"When I was at Harvard, a very close friend lost someone to the violence in Israel. I felt so helpless watching her pain. I really wanted to do something, but I didn’t know where to begin. Coming from Israel, I know how polarized that part of the world scene in a can be. I had always really admired Queen Rania of Jordan. She’s the most high-profile Palestinian woman in the Middle East, and she’s so compassionate and smart. I realize that not everyone can do this, but I picked up the phone that very day to track her down and ask her for advice. I was able to meet her later, and she talked to me about the “hope gap.”"