In February of 2012, I joined the non-profit organization On the Ground for the Run Across Palestine and what was to be a truly life-changing journey. The focus of the 5 day, 129 mile ultra marathon was to raise funds and awareness in support of fair-trade olive farming communities in the Palestinian West Bank. Planting olive saplings and building friendships across a land that was at times barren and lush, chaotic and serene, idyllic and war-torn. I was trusted with the honor of carrying some of Michigan - in song and story - to Palestine, and in return, to soak up some of the art and culture there to share with my community. The fear and courage I witnessed there, on both sides of the wall, and also within myself, were profound. I returned much less resolved and far more inspired than I could have imagined. I was shaken by the hardship and conflict that I witnessed, but inspired by the strength and spirit of the runners, by the courage of the Palestinian farmers and the Israelis and internationals who are committed to nonviolent resistance in the face of such oppression and fear. By the artists and musicians who continue to create and push against both an occupation and a conservative culture. The Run helped me to stow away some of my biases and partialities. To examine that grey space between the black and white. To question my absolutes. As a Jewish-American in Israeli-controlled Palestine, I grappled every day with a barrage of conflicting emotions. I traveled shouldered with the fears and concerns of my Jewish family and friends over my safety and for our history and future as a people. On the other hand, compassion and justice are core values of my Jewish heritage and I was disheartened by the ways I saw those values being ignored. I returned with more questions than answers, but the songs that came after are straight from the heart. They are honest expressions of my experiences in the West Bank, colored by my own unique history and upbringing. Thank you for your support of this project. Thank you for opening your ears to these stories and songs- I hope they’ll touch your heart as well. Shalom - Salaam - Peace, Joshua