Tag Archives: Ein Raffa

by | June 28, 2012 · 11:56 am

9 year-old PeacePlayer, Hala, leads a practice!

This week’s blog entry is submitted by PPI – ME’s American Trainer, Edniesha Curry.

Hala, age 9, leads basketball drills for Arab women in her community.

Let me introduce Hala, a young girl who is a part of PPI – ME’s Ein Raffa program.  After working with her for the last six months, I have seen great improvement and growth on and off the court.  She is only nine years old, but Hala is fluent in English, Arabic and Hebrew.  Her favorite things to do are ‘hang out’ with family and play sports. She loves chocolate and Angry Birds.  And, I must say, she can make some great tea and lemonade for a youngster.  Hala has been a pure joy for me as a coach, and has become a true leader during practice — she is always willing to go the extra mile.

PeacePlayers International – Middle East has grown exponentially over the last seven years in both the number of participants and programming.  One of our newest programs is for Arab women to have the same basketball training as their children.  Hala’s aunts, cousin, and even mom are a part of this program.

Hala and her aunt compete in a running contest.

Last week, Hala attended one of the women’s practices with no idea that I was going to see just how much she has learned over the past six months.  I surprised her by giving her the reigns to lead the women’s practice.  Talk about pressure for a 9 year old, but the leader that she is, Hala handled it like a champion. She went directly into ‘coach-mode’, instructing the women just as I do…first explaining the drill vocally, then showing it to them, and lastly, watching them do it on their own.

It was incredible to see the confidence come out of her voice.  When she forgot a drill that I taught her, she would look at me for a little help.  We were a really great team that night, and the women enjoyed having her lead them in practice.  At the end of practice we had a little fun and I let my assistant coach join the ladies while I led the rest of practice. We had a shooting contest where the losers had to run.  Who do you think won in the running contest between Hala and her aunt?

It is very important for the whole community to see how important PeacePlayers is to the children. Sport is such a powerful tool that teaches us so many skills for life  and goes way beyond the number of games we play.

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by | May 31, 2012 · 2:57 pm

Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number

PPI – Middle East’s newly formed adult basketball group is made up of the female family members of some of its participants.

This week’s post is written by Edniesha Curry. Moms, cousins and aunts from Ein Raffa’s youth program come together every Thursday for basketball practice, group discussions, and friendly banter. 

Over the last few months, I have been in awe watching how the game of basketball, the game I LOVE, can bring children from completely different communities together.  You can imagine my excitement when the mothers of the kids I’ve gotten so close to approached PPI – ME, after seeing how much fun their children were having, to see if we could start a team for them. Thus began my experience providing basketball training to a group of awesome women.

I’d like to mention here that participation in sports is not traditionally acceptable for Arab women – especially older Arab women – so this is really a rare opportunity for them to learn basketball in an organized setting and to have this outlet for physical fitness. While we spend most of our time working on their athletic skills, we always seem to find time to talk about food, kids and other girlie stuff.  And, as we end each practice, I usually end up over a family’s house, talking and eating great food.

Traditionally, women in Arab communities are discouraged from taking part in organized sport.

One bit of basketball advice I did have to teach them: Make sure to eat after practice.  Last week, we had a little bit of a snail reaction due to some full stomachs.  To say the least, we all got a good laugh out of it.

I have really enjoyed meeting these women and learning about their culture through basketball.  But I’m not the only one getting a lot out of this relationship.  According to Ranin, the coordinator for this group:

“The women are very pleased with what they get out of the basketball practices.  They feel fresh and young.  They especially enjoy the different creative routines they have learned.”

To top it off, it’s also very special for the children who are in PPI- ME to see their female role models enjoying the same game that they do.

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by | May 17, 2012 · 1:43 pm

In the Field with Ein Raffa PPI-ME Players

This week’s post is written by PPI – Middle East’s basketball trainer Edniesha Curry.

The PeacePlayers of Ein Raffa on bikes after basketball practice.

This week, the weather was awesome in Ein Raffa, so we got the chance to do a full skill development obstacle course for 20 kids between the ages of 7 and 10.  At this age, we focus on ball control, body control and the understanding of basic basketball language and rules. Since I began working with the Ein Raffa participants this past February, I have noticed a huge improvement in their understanding of the game and their body control. At the end of each practice, if I notice a skill hasn’t been perfected, I put them in a circle and have them watch me do it a couple of times. I then have them practice it as their “basketball  homework.” The next practice then begins with that maneuver.

