Tag Archives: Holon

by | 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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by | September 13, 2012 · 4:19 pm

Holon and Fureidis Work It Out While Working Out

The girls counted out loud through exercise sets in Hebrew, Arabic in English

While most teams in the Twinned Basketball Clubs (TBC) program won’t start Twinning (AKA joint activities) until later in the fall, two teams have already started getting into the swing of things with joint fitness trainings on the beach in Herzliya. The two teams, which include teenage girls from the Jewish town of Holon and the Arab town of Fureidis, are new to PPI and consequently new to each other. Last week’s twinning was the first of what will be weekly fitness trainings throughout the month of September. Starting in October, activities will revert to the standard TBC format, whereby the two teams will practice twice a week in their own communities and come together for Twinnings twice each month. Fitness trainings are led by trainer Alon Levy, who last year led joint fitness trainings for the Jerusalem All-Stars and Elitzur Holon, so he knows all about working things out by working out.

Last week’s joint training was the first time that most girls had met “the other side”

The first training session was held in a friendly casual manner, letting the girls settle into the idea of working out with girls from the other side of the Arab-Jewish divide, which isn’t exactly a usual occurrence in Israel. Out loud, the girls counted their ways through exercise sets in unison, alternating between Hebrew, Arabic and English.

The next training session will take more of a direct Twinning approach, with more of a focus on working together, playing beach volleyball on mixed teams and other muscle- and team-building games. While the two teams are new to PPI – ME, these two communities have already been involved in the TBC in some capacity. Holon has been cooperating with PPI – ME for the past two years, and since last year has had an official team in the TBC. This year, Holon is sending another two teams to the TBC, including the girls in this post. Fureidis has been a guest of honor at many of our special events, including tournaments, but only this year became a full-fledged TBC member, with two new teams also participating.

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by | April 12, 2012 · 3:44 pm

PeacePlayers International – Middle East: Photo of the Day

A recent twinning activity in Holon, led by trainer Edniesha Curry.

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by | February 16, 2012 · 3:15 pm

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Daniel Shapiro + PPI – ME + USAID = Slam Dunk

Ambassador Shapiro held his own on the court, even up against PPI - ME's strongest players. Photo: Joel Dzodin

Who knew that the new U.S. Ambassador to Israel Daniel Shapiro was a force to be reckoned with on the basketball court? This past Friday, about 20 Palestinian and Israeli teens of PPI – ME found this out first hand during a friendly game with the Ambassador and additional representatives of the embassy and USAID. The encounter with Ambassador Shapiro was modeled after a “Twinning,” so that U.S. Government players could experience for themselves PPI – ME’s methodology in bridging divides between Palestinians and Israelis through basketball.

PPI - ME's new American trainer, former WNBA player Edniesha Curry, was referee for the day. Photo: Joel Dzodin

Before the game, the Ambassador and the other U.S. government basketball players joined the youth of PPI – ME, who hailed from East and West Jerusalem as well as Holon, in a set of “twinning drills,” basketball drills designed to break the ice between Palestinian and Israeli participants when they meet each other for the first time. As explained at the event by Dr. Chad Ford, Director of the David O. McKay Center for Intercultural Understanding at Brigham Young University – Hawaii, and senior writer for ESPN, these drills involve team work and in some cases physical contact, both of which help counter the apprehension participants often feel at initial joint encounters. Chad is a longtime consultant and friend of PPI and worked with the organization to develop its groundbreaking peacebuilding curriculum.

Shaking hands at the end of the game, players come to understand that they are all winners. Photo Joel Dzodin

Following the drills, basketball players were divided up in to four teams, and were switched in at brief, regular intervals. PPI – ME teens competed on mixed teams with members of the U.S. Embassy and USAID. By playing on mixed teams, participants competed together, instead of against one another. The Ambassador, who was captain of his high school basketball team, held his own on the court, even up against PPI – ME’s top players.

After the game, Ambassador Shapiro praised the youth for their efforts towards peace. In addition to Ambassador Shapiro, attending the event were USAID Mission Director Michael Harvey, who also shared a few words at the event, highlighting USAID’s proud support of PPI; U.S. Embassy Counselor for Public Affairs Hilary Olsin-Windecker, U.S. Cultural Attaché Michele Dastin-Van Rijn and Director of the Democracy and Governance Office of USAID, Bradley Bessire.

