Pomegranates for Peace

By Author / Illustrator

Miriam Halahmy

Genre

Family & Home

Age range(s)

Publisher

ZunTold

ISBN

9781915758309

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

20-11-2025

Synopsis

Pomegranates for Peace is a Middle Grade novel centred on the aftermath of the October 7th 2023 atrocities conducted by Hamas in Israel and the terrible war in Gaza which followed. The story takes place in November 2023 in London when Tamara Cohen learns that her cousin Gidi who lives in Israel, is coming to stay with the family because his dad as a medic is on the front line and his mum has been taken ill and is in hospital.

At first Tamara is upset because she has to give up her bedroom. Dad is withdrawn and angry and spends all of his time following the events unfolding in Isreal and Gaza. Mum is anxious about it too and worried about Gidi who hardly speaks and seems to have arrived with little clothing. Over the next few weeks, friendships in school become strained and Tamara is concerned that she is losing her best friend Yaz.

Bouts of racism against Jewish and Muslim children and families, inside and outside of school are becoming more frequent and everyone in school, including the teachers, are taking sides. In the end it is Gidi who teaches the children that Peace is the path to sorting out the mess created by adults and opens their eyes to the youth leaders in Israel and Gaza who work tirelessly to build bridges of communication.

Released on the 20th November, on World Children's Day. The day marks the United Nations General Assembly's adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child in 1959 as well as the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1989. In 2025, World Children's Day calls on adults to listen to the future.

Miriam Halahmy is a Jewish Anglo author and Peace Activist.

Reviews

Jacqueline

12-year-old Tamara Cohen is struggling. Since the Hamas attacks on October 7th, nothing has been right. Her dad is worried about his brother and family living in Israel and Jewish children, including Tamara, have become targets of Jew hate at school. To cap it all Tamara has to move out of her bedroom to let her Israeli cousin Gidi come and stay with them. Things at school get even worse and with people taking sides, Tamara feels even her friendship with her best friend Yaz, is in danger.

Pomegranates for Peace is a much-needed book, detailing what it is like for many Jewish children in UK schools at present. Whilst it is set in the months straight after October 7th, 2023, sadly much of the same continues even now. The best part of it is how hopeful the whole book is though. Yes, there is antisemitism, and some people may never change their views, but what if even one person hears and listens and realises? Gidi is the embodiment of hope, striving for peace and understanding, even when things are very bleak. He opens the eyes of his fellow pupils by showing them that Jews and Arabs in Israel get along and are friends.

I read this book a day before the terror attack on a Manchester synagogue. The message of hope sustained me during the dark days that followed. The book recognises how Jews are feeling at the moment and how much peace is longed for. It also highlights antisemitism which is prevalent in our schools and how schools are ill-equipped to deal with it. I think all Primary and Secondary schools should have this book in order to start a dialogue about the issues it raises. It would make an excellent class read as well.

Coming at the time that it does, the book strongly highlights the work that is needed to sustain understanding and ultimately peace. The message of hope and educating children in peace and dialogue, should be the heart of what educators are striving to achieve.

218 pages / Reviewed by Jacqueline Harris, teacher