Over the last few months, the group has started to open up to me, and even started teaching me some Arabic – which is pretty cool because it is not the easiest language to pick up. They still get a giggle or two at ‘coaches’ accent, but they appreciate me trying to learn their language while being on the court with them. I want to mention here that my language teachers are all about 24 years younger than me, so they get a kick out of having the leadership role.  I have learned the following Arabic phrases: ‘Slowly’, ’Hello’, ‘How are you doing?’, ‘What’s up?’, ‘Yes’, ‘No’, ‘You’re welcome’,  ‘Thank you’, and ‘Missed shot’ – which makes the kids laugh hysterically when I say it… I can also now count to ten.

Zaina is Coach Eddy’s toughest Arabic language instructor.

Zaina, by far, is my hardest teacher.  She speaks English very well, so her standards are very high when it comes to me speaking her native language. Zaina will be a future leader.  She enjoys life and the game of basketball.  It has been a blast getting to know her on and off the court.

It has been a pure blessing working with this group as we teach each other something new through basketball. That is what makes this sport so powerful – it brings people together that are so, very different.  As I always like to say, thanks for allowing me to continue changing lives – one dribble at a time.

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by | February 23, 2012 · 2:52 pm

The Next Generation: Emerging PeacePlayers Leader Coach Khaled

Edniesha trains young leaders of the boys' LDP, including Khaled (front row, right).

By Edniesha Curry
PeacePlayers International – Middle East Basketball Trainer

Sport is a very powerful tool for communities, the world and athletes on various social, emotional and physical levels. I have had the privilege of being a part of the PPI – ME Jerusalem boys Leadership Develop Program and have had the opportunity to build a special relationship with Coach Khaled.

Khaled assists at the holiday tournament.

Coach Khaled has been a part of PPI-ME since he was thirteen years old and now at twenty years of age is a part of the LDP program, which gives PPI participants at the age of sixteen the opportunity to become leaders by volunteering as coaches, and leading social projects in their neighborhood communities. Khaled is not only a leader in training; he is also a certified coach, and has his own teams which he coaches. I have had the privilege of helping Coach Khaled develop his leadership style on the basketball court as we work together throughout the week at the LDP practices, twinnings and basketball practices in Ein Raffa and Isawiyya.

When I first arrived in Israel on January 26, 2012, the LDP boys had a weekend tournament at the American School in Even Yehuda. The LDP team is a mix of both Arab and Jewish young men, and because of the language barrier Coach Khaled, who is bilingual, was my assistant coach and translator during the tournament. That was the beginning of our relationship: we spent all day talking basketball, Coach Khaled watched my composure and passion for the game on the sideline. He also became more comfortable ,as I would tell him: “If you see something tell me, four eyes are better then two.” He would smile because Coach Khaled always says I speak English very fast, so sometimes he does not understand me, but wants to learn how to speak better. Coach Khaled and I had a great weekend. We played very good basketball and had fun running the sidelines together. From that weekend forward,  I knew there was something special about this young man.

"Khaled wants to be a better leader for the kids in his communities and to be the best Coach for them in life and basketball." Photo: Joel Dzodin

As part of being a basketball trainer I go to all the Middle East sites and help coaches with new drills and ways to teach the game of basketball. I look forward to my time with Coach Khaled because the first week I worked with him he was very honest about his confidence as a coach and his aspirations to move up in the coaching world. During the first practices I would lead most of the drills and have him watch, while I would talk to him about various ways in which he can change them according to skill and grade level. I would give him things to do, and he would lead the young kids in drills and games during practices.

This past week I noticed a change in Coach Khaled. We were driving and he was asking way more basketball questions and wanted to pick my brain more and more. Coach Khaled wanted to shadow me so he could see how I teach the game of basketball. He wants to be a better leader for the kids in his communities, and he wants to be the best Coach for them in life and basketball.

By definition, a leader is a position, and a person who guides or directs a group. I want to take this definition a little further by stating that a leader knows that there will be times when you have to follow to reach your greatest potential. That is what is special about the relationship that Coach Khaled and I are building through basketball, we both are leaders but we both are becoming better leaders for our communities and in the world because we both are leaning on each other where we may have a weakness as a coach. Coach Khaled is truly emerging as a next generation leader through the PPI-ME LDP program.

