Tag Archives: Galit Sahar

by peaceplayersintl | November 29, 2012 · 5:45 pm

LDP, Jr. – The Next Generation of Shared Palestinian-Israeli Youth Leadership

LDP, Jr. girls kicked off the year with a set of team-building games in the park.

On top of the 24 Palestinian and Israeli teen members of the Leadership Development Program (LDP), PPI – ME has started a preparatory program for exceptional girls ages 12-15 to give them early leadership opportunities ahead of full-fledged LDP membership at age 16. The “LDP, Jr.” girls come from Jerusalem and Holon, and the new initiative came to be after we noticed that lots of our younger girls were eagerly showing up to volunteer as assistant coaches for younger PeacePlayers, a task usually given to their older LDP peers. The 17 girls of the LDP, Jr., who in addition play on other PPI teams, will have leadership workshops every other month throughout the year and a year-end social action project, which the girls will choose, plan and lead themselves. In addition, they will also join the older LDP kids at the annual retreat that will take place next month.

Girls needed to show resolve, creativity and teamwork to complete the tasks.

The group launched officially about a month ago, with a team-building day in the park. Program Manager Galit Sahar led the girls in a string of games to build trust, cooperation and creativity. First, the girls sat in a circle, and each said her name, its meaning, and why her parents chose to give her that name. Afterwards the girls were split into mixed pairs of one Palestinian and one Israeli girl, and each had to fall backwards and trust that the other would catch her. Needless to say, the girls had good reason to trust one another and no one fell.

The girls finished the activity with a human pyramid, shouting out “LDP.”

In another game, the girls had to stand together on a small blanket and, working together, flip the blanket over without taking their feet off the blanket. This required great resolve, creativity and teamwork, and was not easy to complete, especially since they could not stop giggling. The girls tried several strategies, including carrying one another to save space. Ultimately, with some quick, creative thinking from Juman from East Jerusalem, the girls were able to manage the task at hand. At the end, the girls on their own initiative built a human pyramid, steadying themselves and then shouting “LDP!”

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Filed under Global, The Middle East

Tagged as Galit Sahar, Holon, Jerusalem, LDP, LDP Jr., PeacePlayers, PeacePlayers International, peaceplayers international - middle east, team building

by peaceplayersintl | October 27, 2011 · 1:29 pm

Meet Galit and Nissreen

Galit (left) and Nissreen (dressed as Santa Claus) led PeacePlayers in activities at last year's Winter Holiday Tournament.

This week’s blog shares the stories Galit and Nisreen, two PPI – ME staff members.

Nissreen (second from left) poses with Palestinian and Israeli Leadership Development Program participants.

At PPI – ME, the values of intercultural cooperation and camaraderie go beyond our participants; they carry over to families and communities as well. They also ring true for our staff members, with our diverse set of Palestinian and Israeli, coaches, project managers and administrators working together as a team, as a family. Galit and Nissreen, two of PPI – ME’s project managers, are a great example of this. Galit, a Jewish Israeli, and Nissreen, a Palestinian citizen of Israel, are not just coworkers; they are roommates and friends as well.

Nissreen, who hails from the northern city of Nazareth, has been living in Jerusalem since 2004. In addition to being a PeacePlayer, Nissreen is also an artist, having just finished her masters of fine arts, and has exhibited her works all over the world, including Japan, Chile, Sweden and Denmark. If that weren’t enough, she is also trained in animal-assisted therapy. Nissreen, who has just finished her first year with PPI – ME, has observed:

“The most important thing that I noticed about PeacePlayers is that they really impact the kids, more so than my experiences at other places. It’s not just lip service. They’re really working hard to make sure the programs are working. There’s a feeling of family in the organization, and that also helps strengthen the bonds between everyone involved.”

Galit’s hometown is further south, the small agricultural community of Talmei Yechiel. Since childhood, Galit has been active in the Bnei Hamoshavim youth group, and remains involved, mentoring the members of a Bnei Hamoshavim commune. Galit knows first hand about working with people from a variety of cultures, having worked with Bedouin and Ethiopian communities in Israel, and has even volunteered with teens and women in Nepal.

“I came to PPI – ME from a place of education and dialogue,” says Galit,” I thought the most important thing was to talk about things, and I was a little skeptical about the power of sport to make a change, but I learned that the passing of a ball and some direct eye contact can help forge connections that are just as strong or even stronger that sitting in a circle and discussing the issues.”

Galit (right) with a Leadership Development Participant at a PPI - ME retreat this past summer.

Galit also said she’s seen a change in the kids: “I saw the self-esteem of the kids rise, while their fear of dealing with the other side lessened. In the beginning some of the new kids, especially the Minis (PPI – ME’s 6-9 year olds), would come up to me and express their fears and the fears of their parents, but with time, the kids started really looking forward to the joint encounters. Kids have even come up to me and told me ‘You know, I have an Arab friend’ or ‘I have a Jewish friend.’” Nissreen and Galit are also more than just project managers, they are also positive role models and friends for all of our kids, and are in the stands at PPI – ME events nearly every single day.

From the Classroom to the Court: Ryan Hitz Offers His Take on PPI – ME

Ryan (far right) visits a PPI family in East Jerusalem.

