Seven.Ten

​About this campaign

On October 7, just a few weeks ago, over 1,400 Israeli lives were tragically lost as a result of one of the most brutal terrorist attacks in recent history. Countless more civilians are wounded, displaced, and traumatized, and over 200 are held hostage. Many of the victims are women and children. There is a desperate need for medical support, food, shelter, and other essentials.

Ever since, Israelis and Palestinians have been facing the dark maw of war, witnessing and falling to its horrors. Peace and harmony seem further than ever.

Like many others, I have been spending the days trying to help. But the nights I spent writing poetry. Night after night, I poured my heart out onto the page. This is how the book “Seven.Ten” was born. And with it, the idea to donate all proceeds to charity.

But I didn’t do it alone. Poets from all around the world answered the call to translate these poems – from India to Cameroon, from Germany to Malaysia, from China to Turkey.

​

​

About the poetry book Seven.Ten
The 17 poems here, all in English and Hebrew and each translated into a distinct third language, are an attempt to grasp, describe, and process what happened on that wretched day of October 7.

They are not about patriotism or hope. Nor will you find much in the way of strength, wisdom, or big ideas. In the pages of this poetry book you will meet individuals, communities, lives. Lives lost. You will find poems about human tragedy - about the horrors of war and what it does to beautiful human beings, each full of love, light and dreams.

In addition to Hebrew and English, the following languages feature in the book: Arabic, Turkish, Greek, Marathi, Hindi, Mandarin Chinese, Malay, Tagalog, Shupamom, Serbian, Albanian, Romanian, Czech, Polish, Russian, French, Spanish, German.

All of the translators are talented poets, of all ages and nationalities, who have published poetry and poetry collections, and many of whom are well-known and respected in their home countries and globally. To honor their work and contribution, you will find that one of the perks includes a selection of poetry books from these great writers. They will also feature in our launch event.

What you will help achieve
As I mention, this Indiegogo project isn’t just about poetry – the real prize is our opportunity, yours and mine, to help all those innocent victims who are suffering. All proceeds will go to the charity Social Delivery, which has been operating tirelessly to deliver essential provisions, including medicine and food, to victims and vulnerable populations.

In other words, your contribution to my campaign will help achieve two significant things. First, they will serve towards publishing my poetry collection and share it with the world. This will involve designing, publishing, printing and delivering copies, from which all proceeds will go to charity.

Second, the majority of funds achieved through your contribution will be directly donated to the charity.

So by supporting my Indiegogo project, you support poetry, solidarity, and peace.

What we need & what you get
Based on our calculations, we have set our goal at £11,200. This represents the funds we need to achieve what we have set out to achieve. It is an significant sum, that will have a significant impact!

First, the funds will cover books costs: The external and internal design and formatting of the book (at £550); printing costs (£1.5 in the UK and £2 in Israel, estimated at a total of about £1,000 for 500 initial copies); and finally, delivery costs internationally (when necessary), estimated at a total of £2,250 for the same amount of copies).

Second, the remaining £7,400 of funds will be donated to the NGO Social Delivery for the acquisition, packaging, and country-wide delivery of equipment, in particular to the South of Israel. This sum, in addition to an estimated £2,500 from book sales, will give the charity some oxygen, allowing them to continue operating in the critical upcoming months to help civilians still suffering from the events of October, as well as new civilians who will find themselves in need over the next three months. According to my previous work and discussions with this NGO, your contributions, directly and indirectly through book sales, will allow them to operate for at least one month, and this is a crucial month for them to operate, when victims and vulnerable populations need them the most.

So what do you get? Our unique and exciting perks are a great reward in themselves:

You can get a copy of my book, delivered to you, or even a signed copy, and if you choose the 'dedication' add-on, I will even write you a personal dedication!

If you want more than just the book, I got you covered. First, I offer an exclusive invitation to the book's online launch event. During this event, different poets, including the translators, will read from the book and discuss its content as well as the larger context of the war, as we gather together to process and discuss it through art and solidarity. On a broader level, we will talk about the role of poetry and art in times like these.

Second, you can join our poetry workshop, where you will meet fellow poetry enthusiasts, hone your writing skills, and create some beautiful art. The workshop will be run by me and by the talented Israeli-American poet Benjamin Friedman.

Our largest perk is for those who can't get enough of poetry and want to discover poets from around the world. You will get a recommended selection of 10 poetry books from our translators, translated into English or in the original language, delivered to you.

Our add-ons allow you to get your hands on additional copies of the book, as well as my previous poetry collection There Are Mountains in the Ocean, and the book Finding the Soul by the poet Benjamin Friedman.

For those who just want to support without spoiling themselves, you can get a heartful thank you for your support of the publication, a BIG thank you for your support of the cause, or an acknowledgment by name on the website and even on in the book's acknowledgments section.

Even if we don't reach our entire goal, the funds will be used in the same manner. We will simply reduce the amount that can be donated to the charity, as well as the number of initial copies printed so enough money can be donated after all. Even with a smaller sum than the set goal, we can still make a big difference.

The Impact
To reiterate, this ultimately project comes down to this:

Creating a work of art that expresses and commemorates the events, the loss, and the suffering of October 7, and through it, of war and violence wherever, whenever.

Supporting a cause, by helping charities alleviate the suffering and distress of the individuals and families most impacted.

Risks & Challenges
There are very few risks to publishing a poetry book. The main issue that can be faced is delays in publication and delivery.

Together with my friends and colleagues involved, I intend on working hard to see this through, and resolve any complications that might come up. I have experience with the publication process, and I’m working with Benjamin Friedman who is a publisher that specializes in cost-efficient publishing. For any inquiries feel free to email: Benjamin@freedmanind.com.

Another potential risk is a change in the activities of the charity we are donating to. In times of crisis, things change fast. We need to be aware of the possibility (even though small) that the NGO Social Delivery will not continue its operations. In this case, there are other great NGOs also doing vital work for the victims, such as Leket, Nifgashim, and Sister. Should we need to donate to a different charity, we will first inform our contributors and ask for their approval.

Other Ways You Can Help
If you can't contribute but want to help, there are other ways:

Get the word out and make some noise about my campaign! Let the world know.

Use Indiegogo share tools to increase exposure and outreach!

Write your own poetry on war, peace, and humanity.

Volunteer at an NGO!