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by | December 22, 2011 · 4:39 pm

PPI – ME Guests of honor: Win Sheridan and Brendan Tuohey

Brendan, Tal, Dan and Win (back row, l. to r.) at a girls' Twinning in Jeursalem

Last week, we received a visit from PPI board member Win Sheridan and Executive Director Brendan Tuohey, who made the long plane trip from Washington, D.C. to check out the work we’re doing on the ground. Although Brendan has been to the region numerous times over the years, this was Win’s first trip to the site. Win got a chance to meet hundreds of our Palestinian and Israeli kids in Israel and the West Bank. The action started immediately upon landing Sunday evening, when Win and Brendan traveled straight from the airport to the Hand-in-Hand School gym in Jerusalem, where they caught our session with women’s golf star Morgan Pressel. After that, we decided to give them a break and let them rest up for the activity-packed days ahead of them.

Win helps Ein Rafah Minis with a relay drill

The next morning started out with a tour of the Old City of Jerusalem, led by a tour guide named Martin, who also happens to be the father of one of our longtime PeacePlayers, Yuval. He gave them some of the city’s rich and complicated history and also shared how happy he was that his daughter has had a chance to be a part of PeacePlayers. After that, Win and Brendan drove straight to Ramallah, where they caught a basketball clinic with Palestinian girls in the Jalazone refugee camp. Win got right into the action, lining up for relays together with our girls. And was that it for the day’s events? No way! From Ramallah, Win and Brendan drove back to Jerusalem, where they got to practice with a group of Palestinian and Israeli league players from East Jerusalem and Holon, and then catch a professional Eurocup game, witnessing Hapoel Jerusalem succumb to Ukranian team BC Donetsk.

Day three started with a trip to the Dead Sea, where Win, Brendan and a couple of our staff members got to dip in the extra buoyant, salty waters. Then it was once again back to Jerusalem for another Twinning, this time for one team from East and another from West Jerusalem. There they were also joined by Tal Alter from the PPI headquarters, who was visiting Israel with family, and American basketball player Dan Grunfeld. The Twinning was followed up by a session of PPI’s Peace Education Curriculum, led by members of the girls’ Leadership Development Program, who showed off their most impressive facilitation skills.

Win on the court with Jerusalem Minis

On the fourth and final day of Win and Brendan’s visit, we held the first “Minis” Twinning of the season for kids from Keshet School in West Jerusalem, and Beit Safafa in the East. After meeting the Jerusalem Minis, Win and Brendan got on the court with our Ein Rafa Minis, who despite the cold temperatures, were in high spirits! After that, it was sadly time for Win and Brendan to head to the airport. They both told us they are going home with good memories a plenty, and Win had some especially kind words to share about his first experience in the Middle East:

“It was truly awesome to be at the twinnings to witness it first-hand! To see Jewish and Arab girls and boys playing together as a team and having fun was incredible! It just seemed natural for them to be together and, obviously, true friendships are being built. The leadership session was excellent, as well! I have no doubt that some of the girls will emerge as true leaders and even some will become PPI coaches, but, regardless, all benefit a great deal from the program. The positive attitude, confidence, relationship skills, discipline, etc. they get from it will serve them well in the years to come. Overall, it was a phenomenal experience that I will never forget!”

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by | November 10, 2011 · 3:07 pm

From the Court to Congress: PPI – ME and the Alliance for Middle East Peace

Sana Shtasel, Executive Director of ALLMEP, was PPI - ME's guest of honor last week.

On Thursday, October 27, PPI – ME got a visit from a friend from the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP), who came by to catch a twinning in the city of Holon. ALLMEP is a coalition of 80 organizations, including PPI, which works to promote coexistence between Arabs and Jews, Israelis and Palestinians in the Middle East. ALLMEP’s Washington, DC, team is tirelessly working to promote the work that PPI – ME and other organizations are doing and help policymakers understand how important it is to build peace from the bottom up. One of their greatest accomplishments to date, ALLMEP was instrumental making the support of Palestinian-Israeli grassroots organizations a priority for U.S. government agencies, most notably USAID, PPI – ME’s most substantial government partner.

Sana gives coaching a try.

Sana Shtasel, Executive Director of ALLMEP, was our guest of honor at the twinning, which brought together some of our top teen female athletes, including Palestinians from East Jerusalem and Israelis from Holon. The twinning was led by Basketball Operations Manager Vito Gilic’, who took the girls through a set of physically and mentally demanding drills, which left no room for prejudice and cliquism. Only through team work were these drills, specially designed to build trust and cooperation between our Palestinian and Israeli athletes, achievable.

Sana didn’t just sit in the stands and watch the action from the sidelines. She was right in there with our girls, coaching them and sharing with them her words of wisdom. “Peace power AND girl power! What a combination!” Sana exclaimed upon visiting the twinning.

“It is a privilege to witness the results of ALLMEP’s efforts to secure USAID funding for member programs, but, far more importantly, to experience PeacePlayers’ success in laying the groundwork for peace on and off the court.  The girls’ enthusiasm for the game was rivaled only by their fondness for their coaches and each other — terrific harbingers for the future.”

