Tag Archives: LDP

by | February 7, 2013 · 8:26 pm

PPI Participants Team up for a Very Special Event

The whole group together after a long day of festivities

The whole group together after a long day of festivities

This week Palestinian and Israeli girls of the Jerusalem All-Star league teams got together for an unique twinning with a group of special needs players in an amazing and inspiring event in Ramat Gan. The two groups participated in some exciting basketball activities to get to know one another. Initially the All-Star girls were a bit nervous to interact normally with the special needs group, as they were not exactly sure how to behave or what to expect, but as the event went on they began to relax and have a great time. Once they practiced and teamed up for a series of drills, the PPI girls and the special needs players formed mixed teams and played a few games together.

All participants having a blast playing and learning together

All participants having a blast playing and learning together

To cap off the day, all of the participants spent time mingling and eating pizza together. Following the event, Arbinger curriculum facilitators Nissreen and Renana sat with the All-Stars to discuss the day and how they felt about the experience. One thing that was very noticeable to everyone was how well the special needs team encouraged each other and really brought out the best in one another.

PPI Participants interacting with a member of the special needs team

PPI Participants interacting with a member of the special needs team

PPI participant and Leadership Development Program member Duha said, “I learned so much from these people. They had so much patience with each other; it was so amazing to see. One of the players was not very good, and all of her teammates encouraged her. No matter how many baskets she missed, they were still so proud of her.”

This was a key topic for the Arbinger session as everyone recognized it was something to be admired and emulated. Nissreen and Renana discussed with the players how they could learn from them and how they could do an even better job learning to support one another in basketball and more importantly throughout their lives.

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by | January 31, 2013 · 2:34 pm

Spotlight on PPI-ME Project Manager Galit Sahar

Galit participating in a bike race along with some members of the LDP Program

Galit (left) participating in a bike race for peace with some members of the LDP.

This week’s blog features an interview with Project Manager Galit Sahar. Galit works closely with the PPI-ME Leadership Development Program (LDP) as she designs and coordinates many of the events.

How long have you been a part of PPI and why did you want to work for this organization?

I have been working in PPI for almost 3 years now. After a long trip to India I decided I wanted to be a part of an organization that works for a good cause and to also be involved some way in the conflict that goes on here.

What were your initial thoughts about using sports as a medium to promote change?

Getting a workout in with PPI participants!

Getting a workout in with PPI participants!

At first I was very skeptical about using basketball as a tool to promote social change since my background was more with youth groups and involved using verbal communication as the primary tool. However, after coming to practices and seeing the change in the perspectives and opinions of the kids, I started to believe in it more and more.

What is the most important thing you have learned throughout your time in PPI?

One of the most important things I have learned has been through the Arbinger peacebuilding curriculum we teach the kids. These ideas have taught me how to analyze the dynamics between the kids and how to better understand them and be more sensitive to each individual’s personal situation and conflict resolution in general.

Can you share a moment that touched your life while working here?

A moment that truly touched my heart was when one of the older girls from our program said to me once quietly, “You know when I look at you, I feel sometimes that we are sisters.”

What has PPI taught you that will stick with you in the future?

Galit showing off her bubbly and warm personality!

Galit showing off her bubbly and warm personality!

PPI has inspired to me to continue to work in ways that attempt to solve this conflict and to always try to teach others to respect each other and work to bring communities together. I want to always be a part of helping others see each other as human beings.

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by | January 11, 2013 · 7:25 pm

Top Five Moments from PPI – Cyprus in 2012

PeacePlayers had a great year in 2012 and we are all looking forward to what 2013 has in store for us!

PeacePlayers had a great year in 2012 and we are all looking forward to what 2013 has in store for us!

PeacePlayers-Cyprus had a successful year filled with basketball, tournaments, camps, twinnings, leadership development programs and of course our PPI-CY participants who without them we wouldn’t be able to achieve the goals of PeacePlayers. We are really looking forward to this upcoming year, to build upon our existing programs and add new ones that will help us achieve more as a bicommunal organization here in Cyprus. Here are the top five moments from PPI-CY in 2012 in no particular order:

1. PPI-Cyprus Summer Camp Features NBA and WNBA Guests

In the summer of 2012, PPI – Cyprus held its annual summer camp for 64 Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot youth for 6 days and 5 nights in the mountain village of Agros. Activities that ran through the week, included basketball training, team “survival” games, a film workshop, a workshop on leadership and Anatomy of Peace training. On the court, campers were run through basketball drills and given time to compete in games. In the classroom, they learned about leadership and the importance of volunteering, the Anatomy of Peace curriculum and other life skills for personal development. The highlight of this year’s camp was the attendance of two professional basketball stars. NBA Brooklyn Nets Assistant Coach and former NBA player, Doug Overton, and former WNBA player Shaunzinski Gortman, attended the whole length of the camp as mentors and coaches.