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by | February 24, 2011 · 2:18 pm

The Route of Learning Peacemaking and Basketball

In today’s post, Aran puts PPI – Middle East’s various programs in context, taking us from a team’s initial practice all the way to where we hope each of our players ends up, giving back to the next generation of PeacePlayers.

LDP members guide younger PeacePlayers at PPI - ME's MiniFest.

Most PPI – ME teams practice regularly within their local communities twice each week. Twice each month, they meet another  team from the “other” community for a joint practice called a “Twinning.” The first challenge for any team is to get to know each other, and within PPI – ME this happens on three levels – first, amongst a team’s players themselves; second, between the young PeacePlayers and their coach; and finally, amongst all the members of two twinned teams.

The Keshet School children host their twinned team from East Jerusalem.

One example is the program at the Keshet School in West Jerusalem where PPI – ME engages some 40 children, all of them new to basketball and new to PPI – ME. Before their coach could introduce them to their twined team from East Jerusalem, he had to gain their trust. This was accomplished by through a series of activities with three goals: to introduce the children to the game of basketball, to have fun (and through this fun, to build trust), and to prepare the children to meet their twinned team using PPI – ME’s key values and teachings. Last week, on a rainy day in Jerusalem, the two Keshet teams went through special classes that are based on the curriculum developed by PPI in partnership with the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and the Arbinger Institute. In this class the children learned that every person on a team is important, no matter how small their role sometimes seems. Coaches will later build on this lesson to illustrate to children how any one person is equal to any other person.

Practice in Ein Raffa.

The program in the Arab community of Ein Raffa presented even more complex challenges, since the team’s coach is Jewish and does not speak Arabic. He has with him a translator from the community. In four months of practice, the team developed some special signals and code words. Though most of them don’t speak English, all the children know what the “baseline” is and how to assume the basic defensive stance in basketball. Progress is slow, but communication between the players and their coach is running more smoothly every practice.

LDP members learn from PPI's curriculum in-depth.

The ideal for all of our participants are the All Stars teams and the Boys LDP team. These teams are fully integrated. They are made of youth that understand not only the codes and tactics of basketball, but also the special mission of PeacePlayers International – to understand the lessons of equality and of seeing people as people, to be open towards the “other” and act according to these lessons, taking them outside of the basketball court to their communities. In the first MiniFest of the season, help a couple of months ago, the LDP boys and girls acted as instructors to our younger PeacePlayers. The young PeacePlayers have a long road ahead of them before they are able to live out this vision of openness and acceptance. Luckily, they have PPI – ME’s veterans to guide them.

PPI’s work in the Middle East is partially made possible by the generous support of the American people through USAID.

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by | October 28, 2010 · 1:27 pm

New Friends in Mat’e Yehuda

Last Sunday, PPI – ME’s team of 5th grade girls from an Arab community in East Jerusalem visited the Mat’e Yehuda Regional Council gym for a friendly match.

Players from both teams pose for a pre-match photo.

The girls struggle to get into position for a rebound.

Mat’e Yehuda is a region just west of Jerusalem. The regional council there oversees the governance of numerous small communities, both Arab and Jewish.  PPI – ME and the council have cooperated for several years, culminating this year in a new PPI – ME program in Ein Raffa, a town in Mat’e Yehuda.

A large crowd gathered on the sidelines, made up mainly of parents of the hosting Mat’e Yehuda team, who were generous hosts and made sure to cheer for both teams. The game itself was a nail-biter, with the girls of Mat’e Yehuda winning by a small margin.

After the game. pizza and refreshments were served, as PPI – ME Managing Director Karen Doubilet explained to the parents and children all about PPI – ME’s mission and methods.

Managing Director Karen Doubilet explains PPI-ME's mission and method to the crowd.

Though competitive, these friendly, inter-communal events ensure that no one goes home feeling a loser. The success of this event promises more continuous collaborations between PPI – ME and the Mat’e Yehuda Regional Council. Karen Doubilet summarized, “It’s exciting to be here and it’s exciting to have a new team and a new community to have our activities with.”

Though competitive, teamwork and sportsmanship were the guiding themes of the day.

Photographs by Franice Meckler. Franice is visiting the Middle East from the U.S, shooting a photo project on sports and social change.

This project is partially made possible by the generous support of the American people through USAID.

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by | October 21, 2010 · 1:36 pm

The Many Coaches of Ein Raffa

The girls of Ein Raffa, one of PPI - ME's youngest teams.

