[ About ]Sotna brings inclusive, interactive musical programming and empowerment to Palestinian communities facing violence and displacement in the West Bank.
Through our three primary programs:
Performances – Live, multi-genre concerts delivered directly to remote villages, meeting each moment with music rooted in empathy and connection.
Workshops – Rhythm, voice, and movement workshops led by professional musicians and educators.
Youth Orchestra — Weekly youth orchestra rehearsals and semi-annual concerts for school children in Umm Al-Khair in Masaffer Yatta.
Sotna uses music as a tool for human connection, solidarity, and cultural expression throughout Area C.
Families in Area C face not only physical and political hardships but also an emotional and imaginative scarcity: few safe spaces to play, few opportunities to express themselves, and almost no access to the creative experiences that nurture confidence, team-building skills, self-discipline, and joy. These are not luxuries—they are essential human rights.
As NGOs and allies working in the region, we are called to invest in life-affirming, community-driven initiatives that strengthen the social and emotional fabric of vulnerable communities. Sotna offers an opportunity to shift from reacting to violence toward planting seeds of resilience, expression, and dignity through music.
History:
In February 2025, Sotna’s founders, Kai Jack and Amalia Zeitlin, began performing monthly concerts for families facing displacement and violence in the Northern Jordan Valley. The joy, connection, and solidarity shared through these concerts inspired additional gatherings. By the summer of 2025, as tensions and deadly violence continued to escalate throughout the West Bank, Kai and Amalia expanded Sotna’s mission to include the creation of a youth orchestra in the village of Umm Al-Khair in Masaffer Yatta—affirming their belief that even in the most difficult circumstances, music can nurture resilience, dignity, dreams, and sumud (steadfastness).
[ Founders ]About the Organizers
Sotna is a collective of musicians, educators, and cultural activists with deep experience in community-based arts. Our members include Palestinian, Israeli and international musicians committed to social justice, youth development, and creative resistance.
Founders of the project:
Kai Jack, born in 1994 in the U.S. and raised in Norway, earned degrees in Double Bass Performance from Gothenburg University (B.Mus.) and the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance (M.Mus.). He co-founded the Dream Orchestra in Gothenburg, Sweden, a youth project for refugee and migrant children, and later volunteered with Israel's African asylum seeker community, using music as a tool for empowerment. As a freelancer since 2018, he has performed with Israeli orchestras and ensembles, serving as acting co-principal double bassist in the Israel Camerata Orchestra during the 2022-2023 season. During the pandemic, he launched the Mediterranean Double Bass Forum to connect bassists globally and founded the Jerusalem Double Bass Quartet to expand the instrument's reach. Kai has also taught at Israeli and Palestinian conservatories, championing music's role in fostering social integration, leadership, and resilience.
Amalia Zeitlin, born in 1995 and raised in Las Cruces, New Mexico, developed a passion for music and social justice early in life. She earned degrees in violin performance from Boston University and New Mexico State University and studied abroad at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance. In 2017, she co-founded Camerata Del Sol, a professional chamber ensemble in Las Cruces, serving as its executive director for six seasons and leading over 200 performances that emphasized accessibility and diversity. She also volunteered in Tamil Nadu, India, as a teaching artist for rural youth from marginalized communities. Amalia is now exploring civil dialogue initiatives, focusing on music’s potential to foster pluralism, bridge divides, and inspire transformation.