Doug Overton with new friends at the PPI-Cyprus Summer Camp

Doug Overton and Shaunzinski Gortman with new friends at the PPI-Cyprus Summer Camp

PPI-CY was excited to have guests from the NBA and WNBA, whose expertise in all aspects of the game of basketball, including their ability to not only play but teach, is something that PPI-CY and all of its participants benefited from. The camp had a great impact on the participants, as one coach stated, “The children from both sides of the island were interacting to the point that you could not tell we were running a bicommunal event. As they played on and off the court together, the participants seamlessly weaved in and out of their assigned teams and groups leaving no one isolated or alone, regardless of where they were from.”

2. PPI-CY & Norwegian National Football Federation team up

Norweigian Team Poses with PPI-CY

Norweigian Team Poses with PPI-CY

On October 16th while the Norwegian National Football team was in Cyprus to play a match against the national team of the Republic of Cyprus, they took time out of their busy schedule to visit PPI-CY. The Norwegian ambassador and the entire team talked and played with 20 PeacePlayers participants, demonstrating Norway’s tremendous support and encouragement of bi-communal relationships on the island.

3. LDP Weekend

Vito Gilic leading a drill at the LDP retreat

Vito Gilic leading a drill at the LDP retreat

On 17th and 18th of November coaches and staff members selected 21 promising young leaders from our program across Cyprus to be part of our Leadership Development Program (LDP). We assembled together in the mountains of Cyprus for a weekend of intensive basketball skill development, leadership and Anatomy of Peace sessions. Along with our special guest from PPI – Middle East, Basketball Operations Director and youth coach extraordinaire Vito Gilic, our coaches from each of our teams across the island joined in the weekend and had the opportunity to learn Vito’s methods for teaching and coaching youth. On the court we worked on everything from individual skill development, cooperation among pairs and full court teamwork drills. Vito taught the coaches how to incorporate different tools resulting in highly innovative and creative training sessions.

When asked what her hopes hold for the 21 program leaders attending the LDP weekend, PPI Cyprus Managing Director, Marina Vasilara responded, “Each of these kids possesses tremendous potential, the sky is the limit, we want them to be empowered to reach beyond limitations and open their minds, to realize they possess the capacity to reach great place.”

4. PeacePlayers’ All Girls Basketball Tournament in Limassol

PeacePlayers' All Girls Tournament

PeacePlayers’ All Girls Tournament

In December 2012, PPI-CY organized their first ever Limassol basketball tournament for girls. What made this tournament unique was the fact that for the first time in Cyprus youth basketball academies including Zenon (Larnaka) and Apollon (Limassol) scrimmaged against two mixed PeacePlayers teams. PeacePlayers created the two teams by teaming up Turkish-Cypriot players from Lapta (North Cyprus) with Greek-Cypriot players from Kiti and Dali (South Cyprus).

The tournament brought together 60 girls ages 12-16 years old. A fun, friendly and competitive environment allowed our PeacePlayers kids to test their basketball skills against the 2 youth basketball academies. For players on the club teams, this was the first time they had ever played on the court with a mixed team of both Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot players. Anyone at the game could recognize the excitement and uniqueness of this experience, even the parents of the club teams were cheering and supporting their kids as well as the PeacePlayers’ teams.

5. Winter Tournament

In the context of the festivities for the European Commission being awarded the Nobel Prize, PPI-CY in collaboration with the European Commission Representation in Cyprus organized the PeacePlayers Winter Basketball Tournament. The PPI-CY Winter Basketball tournament hosted 130 Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot youth, for 3 on 3 competitions. Also present were 20 volunteers, parents and representatives of the European Commission who in collaboration with the coaches and PPI staff directed a successful tournament.

“I am delighted we support this initiative. Sport is the best way to overcome any dividing lines and to create an environment of cooperation and trust among our youth” said George Markopouliotis, Head of the Delegation of the European Commission in Cyprus.

The PPI-CY Winter Basketball Tournament

The PPI-CY Winter Basketball Tournament

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by | January 10, 2013 · 6:54 pm

Two PeacePlayers Standouts: Aysha and Manal

Manal participating in some fun one on one activities

Manal participating in some fun one on one activities

This week’s blog was written by PPI International Fellow Jamie Walsh.

