Safed House

01/16/2026

Two amazing women-
Anne Marie Jacir, director and creator of the documentary Palestine 36

Susan Sarandon, fabulous empathetic actress who has embraced the Palestinian diaspora for decades.

We can’t wait to see the doc.

01/14/2026

We are launching our 2026 campaign to strengthen our capacity and expand the services we offer, ensuring that more refugees and immigrants have the support and platforms they need to share their diaspora stories.

Please take a look at our co-founder Sami Abdul Fattah Assadi's story here.
https://vimeo.com/1120123162?fl=pl&fe=sh

His heartfelt and yet resilient narrative still resonates against the backdrop of Gaza, one can’t help but ask: What remains?
Memories and Call for Humanity.

After you view Sami's story, please take time to look at our other videos documenting our winning fellows stories on our website www.safedhouse.com.

For our activity in 2026, please consider a donation to support our work at this critical time.

You can donate here: https://safedhouse.com/donate/

Videographer and Editor by Irin Daniels in 2017. Safed House inaugural video.

12/22/2025

New Year Message of Hope

As we welcome 2026, Safed House extends heartfelt wishes for a year shaped by healing, courage, and renewed possibility.

This season reminds us of the profound resilience within every person whose story we honor. Our thoughts are with the people of Gaza and Israel; families, children, and communities who deserve safety, dignity, and the chance to live without fear. We hold close the hope that the year ahead brings steps toward understanding, justice, and lasting peace for all who have endured unimaginable loss.

At Safed House, we remain committed to amplifying voices too often unheard and to creating spaces where empathy becomes action. In 2026, we will continue to uplift refugee and immigrant storytellers, build bridges across cultures, and champion the shared humanity that binds us.

Wishing you and your loved ones a peaceful, healthy, and compassionate New Year. May this be a year where hope takes root and peace becomes possible.

Bolivia Inteligente

12/16/2025

2026 will mark a new world disorder as International Rescue Committee has lost major funding, according to Millibank President of IRC. Followers of Safed House pay attention to these big slashes by billionaires and the wealthiest leaders who are making these catastrophic cuts to support and help the poorest and neediest people in dire need of this aid.

A humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding in real time. Now is the time to meet the moment.

11/16/2025

We are grateful for the ongoing partnership we have in Arizona with Alhambra High School and three leadership champions there:
Melynda McBride, Jodi Weber and Janice Koivisto.

Our ceremony recognizing our 2025 winners Ricardo Magana for second prize and in absentia Joseph Ngolombe. It was wonderful share their stories we produced based on their moving stories about their respective diasporas from their home countries.

Their courage, resilience and hope inspire us and inform our work.

Our Leader, Susan Assadi was pleased to share the day with our team members, including Maha Kapageridis and Terrance Baloucek, First time Assadi founders' niece Yasmine Asadi, and Friends Lennie Clark.

Baloucek's videos were excellent and we look forward to working with him again in 2026. Photo credit for attached photos goes to Terrance Baloucek as well.

It was wonderful to see a full auditorium with potential Safed House fellow for our 2026 essay contest.

11/10/2025

https://www.awesomescreenshot.com/image/57350152?key=df2bcc6efe18359863d23d4a70ad4b1c

Excited to share the launch of our new website.

Arizona followers come to our annual Phoenix ceremony on Friday Nov 14 at 2 pm MST at Alhambra High School. We will be showing our 2025 winner videos.

You must rsvp to [email protected] if you plan to attend.

10/11/2025

This is the face of resistance, pray for them that a better life is really coming for them.

1,910 Followers, 1,031 Following, 363 Posts

10/11/2025

This is the behavior of resilience. I’m praying for them.

