Friday, November 19, 2010

Friday Saturday Shaar Hanegev Days

I woke up early, everyone was still sleeping in sleeping bags, boys here girls there, only Abdullah was up, he got up to pray. We organized quickly, breakfast was delicious, and we started walking toward the "Ein ovdat" nature reserve. Walking distance of one kilometer in the morning was refreshing. We sat at the entrance to the parking area, the rangers filed a complaint against the guide that we came into the reserve without permission. There was great anger we expected the ranger to understand our situation, that we slept outdoors and got there a little early. Because the ranger did not cancel the complaint, we gave up on the visit. instead we climbed to see David and Paula Ben Gurion tombs, the first prime minister of Israel and his wife. The view from the place was amazing, we talked a bit about Ben Gurion and his love to the Negev his personal example and his image as leader of the country.
Towards the afternoon we went to "Shaar Hanegev". The first stop was viewpoint "Black Arrow" which is located east of Gaza. There, Gon explained about Shaar Hanegev Regional Council, and its people living in the shadow of the Qassams, From there we drove to kibbutz "Mefalsim" synagogue. Gon's dad Yosi explained the major principles of Judaism and the similarities and differences between Judaism and Islam. He spoke of the belief in one God, man is the center of the human existence and has a mission to be a good person, about the significance of the choice, the importance of time in Judaism, we must not waste time, that Judaism is against the missionary, the importance of democracy in Judaism The importance of learning and the need to do good things without the need to tell about them. The lecture was very interesting at the end he showed us the Holy Ark and the Torah. Then we met the mayor Alon Schuster accompanying Jitli project for many years and he talked about the importance of leadership and the importance of Jewish Bedouin coexistence for the Negev region. The group dispersed to families' home hospitality, which included Friday dinner. Hospitality was amazing it brought the students closer. The students spent the night in a hostel "Beit Yatziv" in Be'er Sheva. The next morning there was a meeting that included a workshop with members of the "one voice" Palestinian Jewish cooperation " Create the future today, two-state to two nations, one voice" The meeting was interesting, their URL:
http://www.onevoice.org.il/ .
At noon we returned to "Shaar Hanegev" to "Ibim" students village where there is a memory point to San Diego student that was killed in a terrorist attack .
We conducted social activities, we learned the song of the Beatles "all together now" Jitli version. Then we swam in the swimming pool of "Kibbutz Mefalsim" It was nice to see the Bedouin girls enter the water wrapped with their long clothes and enjoyeding the situation.
From there we went to Gon's house and the team from San Diego made a Monopoly game with which we got to know San Diego city and the important places to that Hanichim group. The game was done with a lot of attention, and with a lot of experiences.
After an argument where to eat dinner: in "Sderot", in "Rahat", or at the gas station restaurant in "Kefar Aza". We decided to eat in "Kefar Aza." So, while buying food incident occurred at the border and we heard gunshots and lighting bombs. This all lasted a few minutes and then the quiet returned. Some Hanichim came to fear and hysteria. It was live practice of the meaning of living by the border.
Shaar Hanegev" participants tried to reassure and explained that now there will be quiet We finished eating and went back to Be'er Sheva. Chen said that after she saw the natural fear reactions of her friends, she was shocked at her condition of accepting such a shooting event as norma ot was bothersome to her, and shed light on the abnormal situation where she lives
In Beer Sheva we gathered to talk about the experiences we went through that day.
Questions:
1. Is there a better way of learning than to experience the event and participate in it? Home hospitality?, an event at the border?
2. Are home hospitality the culmination of Jitli project?
3. can co-parenting/ parent involvement contribute to the success of the project?

I received a link of an interview conducted by Michael with Gary and Jerry Ann about Jitli project that wasuploaded to YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwCTXEwOkyA&feature=sub
our videos

Waiting to your comments

Yitzik Koren


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