Although it has been less than a month and a half since my arrival in the Middle East, I find myself becoming increasingly attached to many of the people I’m meeting here. I have spent much of my time trying to become more comfortable with my completely new (for me) surroundings and getting to know the staff and participants, and I’m finding out that the most amazing part of PPI – ME is the people who are involved in this program. Two teenage Palestinian girls in particular have truly inspired me since the first day that I met them.

Aysha (left) and Manal participating in some team building exercises at the Professional Development Retreat.

Aysha (left) and Manal participating in some team building exercises at the Professional Development Retreat.

Aysha Faqih and Manal Khader, both from East Jerusalem, have each been involved with PeacePlayers for many years, and are currently in the Leadership Development Program and play on the top Jerusalem All-Stars league team. In addition to being participants, they are also coaches themselves as they have learned important traits and characteristics of leadership throughout their time in the LDP program. They help coach many of the younger teams and always show up to each practice with positive and enthusiastic attitudes.

They have been a tremendous help to me personally when I have been dealing with the newness of my role here, and they are always coming up with fresh ideas to improve the program. Plus, they are always available to translate, which is often needed and extremely appreciated.

“PeacePlayers has given me the opportunity to meet more people, people from the other side. It has taught me how to see people as people and treat them in a good way while of course making me a better basketball player as well.” - Aysha, PPI – ME Young Leader

As an example of their value to the program and to me personally, PeacePlayers just began a women’s team made up of parents of Jewish and Arab children involved in the program. The women come together once a week to have some fun staying active and participating in some basketball activities themselves. Aysha and Manal have been instrumental in intertwining basketball and other fitness drills to make sure everyone has a great time. They arrive early to every meeting and truly inspire me to be better at what I’m doing when I work with them.

“PeacePlayers has changed my life. It has taught us how to play basketball, empowered me as a woman and gave me the opportunity to meet Jews and not be afraid of them. It has taken us to new places that without PeacePlayers we wouldn’t have the chance to go and it has made me a better person.” - Manal, PPI – ME Young Leader

Despite any political turmoil they have experienced in their lives, they are always positive and I have a great deal of admiration for both of them. I look forward to continuing working with them and the rest of our young leaders in PPI – ME.

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by | January 4, 2013 · 3:44 pm

Cyprus, in times of austerity – still… hope comes one child at a time!

Two Children Participating in a Basketball Drill During a PPI Twinning in the UN Buffer Zone

Two children participating in a basketball drill during a PPI Twinning in the UN Buffer Zone

This week’s Cyprus blog comes from PPI – CY Managing Director, Marina Vasilara. Prior to joining PPI 2009, Marina spent six years working as the Civil Society portofolio manager in human development and peace building programs for UNDP-ACT. Marina attended the Graduate School of Foreign Service of Georgetown University, where she graduated with a Masters of Arts in German and European Studies.

Angry demonstrators protest as lawmakers discuss new austerity laws in Cyprus' parliament, December 12, 2012 (Reuters / Andreas Manolis)

Angry demonstrators protest as lawmakers discuss new austerity laws in Cyprus’ parliament, December 12, 2012 (Reuters / Andreas Manolis)

As Cyprus enters a new age of austerity measures following the ECB, IMF, EU Memorandum to control public debt and spending and restore the capital adequacy of most local banks – spending is at an all-time low.  Small and medium enterprises are going quickly out of business, with shops closing one after the other and unemployment figures, especially amongst the young, running at all time highs.  However, in times like these, the need for youth programs and targeted youth development that are offered at no cost are ever more needed.  As the separation line, or Buffer Zone, continues to divide our lives and our communities, the need to keep working on finding creative ways to bring our youth together to form meaningful relationships and learn about each other, outside the formal school system and always with the help and support of the parents and our coaches, is imminent.

The realization that working together we can achieve so much more and help youth come out of the vicious cycles of blame game we have been brought up in, only comes from frequent and meaningful encounters.  At PPI-CY, we find out more about ourselves and build hope one step at a time, one child at a time, every time we bring two or more teams together, every time we come together ourselves. This is what we have learned and this is what we are working towards – to enable our kids, our coaches and our parents to have the chance to meet each other at both sides of the Buffer zone on a regular basis.

