'Tabkha' by Mona Zahed
A mutual aid title from Slingshot Books
Advance copies of the second edition of Slingshot Books’ title Tabkha arrived at our studio this week. My love Tess is currently away, so I’ll share a photo and introduce you to this beautiful title on her behalf:
While under Zionist bombardment, chef Mona Zahed’s food delivery business was destroyed by Israel, along with her husband’s pharmacy. And so, Mona decided to write a cookbook.
Tess immediately agreed to publish the project, alongside several artists who had volunteered to create illustrations for each recipe. Tabkha is a 100% mutual aid title. Tess is passing all profit directly to Mona, her family, and her community.
Tabkha was composed by Mona entirely by mobile phone, from her eighth displacement tent in southern Gaza, over sporadic internet connection, as the genocidal Zionist entity enacted its ongoing program of destruction and extermination.
For many months now, I’ve watched Tess in daily conversation with Mona and her family, carefully consulting on every aspect of the book’s production, and building their friendship with all necessary grief and urgency. More recently, Tess has been working alongside human rights lawyers to secure safe passage for Mona and her family from Gaza to Wurundjeri Land.
Finally, against all odds, Tess has visas approved. She is now devoting her time to the administrative and strategic task of co-ordinating the family’s crossing through the borders of US/Zionist siege.
The first edition of Tabkha sold out within a week of publication. This second, expanded edition is available now for preorder.
It contains two new recipes from Mona, alongside new contributions by two Palestinian artists whose work I already know and love: Aya Ghanameh and Aliaa Betawi.
Please encourage your local bookstore to stock Tabkha, or preorder your copy from Slingshot Books online — where you can also make a direct donation to support Mona and her family.
Meanwhile, listen to a conversation between Tess and Lama Obeid about the making of Tabkha.
