Over the last two months, Israeli and Palestinian students have participated in a student-led writing workshop as part of the Writers Matter program. The following piece comes from Jack:
Hey sweaty, get out, don’t be scared. I just came here to talk to you. It might sound crazy, but I know who you are, not in a creepy way. So I wanted to tell you, you’re important. People are mean, but the soonest you’ll realise that you are perfect the way you are, the sooner you’ll be whole.
No, don’t cry, I didn’t mean to upset you. Let me just tell you a story, like the ones you enjoy writing. Long ago the zebra felt bad for not looking like a tiger. She had many many haircuts and dyed her hair, but nothing helped. You know why? Because it’s the zebra’s nature and she shouldn’t feel bad about it. What she needs to do instead is go talk to someone, because even the black and white that she once had, were no longer the same after keeping all her feelings in her tummy.
Who Am I? Well, just a fairy who came to help. You know, you will some day feel better, even change your name in a few years, and your new name will be Jack.
Hey, I think it’s time for me to leave, but don’t stop writing, this is your strongest tool.
Debate for Peace 