PPI-CY Managing Director, Marina Vasilara, Speaking to a Group of Children During a Twinning in the Buffer Zone

PPI-CY Managing Director, Marina Vasilara, speaking to a group of children during a Twinning in the Buffer Zone

In early 2013, we will be finalizing our curriculum which we shall be sharing with educational experts for their review as well as our parents whom we want to involve even more in the running of our programs.  We are working hard on spreading the messages of the Anatomy of Peace to educators and teachers in partnership with the authorities through the delivery of seminars. As we have been overwhelmed this year by the number of children who wanted to join our teams and the parents who wanted to become involved, we are working on finding innovative ways to make that happen.  With the leadership of our Board, we are starting a new partnership with the parents and aspire that this will be the start of a great one.  We are also building on our team of 20 LDP youth – giving them the means to be innovators and leaders in their own lives, helping them see out of the box as they make decisions that affect the rest of their lives.  And finally we are working on developing a program for our alumni, who have expressed their interest in continuing their involvement in the program, enabling us also to keep abreast of their development.

At this point, I would like to thank all those behind the Bicommunal Support Program at the US Embassy in Nicosia, AMIDEAST, the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and PeacePlayers International who believe in the program and continue to support it in every way possible.  Without their support we would not have the means to operate.

We start the New Year full of new energy and hopes for 2013 and PPI-CY.  Our team – Thanasi, Stephanie, Ashley, Orhun and Didem are working around the clock to make this program a sustainable operation across time that brings joy and hope to all the children of Cyprus. I want to thank them dearly for this. I also want to acknowledge all our Board members – Akis, Tarik, Orhun, Ercan, Antonis, Nadia, Takis and Idil – who believe in this mission and make it happen.  I would also like to thank…again, and again…. former International Fellows Adam and Gunnar who have spent 2+ creative years with us and will always be in our hearts.

Two PeacePlayers Teams, one Turkish-Cypriot and one Greek-Cypriot, pose together during a recent Twinning

Two PeacePlayers teams, one Turkish-Cypriot and one Greek-Cypriot, pose together during a recent Twinning in the UN Buffer Zone

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by | December 27, 2012 · 5:21 pm

PPI-ME’s Future Leaders Come Together for Weekend Retreat

LDP participants come together to celebrate another successful retreat weekend

LDP participants come together to celebrate another successful retreat weekend.

Over 30 Leadership Development Program (LDP) juniors and seniors (ages 13-18) participated in a rigorous yet exciting weekend in Kibbutz Sdot Yam at last weekend’s LDP retreat. The future leaders of the program were thrilled to be spending a few days away from home playing basketball, attending leadership workshops, participating in Anatomy of Peace workshops and of course staying up late and enjoying each other’s company.

The kids getting interactive during sessions at Wingate University

The kids get interactive during sessions at Wingate College.

The young leaders attended leadership workshops at Wingate University, which were both informative and interactive sessions in Hebrew and Arabic. The LDP participants not only learned about important qualities of leadership but also told their own stories and offered personal input regarding what qualities they believed were essential to be a positive role model. Small mixed groups were formed and everyone discussed and debated these topics constructively. After the workshop, the children also participated in fun games where they worked together for a greater cause. Each member’s religious or racial identify was never an issue, all that could be seen was a group of awesome kids having a blast and learning together while doing so. It was remarkable to see just how far these teenagers have come as both of the workshop leaders mentioned how impressed they were with the intellectual level and positive discussions that were occurring.

LDP junior Malak participating in AOP sessions

Junior LDP-er Malak participates in a creative leadership workshop.

Another highlight of the weekend was the Anatomy of Peace sessions. All of the participants were instructed to define themselves using only 5 words and then display them on their body. Religion, race and athletic interests were the most popular defining characteristics used. The teens really embraced each other’s differences and used non-verbal communication to express themselves and their identity. It was amazing to see just how much common ground there truly was between each and every participant and how compassionate and understanding everyone was to each other.

These sessions and retreats continue to mold the LDP teens to become capable leaders in their own communities and grant them the ability to teach others the valuable lessons they have learned as a result of PPI’s Leadership Development Program. As always, they will take the skills and lessons learned from this retreat with them as they continue to grow as individuals and teach others along the way.

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by | December 20, 2012 · 5:40 pm

PPI ME spreads the holiday cheer at Mini-Fest

Kids got deep into their creative side at the Abe and Irene Holiday Happening.

Kids got deep into their creative side at the Abe and Irene Holiday Happening.

