on the Gaza border, she organized meetings between kibbutz members and Palestinians, fostering dialogue and understanding between the communities. 

She has regularly driven Palestinians living in Gaza into Israel for life-saving medical treatment with Road to Recovery. She often takes visitors on tours of the border area, raising awareness among Israelis and foreigners about the struggle of her Palestinian neighbors in Gaza.

In recent years, Vivian has been known best for her work as a founding member of Women Wage Peace. In the immediate aftermath of the 2014 Israel-Gaza War and the devastation it wrought, Vivian and her co-founders helped grow that organization into Israel’s largest peace movement. 

Poignantly, just last week the ALLMEP team worked side-by-side with Vivian during the Women Wage Peace and Women of the Sun annual event, where thousands of Israelis and Palestinians gathered to demand an end to the cycle of bloodshed and demonstrate support for the resolution of the conflict. 

Vivian has dedicated most of her life toward achieving peace and equality for Israelis and Palestinians. She is a stalwart advocate for Palestinians in Gaza, in particular. We urgently call for her safe return, and—as Vivian would no doubt demand—the return of all civilians, so that she can resume that important work, which is now more necessary than ever.

Watch this clip of ALLMEP’s Executive Director, John Lyndon, speak about Vivian during a BBC interview on October 10th: