In spite of the significant budget cutbacks that we had no choice but to make this year, Leo Baeck's Arab-Jewish Summer Camp 2009 went ahead as usual filling the Leo Baeck Community Center with happy chatter in a rainbow of languages during the first 2 weeks of August. Our 86 Christian, Moslem and Jewish – native Israeli and new immigrant – campers flocked to the center from all over Haifa.
Two exceptional young women from very different worlds took on the role of Camp 2009 coordinators - Meira Avara Molnesh, a participant in Leo Baeck's University Leadership Training Program for Ethiopian students, and Haifa University graduate student, Shaden Basul, participant in the Open Flats leadership and community training program at Leo Baeck's Clore Neighbourhood Centre. All 12 camp counselors were graduates of Leo Baeck's Arab-Jewish Youth Leadership Program, an annual program, open to all Haifa youth.
In addition to being a two-week fun-filled experience, the purpose of the Arab-Jewish Summer Camp is to establish new relationships, expand horizons and most of all, to bring children from different cultures and religions, who rarely have contact with one another in their daily lives, together. Camp was conducted in Arabic and Hebrew and included a light mid-morning breakfast, snacks and refreshments. At least one grand reunion event will be held during the coming year.
Sunday August 2 – Orientation Day
A sea of eager campers, ages 6-11, turned up bright and early for their first day of summer camp, where they were assigned home teams and given red caps which they personalized by writing their names in Arabic and Hebrew, and T-shirts proclaiming, "Lighting Up the Sun of Coexistence" and "A Summer Dream" in both Arabic and Hebrew. The campers started by sitting in circles, introduced themselves and using a creative art project to express the things that are most important in their lives. They then continued with dance movement to eastern and western music in the gym, and getting-to-know-you games. Each team wrote its own camp slogan chose/composed its own camp song.
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Monday, August 3 – Making Music Together
Drum therapy is an ancient approach that uses rhythm to promote healing, self expression and a feeling of wellbeing. Group drumming is believed to reduce tension and stress and dissipate feelings of isolation and alienation. This was certainly proven to be the case with the 86 campers who were united and mesmerized by the beat of the as they worked their way up from garbage bins to darbuka drums under the expert guidance of professional drummer, Yaron. Although the belly dancing was quite an attraction for many of the girls, only a handful of the boys were willing to give it a try. However, all of the children happily cooled off with water sports in the community center pool. Both the belly dancing teacher and the darbuka instructor teach at Leo Baeck's Clore Neighbourhood Center in Ein Ha'yam.
Tuesday, August 4- One World - Environmental Imagination Day
Think it's garbage? Well, think again. This special recycled and sustainable arts day was organized by the Nazareth-based Link to the Environment, which worked with the Clore Neighbourhood Center on its Arab-Jewish Environmental Week last month. Following a discussion on how to be good neighbors, neighborhood pride, and how one child's actions can make a difference to the world, the children were divided into teams for a Green Quiz, followed by environmental and sustainability projects which encouraged them to let their imaginations soar and creative juices flow – but using only recycled or materials gathered from nature – not taken. A green exhibition displaying the fruits of their labor was held on the last day of camp.
Wednesday, August 5 – Haifa Zoo - Responsibility & Respect
By teaching care and respect of animals, we are teaching our children to care and respect one another in the hopes of building a new empathetic generation. The visit to the Haifa Educational Zoo, under the expert supervision of animal welfare educators, gave campers an up-close opportunity to not only pet and groom the animals, but learn about them, the countries they come from, their natural habitat, and their rights to be treated with kindness and respect. The petting zoo helped many of the children to face their fears and preconceptions about animals and acknowledge the important role that they can play in building a more caring and tolerant planet.
Thursday, August 6 - Mini-Olympics Day
Each team represented a different country starting with the campers having to find out which flag represents which country and then make their own. The sports center with its indoor gym, outdoor basketball court and swimming pool became the focus of the day's athletics, gymnastics, track, field and swimming activities, all to the beat of eastern and western background music. The winning teams (and those who came in last) were awarded gold, silver and bronze-wrapped prizes in praise of their sportsmanship and team efforts.
Sunday, August 9 – Amazing Race Day
Inspired by one Israel's favorite TV programs, the day emphasized ingenuity, teamwork, clues, rewards and the race to the finish line! The Leo Baeck gym was transformed into an inflatable adventure park where teams of campers strategized together, avoided obstacles, raced from station to station in pursuit of the next clue, bounced, jumped and waged war against the clock in pursuit of the treasure. Teams were required to construct sections of a puzzle which fitted together to create the Summer Camp "Peace Pyramid", a sculpture of recycled materials, which will be on permanent display permanent at the Leo Baeck Community Center.
Monday, August 10 – "Balagan Activity Park", Kibbutz Yagur
Apart from the wonders of the bouncing castles, the artificial lake, the basketball court, Lego room, play stations and go-carts, the children paired up to visit the animals in the Petting Corner and learnt more about animal welfare and animal rights. After they had finished their breakfast which they ate in the shade of the trees, the children formed Listening Circles and were introduced to the art of listening deeply and speaking from the heart.
Tuesday, August 11 – "Wedding Day"
The Leo Baeck high school assembly hall was transformed into a wedding hall, where the children took part in simulated Arab and Jewish (Moroccan) weddings which celebrated their glorious differences and highlighted their cultural similarities. The kids were fully dressed for the occasion, with an array of brides, grooms, wedding guests, musicians in addition to an Arabic-Hebrew speaking Master of Ceremonies. Traditional music and dancing filled the hall; explanations in Arabic and Hebrew accompanied each stage of the proceedings, but the unquestionable highlight of the day was the nuptial Henna ceremony followed by hand painting for all 86 campers. Every camper received a small Henna kit to take home.
Wednesday, August 12 – "Peace Day"
The campers composed their own peace song, thanks to the inspiration of veteran Israeli musician-songwriter, Leo Baeck community elder, and magical flute player, Eliyahu Gamliel, whose ease in switching over from Arabic to Hebrew drew the children to him. As he played his flute and danced with the children, some of them picked up darbukas, started drumming, and sang "Together we will make peace; together we will realize a dream…" Afterwards, the older kids went for a water sports session while the younger ones worked on their peace posters.
Thursday, August 13, 2009 – "Good Neighbor & Arts Workshop"
Being a good neighbor was the message of this arts workshop day where, in addition to rehearsals for the Grand Finale, the children created special hand-crafted gifts of wind chimes, peace mobiles, hamsa amulets and origami figures, which they would exchange with their Arab or Jewish counterparts campers, as a token of lasting friendship, on their last day.
Friday, August 14 – End of Camp Party
Families and friends packed into the Leo Baeck Community Center to share the excitement and the sadness of the end of camp finale. As a prelude to the entertainment and the exchanging of gifts, traditional foods prepared by the families were laid out on long tables, and shared by all. Filling up the auditorium, the children and camp counselors put on a show of camp highlights for their delighted audience: the wedding dances; belly dancing; darbuka drumming, and sang their original Peace Song together. An exhibition of Camp artwork featured the showpiece, the Peace Pyramid which is to be placed on permanent display in the Community Center lobby.
Camp 2009 ended with hugs and tears and promises to keep in touch. Evaluation forms were handed out to all of the children and their families, and Samia Diab and her team will be following-up in the weeks to come, and of course, arranging the reunion event.