PeacePlayers International – Middle East celebrated this year’s holiday season with the annual “Abe and Irene Pollin Holiday Happening,” which featured basketball, entertainment and art for all the young kids in the program. The special occasion was separated into several different stations of activities from basketball skills to arts and crafts to getting to interact and watch a professional juggler perform. There was also a holiday station to learn about and discuss the traditions of the Jewish holiday Hanukah, the Muslim holiday celebrating the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed, and the Christian holiday Christmas. Many of the kids participated in question and answer sessions that hopefully contributed to a shared understanding of the diverse religious traditions of this region.

Kids gained newfound coordination at the juggling station.

Kids gained newfound coordination at the juggling station.

The kids also got to play “Santa says, ” that was loosely based on the game “Simon Says”. They picked up the game quickly and had a great time following the crazy gestures and ridiculous dance moves! PPI staff Galit Sahar and Vito Gilic did a tremendous job of creating and coordinating this event along with the help of our Leadership Development Program (LDP) team. The LDP participants did an excellent job exemplifying the skills they have acquired as a result of being a part of the program. One of our LDP participants, Juman, said, “It is very important for us to be

involved because it gives us experience and helps us to become better leaders. It also makes us feel confident that the PPI staff trusts us enough to depend on us to run parts of the event.” Coach Khaled, who graduated from the LDP himself, agreed, adding, “LDP has helped me to develop the leadership and coaching skills to be able to work with the kids independently and this responsibility makes me more confident.”

It may have seemed a little hectic, but underneath there was a sense of harmony.

It may have seemed a little hectic, but underneath there was a sense of harmony.

This event was about playing together and learning to appreciate other cultures and traditions. To an outsider, the event may have seemed a little hectic, with 100-odd kids cheering, jumping and playing in the gym. Anyone involved with PPI, though, could see the underlying togetherness and unity that prevailed, in spite of the differences that plague the Arab and Jewish communities here every day.

As always, thank you to the Pollin family for making the holiday the Holiday Happening possible.

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by | December 18, 2012 · 5:18 pm

Top Moments of PPI-SA 2012

Participants in their Sasol gear at the City Wide Tournament

Participants in their Sasol gear at the City Wide Tournament

PPI-SA was able to host many events this year, and we would like to take an opportunity to highlight the best of the year 2012.  PPI-SA can sometimes face unconventional and unique circumstances that can make even a simple basketball game a challenge. The staff at PPI-SA work extremely hard and often have to overcome many obstacles in order to make our program successful. This is a tribute to the staff and participants of PPI-SA who came together to overcome adversity to make sure our program continued to thrive.

City-Wide Tournament 2012

This was our biggest and most exciting event of the year. Girls and boys teams from our primary school program came together at Hoy Park in Durban for the  22nd semi-annual CWT. We hosted over 800 participants at the venue! Sasol was a huge sponsor for us and donated hats, t shirts, and water bottles to every participant. The Brooklyn Nets, a United States professional basketball team in the National Basketball Association, was recognized at the tournament for their investment in PeacePlayers. Highlights included over 30 LDP participants who were selected as our best leaders from the LDP program to help run and coach the tournament, VCT (voluntary counseling and testing for HIV) provided by Zoe life, Adidas kit given to most outstanding participants, and the PPI-SA song “I’m a PeacePlayer” wrap performed by Thobani Khumalo. Thobani’s original song resonated with so many of our participant’s; you couldn’t go to a school without hearing the song being sung by someone!

LDP Olympics

LDP Olympics in Umbumbulu!

LDP Olympics in Umbumbulu!

The LDP Olympics was a creative idea to change up our LDP events.  We put participants through a variety of individual skills tests and added up total scores to find a winner. There were 10 events total, and we ran LDP Olympics in each of our areas. PPI-SA was able to give out some nice prizes and we made a lot of our participants smile. It was some of the most fun we had all year. The participants in Umbumbulu went through these events with so much passion and energy; it was a really special day for all of them. Thanks to Kyler McClary for his creativity in planning these events.

LDP Extravaganza

This year we made an effort to innovate and refine our LDP events. Our LDP extravaganza in Umlazi was a great example of this. Girls and boys teams came together from 4 areas to play shorter, more intense games. We had the tournament be a more round robin style, so each team was exposed to all the other areas, rather than just one other team. This maximized our goal of bridging divides among these communities with players getting the opportunity to play teams from every area multiple times. We also held a skills session where we mixed the teams together to work on basketball fundamentals. We ended the day with new and unique life skills activities from Bridges of Hope, where participants were asked to really think truly about what they want in the future, and how important it is to have a vision in life.