We are proud to be a part of ALLMEP, which is so important because it raises the profile of valuable grassroots community efforts. Too often, work like ours is seen as nice and heartwarming but ultimately futile. ALLMEP is helping educate the world at large that grassroots coexistence projects are a critical part of solving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

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by | November 4, 2010 · 10:06 am

The Girls That Lead the Way

This year, PPI's newest participants are as young as 1st and 2nd Graders.

It’s the height of twinning season, and almost all of PPI – ME’s teams have either had a twinning session recently or will have one soon. There are several new teams in the program, like our 1st and 2nd Graders (“Minnies”) in Ein Rafa, Jerusalem and elsewhere, meaning that for many, this will be the first time they meet and interact with someone from the ‘other side’ of the conflict. Though PPI-ME painstakingly prepares children for the experience, emotions can run high and players are often unsure what to expect.

In Holon, PPI-ME's veteran All Stars lead the way.

Luckily, PPI – ME has also got a wide-range of veteran participants, including its two All Stars teams in Jerusalem. For these fully integrated teams (both Arab and Jewish), every practice and every game is a twinning activity. Now they’re boasting their unique team identity, along with their great basketball skills, in games and practices across the country. It isn’t easy practicing 3-4 times per week, playing an official match once a week, having a monthly clinic with Limor Mizrahi, and still finding the strength to play on friendly matches. These seasoned veterans, though they may be new to the official Israeli Basketball League, are no strangers to living, eating and breathing basketball – they live on the court.

Two weeks ago both All Star teams – the younger team is made of 7th and 8th grade girls, the older is 9th and 10th grade girls – were invited for friendly matches in Holon, against teams of the same age from Kiryat Sharet high school.

Play was physical against Kiryat Sharet, historically one of the best high school basketball programs in Israel.

Kiryat Sharet high school’s basketball program is considered one of the best high school programs in Israel. For decades the city of Holon and the school invested great resources in basketball to make the program successful. Throughout this time, the Kiryat Sharet Boys teams and Girls teams played at the highest level of high school basketball in Israel. Many Israeli basketball players have come from Kiryat Sharet.

The younger teams took to to the court first, with the younger All Stars notching a relatively easy win. Then began the game for the older teams. It was a nail-biter from beginning to end, with all the girls digging deep in what quickly became a physical match. When the buzzer sounded, the older All Stars came out victorious as well, but not by much. After the game, the players shook hands, fierce competition giving way to sportsmanship. No doubt everybody – winners and losers – went home satisfied that day, after taking part in a thrilling match.

The work at PPI may be intended to influence players in the long run, but it bears fruit fast. Old conflicts seem vanish at the first jumpball. This is a lesson the girls on our All Star teams already know -  they all have dear good friends from across the region’s social divide. It now falls to them to serve as icons of peace throughout the land, convincing others to follow suit. A new generation is joining them. As twinning season approaches, they’re naturally nervous. But these boys and girls walk the path of peace.

Despite the competitive game, sportsmanship ruled the day.

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

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by | March 4, 2010 · 7:29 pm

Activities Update: PPI – ME in Jaffa

PPI - ME coach and LDP member Heni leads a defensive drill

PPI – ME’s successful recruiting efforts in September 2009 led to the creation of three integrated teams in the city of Jaffa. These groups, which engage boys and girls ages 6-13, practice twice each week at the Arab-Jewish Community Center, a key PPI partner and host of many of our basketball events. The PPI – ME program in Jaffa is truly a reflection of the multicultural nature of the city itself – in addition to Arab and Jewish participants, the PPI – ME teams include children originally from the Ivory Coast, Vietnam and Europe. As a result, it is not uncommon to hear Program Manager and coach Tony Hamaty switch between Arabic, Hebrew, English and French when giving instructions for a drill.

Members of PPI - ME Jaffa's youngest team

Heni giving instructions for a drill

The oldest team in Jaffa (ages 11-13) is led by Heni Bizawi, one of PPI – ME’s youngest and most promising coaches. Heni, also a member of the Leadership Development Program (LDP) squad, has worked with Jaffa youth for several years and continues to impress with her strong coaching skills and knowledge of the game. When not coaching, playing in the LDP or attending high school, Heni can be found on the court with PPI – ME Basketball Operations Manager Vito Gillic’, who coaches her Israeli club team in the city of Holon.

Throughout the current programming season, PPI – ME has been building the foundation for a strong and successful program in Jaffa. In addition to regular practices, Jaffa youth have played in tournaments such as the 2009 “Holiday Happening,” and are eagerly looking forward to more such events in the spring. With Tony, Heni, and a cadre of talented young athletes, PPI – ME Jaffa is becoming a model for both basketball and coexistence in the city.

Playing "Scramble," a favorite PPI drill.

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