09/27/2025

Our dear co-founder Sami Abdul Fattah Assadi, the oldest lion in the Assadi family from Safed, Palestine, is memorialized in an upcoming novel Paradiso 17 by Hannah Lillith Assadi, forthcoming from . Hannah was recently invited to participate in a fundraiser at Town Hall. Please see this video courtesy of Democracy Now!, where Hannah reads from her book. She is introduced by Aasif Mandvi at 16:54 in this video.
Her voice resonates as one of the most authentic reflections of our time. Hannah Lillith Assadi is the daughter of two founders: Sami, a 1948 Nakba Palestinian refugee from Safed, Palestine, and Susan Gitenstein Assadi, a reformed Jew born in Alabama and raised in Washington, D.C. and New York City. Their union-born of love, resilience, and determination, began in the 1980s, when they met in a bar in Tribeca. Each carried a distinct history, and together they forged a life that defied convention.
They endured the weight of the Nakba, the scrutiny of family and friends, and the complexities of interfaith love. Yet they were uplifted by a circle of globally minded allies - Baha’is, Progressives, True Liberals, and others - who embraced their story. From the aftermath of 9/11 to the present day, their journey has been one of courage and connection.
To experience the beauty of Hannah’s storytelling, listen to her vivid portrayal of Sufien - a character inspired by Sami. You won’t regret it. Her words will move you, compel you to read more, and perhaps inspire you to purchase her book. Most importantly, share it with those who still question the humanity of Palestinians. Like every American, like every human being, they seek a home, safety for their loved ones, and a future filled with hope.
Thanks to Knopf editor Freeman for leading the publication of her 3rd novel.
To pre-purchase the book follow this link:
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/776855/paradiso-17-by-hannah-lillith-assadi/

09/27/2025

Our dear co-founder Sami Abdul Fattah Assadi, the oldest lion in the Assadi family from Safed, Palestine, is memorialized in an upcoming novel Paradiso 17 by Hannah Lillith Assadi, forthcoming from . Hannah was recently invited to participate in a fundraiser at Town Hall. Please see this video courtesy of Democracy Now!, where Hannah reads from her book. She is introduced by Aasif Mandvi at 16:54 in this video.

Her voice resonates as one of the most authentic reflections of our time. Hannah Lillith Assadi is the daughter of two founders: Sami, a 1948 Nakba Palestinian refugee from Safed, Palestine, and Susan Gitenstein Assadi, a reformed Jew born in Alabama and raised in Washington, D.C. and New York City. Their union-born of love, resilience, and determination, began in the 1980s, when they met in a bar in Tribeca. Each carried a distinct history, and together they forged a life that defied convention.

They endured the weight of the Nakba, the scrutiny of family and friends, and the complexities of interfaith love. Yet they were uplifted by a circle of globally minded allies - Baha’is, Progressives, True Liberals, and others - who embraced their story. From the aftermath of 9/11 to the present day, their journey has been one of courage and connection.

To experience the beauty of Hannah’s storytelling, listen to her vivid portrayal of Sufien - a character inspired by Sami. You won’t regret it. Her words will move you, compel you to read more, and perhaps inspire you to purchase her book. Most importantly, share it with those who still question the humanity of Palestinians. Like every American, like every human being, they seek a home, safety for their loved ones, and a future filled with hope.

Thanks to Knopf editor Freeman for leading the publication of her 3rd novel.

To pre-purchase the book follow this link:
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/776855/paradiso-17-by-hannah-lillith-assadi/

Susan Assadi



Maha Kapageridis
Democracy Now!
Mosab Abu Toha
Aasif Mandvi
Rahman

Stephan Said
Alhambra High School
Gracie Wonderdog
Barbara Trapido-Lurie

09/15/2025

https://www.facebook.com/673817892/videos/2252289685208826/

This post was written by one of our co-founders Susan Assadi. This will remind you of the influence of her co-founder departed Sami Assadi, her partner and inspiration for creating Safed House.

09/11/2025

Let’s calm the rhetoric and lead by example, killing ANYONE because of their beliefs is wrong. Can we ALL tone done the rhetoric and the hate expressed by many sides of the discourse now. No Killing is ethically right. Free Speech is part of our rights. Democracy was created for a reason. Intolerance to ‘other’ peoples views unfortunately is growing at an exponential pace.

America is a nation shaped by political violence and steeped in its aftershocks