Bridges of Hope Training

We were very lucky to have the opportunity to be trained in an award winning and innovative Curriculum called Bridges of Hope. Christy Joy Webster, master trainer and facilitator, trained the entire PPI-SA staff and coaches in this curriculum that focuses less on the basic information of HIV/AIDS and more on how important it is to value yourself. If you value yourself and realize how important your future is, you will be more likely to make healthy decisions. PPI-SA has been looking to refine our life skills curriculum in past years, and these activities can be truly life changing. We are so grateful to Christy joy Webster for being a passionate, caring, and amazing facilitator!

PPI-SA staff after completing the Bridges of Hope Training

PPI-SA staff after completing the Bridges of Hope Training

A genuine thank you goes out to all PPI-SA staff and participants that made these events possible. We hope for even more fun and exciting events in 2013!

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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 | November 26, 2012 · 2:09 pm

Blog Spotlight: PPI – ME Teens Rise Above Conflict, Get Pointers from NBA and Golf Stars

Last week in the midst of the Israeli – Gaza conflict, PeacePlayers International – Middle East continued its peacebuilding programming, believing in the power of its youth leaders to overcome the challenges of living in a country at war. This week, PPI would like to share this remarkable blog post written by PPI – ME Development Associate, Rifka Miyara.

Thank you to Arn and Nancy!

In the midst of this past week’s violence in Israel and Gaza, a group of Palestinian and Israeli PeacePlayers got together to prove that their friendships were not so easily threatened by the missiles raining down on either side of the border, and to learn a new game: golf. In two events, one a basketball clinic led by former NBA greats Brian Scalabrine (of the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls) and Will Perdue (of the Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs) and the other a golf clinic led by golf legends Amy Alcott, Hunter Mahan, Sean Foley (famed golf instructor who coached Tiger Woods) and Michael Thompson, youth from East Jerusalem, West Jerusalem and Holon got to forget momentarily the recent trouble in the region. The events were made possible by PPI board member and top sports agent Arn Tellem and his wife Nancy, entertainment and digital media president of Microsoft (formerly president of CBS Television Studios), who hosted the events as part of a golf-inspired mission to Israel. Thank you to the Tellems for providing these opportunities for our youth.

In Tuesday’s event, Scalabrine and Perdue whipped members of our LDP and league teams into shape. Our kids impressed with how much they were able to keep up despite their height handicap to Scalabrine’s 6 ft. 9 in. and Perdue’s 7 ft. 1 in. statures.

PPI – ME teens got whipped into shape by NBA legends Brian Scalabrine and Will Perdue.

At Thursday’s event at the Caesarea Golf Center, Alcott, Mahan, Foley and Thompson introduced PPI kids to the game of golf, which is relatively obscure in these parts of the world. Alcott spoke of golf’s virtues, saying that it helps build patience, which is something we sorely need around here. Sean Foley warned kids that “golf is addictive.” By the enthusiasm our kids gave to practicing their swings, it seems he may have been right. At the event, which took place a day after the Israel launched its military operation against Hamas in Gaza, I was asked if we had thought about cancelling the event in light of the events, or if any kids had cancelled because of them. “No,” I answered. These were longtime participants, ones who knew enough about “seeing people as people” to be able to process these periods of violence without reverting to hatred and fear towards their fellow PeacePlayers.

Amy Alcott offers pointers to Jerusalem PeacePlayers at Thursday’s clinic.

Although veteran participants are generally able to transcend outbreaks of political unrest in the area, they still present challenges to building bridges and inspiring Palestinian and Israeli youth to hope for better. We spoke with curriculum facilitator Renana about what it was like to conduct Arbinger workshops during this time of conflict. “It wasn’t easy,” she admitted, speaking of a facilitation she conducted Wednesday evening in the Israeli town of Beit Shemesh, at the height of rocket fire from Gaza, and just hours after a bomb exploded on a bus in Tel Aviv. To complicate matters, the team coach had been right down the street from where the bomb attack occurred.

How does one talk about peace in times like these? Once again, it’s not easy. Tensions were high among the girls, with some very emotional about the situation. Some girls were able to apply the Arbinger Institute’s lessons of see people as people to the political context, saying “just like our people are suffering, their people are suffering too,” while others stuck to more hawkish perspectives. “It’s hard,” agrees fellow facilitator Nissreen, “especially as an apolitical organization. When talking about seeing the other side, it’s hard not to get into politics because politics are our reality here.” However, despite the tension (and also regardless of each Beit Shemesh girl’s take on the situation), Renana said that there was unanimous anticipation by the Israeli girls to see their Palestinian twinning partners, a testament that even through the tensions, friendship prevails.

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