Israeli Activist's Son Takes Up Mother's Peace Advocacy After Tragic Loss
Yonatan Zeigen, son of the late renowned Israeli peace activist Vivian Silver, has embarked on a journey to continue his mother's legacy of peace advocacy after she tragically lost her life in a Hamas attack.
The day Vivian Silver’s home burned, her backyard was scattered with her grandchildren’s toys, a blue plastic boat upturned near a rubber duck.
In the days leading up to Oct. 7, Vivian was anticipating the arrival of her son Yonatan's family from Tel Aviv.
Twenty-four hours later, Yonatan woke up to the news that hundreds of Hamas militants had crossed the border into his mother’s kibbutz.
After weeks of uncertainty, a government liaison delivered the heart-wrenching news that Vivian's bones had been discovered in the burned safe room.
More than a thousand people attended Vivian’s funeral, mourning the loss of a revered peace activist.
Yonatan, previously disengaged from the conflict, made a life-altering decision to become a full-time peace activist, deeply impacted by his mother's tragic death.
His younger brother, Chen, chose a different path of mourning, focusing on resuming his daily routine and family life.
As tensions rise in the region, Yonatan is determined to carry on his mother's work and advocacy for peace, hoping to make a difference in the ongoing conflict.