This week, Ryan Hitz, a student at Brigham Young University-Hawaii, writes about his experience visiting PPI – Middle East this summer. He was part of a larger group that visited the program, which included NBA GMs, USAID personnel, and PPI Global leadership.

I was first introduced to PPI-ME almost two years ago, when I sat in a business lecture given by Professor Chad Ford (of ESPN.com and Brigham Young University, Hawaii), where he talked about PPI and the impact it has had on his life and others. As he shared photos and then a video, I was touched with how this organization has been able to have a profound impact on the lives of all those involved. The feeling of caring and peace was literally tangible. I left searching for this feeling. Having run successful businesses for more than a decade, I was at the time a business major. I looked deep within and could see I was really passionate about helping people. I changed my major the next day, opting for conflict resolution and joining the peace-building program led by Chad Ford.

Recently, I was invited to participate in the PPI program in the Middle East. This was a dream come true. Having learned so much about the program, I was finally able to observe and experience it first-hand. The week-long trip was filled with non-stop basketball drills, games and twinnings, which started literally hours upon arrival. On day one, I met the program staff, and I knew that PPI – ME had special leaders in place. When I saw the way the staff spoke of the children and how the children in action responded to them, I could see the mutual feeling of love and appreciation that existed between them. Everyone I met who was involved in the program was just beaming with excitement and joy. The court was full of cheers and applause, as well as laughter, and then tears. The tears came when a young Palestinian woman named Aisha rolled her ankle coming down hard after a charge to the basket. A fellow student, Mason Isom, and I were asked by Galit Sahar to help her take Aisha to the hospital.

In talking with Vito Gilic’ (PPI – ME Director of Basketball Operations), I said, “I have a hard time telling them apart”. He replied, “Isn’t that beautiful? That’s the success of the program.”

Ryan and a PPI youngster work together on a drill (photo: Joel Dzodin).

Mason and I carried Aisha off the court, up a large flight of stairs, and out to the car. Other than seeing each other on the court and smiling, this was our first formal introduction to Aisha. Accompanying Aisha to the hospital, Mason and I got a glimpse into the real life of another. As the doctors asked questions in Hebrew and then in Arabic we did our best to try to understand what was going on. When we were motioned to push Aisha to another room we did so. Sitting there in an unfamiliar medical center enjoying each others’ company was probably one of the most memorable experiences of my trip. The point is that one does not have to travel 10,000 miles to have a great experience. It happens when we slow down and connect with each other’s humanity. We did our best to help Aisha laugh and not think about the excruciating pain she was feeling. As we left the medical center we drove her home. Galit, Mason, and I sang “No Aisha No Cry” to Bob Marleys’ famous tune as we drove her home.

A bus trip up north was scheduled the next day and Aisha was there to join the team even though she was injured and not able to play. This is truly the essence of what it means to be a team player. Other team members lifted her up and helped her to get around as they too wanted her to be there with them.

When others ask me, “What was the highlight of your trip to PPI – ME?” I tell them: the people and how they have touched my life.

For many, peace seems like a lofty goal that is not actually possible. I am here to tell you it is possible. If children from opposing areas can play together then they can live together.

On our last night, we went on a walking tour of the East Jerusalem neighborhood where Aisha and several other PPI – ME kids live. We were able to meet with two PPI families and while the languages spoken may not have been shared, the ability to connect and feel love towards the other was. These moments are times I will forever treasure in my mind.

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Filed under Global, The Middle East

Tagged as East Jerusalem, Galit Sahar, mason isom, PeacePlayers, PeacePlayers International, peaceplayers international - middle east, ryan hitz, Vito Gilic

by peaceplayersintl | April 21, 2011 · 1:23 pm

Friends from Near and Far Join PPI – ME in Jerusalem for the Peace League

The Peace League hosted teams at the Hand in Hand School in Jerusalem.

On Friday, April 8th PPI – ME’s team of girls in grade 5 from East Jerusalem hosted two teams at the Hand in Hand Bilingual School gym, for the first of two meetings of PPI – ME’s annual Peace League.

Participants chowed down on pizza after the tournament.

One visiting team came from nearby Mat’e Yehuda Regional Council. This team has been twinning with the East Jerusalem team over the past few months. The second visiting team came from Zikhron Ya’acov, a good two-hour drive north of Jerusalem. This was the first time this year that the girls from Zikhron Ya’acov met their counterparts from East Jerusalem and Mat’e Yehuda.

Referee and former PPI Fellow, David Lasday, works with a visiting team.

The day before the tournament the host team met in the gym, set up for the matches, and prepared signs announcing the Peace League and welcoming each of the visiting teams. The signs were posted on every corner of the gym during the event. During the tournament each team played against each other. As it happened, every team won one game. After the games were over, everyone had pizza and refreshments.

We threw Galit a surprise birthday party!

On the sidelines PPI – ME Manager of Basketball Operations Vito Gilic operated the scoreboard with some members of the PPI – ME Leadership Development Program. For the veteran PeacePlayers, this was an opportunity to help and guide the younger participants as well as practice their skills in operating the scoreboard, in the case that they are asked to help in future PPI – ME activities. David Lasday, former PPI Fellow, also pitched in serving as a referee. After the event was over, the participants threw a surprise birthday party for PPI – ME’s Logistical Manager Galit Sahar. Happy Birthday, Galit!

The Peace League is one of many activities generously funded by USAID.