Despite the latest sad developments in the Middle East the local ICEVI committee is pleased to report the first planned joint activities that was executed just before the tragic events.
Oh what a wonderful day!!!! A day of co-existence, a day of sharing, a day of excitement and learning, a day of fun, a day of understanding, an exhausting, but very full day. It actually was 2 days!!!.
June 28, 2000 the first ICEVI project between Gaza and Israel became a reality. Sponsored by the Haifa Municipality 14 blind pre-schoolers and their mothers from the Al Nour Rehabilitation Center for the Visually Impaired crossed the border at Arez with no problems and within 2 hours marched off the bus on top of the Carmel Mountain. Evie Rote from the Ofarim Unit for the Blind, at the Hannah Khoushi Development Center greeted Abdul Jarbou, the principal of Al Nour and Chairperson of the Middle East ICEVI region. The children went straight for the climbing equipment and the various slides at the park. The mothers enjoyed strolling through the Panorama Shopping Center and going through the revolving doors. But the biggest excitement was going up an escalator and down the mountain in Haifa’s little underground train, the Carmelite. Since one mother almost fell on the first escalator, we opted for stairs and climbed up out of the Carmelite tunnel near the Haifa Municipality.
A welcome reception with Mayor Mitznah at the municipality looked very much like a morning at the Ofarim Unit. The entrance was full of play equipment and the hall covered with small cages of little animals for the children to touch and hold. But Julie, the patient and quiet golden retriever was the center of attraction. One of the teachers, herself blind, had never touched a dog before and was petrified, but very slowly let her fingers slowly crawl down my arm until her fingertips reached the fur. When the dog moved she screamed, but was willing to try once more. The tables were covered with food and flowers, and a bucket of balloons for the children created the informal play and very festive atmosphere.
Dr. Hattim Khouri, Deputy General of the Haifa Municipality co-ordinated every detail…the buses, the food, the Arez crossing, the Carmelite, Arab Theatre for the staff and home hospitality for 35 people. That night for me it was impossible to sleep since the adrenilin in me kept me up. The excitement was so great, that an idea had become a reality. Another reality was beginning a new day, Thursday, June 29, bright and early, by 7:30 a.m. the Gaza children were on the bus at the municipality. Driving up the hill to the Ofarim Unit the Israeli children and their parents also squeezed into the bus to get to the Herzl Elementary School gym where Yael Lustig directs the Sportaf program, a Disneyland movement adventure. With a musical background the children pulled up and down a parachute making coloured pom poms bounce up into the air and coming down like soft rain to the delight of all the children. All too soon we needed to put our shoes back on and leave the enormous air mattress, the swings, balance boards and trampoline.
The Carmel Park, a nature reserve covered with pine trees, was our next stop. In the shade of the trees and with the smell of the pines, the adventure continued with Kaete, our music therapist and her guitar. A good morning in song to each of the 20 children gave us a few moments to sit and relax. While we sang, Nuhah the pre-school teacher set up the next project. Globs and globs of paint in between 2 plastic sheets and sealed at the edges so it can’t squeeze out became a modern artwork of colour and pattern as all the children, together, spread the paint from side to side, round and around. The dramatic finale before lunch was Denise, her puppets and costumes as she involved all the children in a very active storytelling hour. Even though my Arabic isn’t good enough to understand the plot, I felt the atmosphere and saw the children’s interest. Each story came alive.
After lunch presents were shared and all too quickly we needed to march back on to the bus to go home and our visitors back to Gaza. Everything worked so well, because everyone was inspired and motivated to work together. Each person donated so much time and energy and was a valuable part of a wonderful project. The whole created and the spirit of peace together was bigger and better than the sum of its parts.
But what did we forget………coffee for the adults and film in the camera!
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