PPI believes that variety is a good thing. Our programs aim to bring together children from communities that wouldn’t normally meet, and through these meetings have them engage in dialogue. Most often, this dialogue revolves around the stuff that’s important to everyone: how to get better in basketball.  Different perspectives always enrich those taking part in the change of ideas.

Limor Mizrahi With the All Star Girls

Similarly, PPI – ME believes that every coach has their own perspective, their own way of teaching, their own way of conveying what is most important to them. That’s why even though every team has its own regular coach we try to have guest coaches come every so often and share their insight of the game of basketball. For example, a couple of weeks ago Limor Mizrahi had the first of her monthly clinics with the All Stars teams.

Khaled, who's learned to coach during his time with PPI - ME, leads a shooting drill.

On a regular basis yours truly is the coach of the new PPI – ME program in Ein Raffa. Kids from the village, 1st and 2nd graders, assemble twice every week to hear what I have to say about the game of basketball. But this is not all they hear. True to our commitment to variety, the children’s first practice was given by Khaled, a young coach, only 18 years old, with whom they connected so deeply that they still ask how he is, even though he has been unable to come to Ein Raffa since then.

The players making 'basketball ice cream cones'.

Last week, one of PPI – ME’s veteran coaches, who has been with the organization since it kicked off activities in the Middle East, came to run a practice for the children. For forty-five minutes he bestowed his wisdom as a veteran coach and a schoolteacher, running drills to sharpen coordination and on-the-court skills.

More is to come. The kids will meet Vito Gillic, PPI – ME’s resident basketball expert. And they will meet more coaches and mentors throughout the year, including in special events like a tournament planned for this December.

Every coach has a different outlook on the way to learn basketball and life-skills. When we at PPI – ME try to teach children basketball, life-skills and tolerance to other people it means that we’d like them to meet as many teachers and community leaders as possible. This is because we believe everyone has something worthwhile to pass forward.

Want to add your own perspective on why PPI’s work is important? Want to make an impact on the children playing with PPI? Go to http://ppisixthman.com/ for ideas how you can bring your skills and ideas to help PPI at our work, or how to educate people about us and what we do.

This project is partially made possible by the generous support of the American people through USAID.

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by | September 30, 2010 · 2:11 pm

Khaled and “The PPI Way”

Zena making a shot under Khaled's wachful eye.

Khaled is eighteen years old, but his demeanour is that of a veteran coach. Sure, everybody’s shy at first, but Khaled knows he’s got something real to be proud of: Khaled is a PeacePlayer to the bone.

When PPI first kicked off its programs in the Middle East in 2005, Khaled joined the basketball practices in Esawiah, a community in East Jerusalem. This wasn’t an easy place to be a PeacePlayer. Esawiah has received throughout the years – rightly or not – the reputation of a community deeply skeptical of “peace” and “coexistence” initiatives. But PPI – ME has successfully operated its program there for several years, and several Esawiah players are now in PPI – ME’s Leadership Development Program.

Khaled has grown with, and will continue to grow with, the program. His years as a PeacePlayer shaped him into a conscientious member of his community. Khaled went through the PPI curriculum and the Leadership Development Programme. He also received his coaching certificate and became a local leader, working with PPI as a coach to bring up the next generation of local leaders.

Some of the newest PeacePlayers in PPI-ME's Ein Raffa program.

Last Sunday, on a PPI – ME staff meeting to prepare for the new season, Managing Director Karen Doubilet asked Khaled if he could help out with the opening practice of PPI – ME’s new programme in Ein Raffa.  The Ein Raffa team is made of first- and second-graders, and is scheduled to twin with the programme in the nearby Jewish town of Beit Shemesh. Unlike the children of Ein Raffa, Khaled was somewhat shy at first. But a couple of dribble-and-shoot drills later everybody was excited. Poised with confidence, Khaled once again instructed the newbies how to become a PeacePlayer.

Khaled won’t coach the children of Ein Raffa this season. In the mornings he’s working in his brother’s business. In the evenings he’s got prep school for university. He’s getting ahead in life, and for him, this year, that might mean he’ll have to work harder to stay involved with PPI – ME. In addition to Ein Raffa, Khaled will be working with the All Stars and several other teams, forgoing regularly coaching a team of his own to contribute to a variety of projects. Khaled is proof that “The PPI Way” works. His basketball skills, his will to pass those skills forward, his poise in life, his pride in himself and his ambition for the future make him the perfect PeacePlayer; they make him the reason PPI exists.

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