Hey everyone! I wanted to share with you my life-changing trip to the US this summer.
Following Debate for Peace MUN conferences, I was invited to the Jerusalem PeaceBuilders summer camp in Houston, Texas. In the beginning I had some doubts about the camp and the fact that I was going to be the only Israeli Jewish male in the camp, but I went anyway. I was wrong to doubt– the JPB camp was beyond my expectations!
In this camp I got the unique opportunity to spend almost 2 weeks with youth in my age. I met so many new friends and we had so much fun together doing summer camp activities and peace-building dialogues. The meaning of the camp for me was creating these bonds between the religiously diverse participants and making us better interfaith citizens.
In our time at the JPB program I got to attend a Juma’a prayer in a mosque and a Communion service in a cathedral for my first time! It was so new for me and I’m glad I could observe it. We also went to a Reform Judaism synagogue, where we held a service in different way from what I’m used to, as an orthodox.
The second part of my trip was in NYC and NJ. Together with Debate for Peace director Steven Aiello and a fellow Muslim Arab student Khetam Kalash, we represented Debate for Peace and talked to fellow interfaith leaders in the metropolitan area of New York. I had so much joy spending time with people who care about a better, peaceful future. I feel as they brought me a new, stronger second wind to work harder for bringing people together, and creating more friendships between those close, yet so far, communities.
Debate for Peace 