Apartheid Roads

Translated by Jenny L.

Route 60

Strong winds blowing; very little traffic on Route 60. At the foot of Beit Haggai, the entrance to the southern approaches to Hebron has for some time been blocked with stone blocks. In the last year they also added a barbed wire fence, as if anyone could get through this blockade. This morning the fence has been folded back to the side of the road and soldiers in an armored vehicle are on guard there. "Who or what are you guarding?" "We don't know," they answer.

We decided today to travel in the direction of Tekoa, which means turning east at the entrance to Sa'ir and to continue on to Tekoa, toward Jerusalem. We went into Hebron on the way back.

Route 3517 - Route 3670

The road is pretty and silent. A section of it is in fact the continuation of Route 356. Further on, the road leading according to the sign to the veteran settlements Meizad/Asphar which looks to be well established and not far from it, the settlement 'Pnei Kedem', where they are still living in caravans. On a hilltop nearby caravans are to be seen, which aroused our interest. The track was very rough and fearing for our vehicle, our driver parked at the side of the road. All at once we noticed a group of soldiers at the top of the hill. We approached them, in the hope of getting answers to our questions. They are reserve soldiers, tolerant and smiling. "Ah, you're from Machsom Watch!! I'm for you!" exclaims the reservist with the biggest smile.  "No. I didn't mean that, I'm just fooling around. On the contrary!" he continues. "What are you doing here," we ask. "Guarding the road" "What is there to guard?" "That there won't be any problems, any penetrations," they reply. "What's on the hill?" we ask. "We don't know," they answer.  "Good and obedient" soldiers like these draw out our anger about the occupation.  They quietly listen without saying anything. They explain where the settlements seen on the sign are to be found and we drive on to see them. They are located on hills at a high elevation from which all the surroundings can be seen. The military base is located immediately adjoing Meizad. Again we see the symbiosis the authorities have so cleverly created. The fact is again evident that everyone in these places is here with the Government's blessing. The signs indicate that the road continues to the Etzion Bloc.

We returned to the road leading to Tekoa, all the village road signs are primarily to Jewish settlements. Almost all their neighbors, in their villages since time immemorial, might as well be invisible. They don't exist on the map. We continued on to the southern approaches of Jerusalem. The Har Homa neighborhood stands out like a thorn on the landscape. We returned to Route 60.

Hebron

At the entrance to Kiryiat Arba, the guard again, for the thousandth time, requests ID from M. our driver. And yet again we too insist on presenting our IDs. Again a phone call is made to notify our arrival.  The Golani flags are blowing in the wind. Again and again we see "Gideon Family" emblazed on their ensignia. In the city itself, the soldiers have hung posters: "The Lions of Wrath". This is what they call themselves.

We had arranged to meet someone who for eight years has been trying without success to obtain a permit to work in Israel. We gave him the relevant information and were again forced to remark that it wasn't at all certain that we could help him. Our sense of helplessness is a constant source of despair.

Because it was so late, we were "fortunate" enough to see a group of female teachers at the Tarpat checkpoint on their way back to H2. A soldier is trying to direct them to go through the magnometer. They refuse. To our joy, he "remembers" that it's permitted to allow people to go home without being checked and he opens the gate. An exchange of looks between us, small signs of victory exchanged between the women and us, and they turn to go home. "Such happiness."

Translated by Charles K.

We entered through the Meitar crossing today as well. Not much traffic on Highway 60, but the traffic police are active.

Hebron

Only M., our driver, is asked for an ID card at the entrance to Kiryat Arba. Our attempts to present ours were rejected. We were told to park off to the side until the guard made a call to receive permission to let us in.

Giv’at Avichai is still there, 11 buildings and vehicles.

Most of the route was relatively quiet, many pupils in the streets (exams are underway and school ends early). We were really astounded to see the path marked in blue and white by the Trail Marking Committee (on the way up to the Cordova school). It was tempting to take it, but in view of the experience of our colleagues in recent days, we refrained.

Tel Rumeida – Golani soldiers don’t want to speak to us; they don’t really seem to understand who we are.  We returned to the car.  Two buses carrying Israeli visitors park at the entrance to the road; one of the drivers explains to the soldiers who we are: “They’re worse than Arabs,” with a wave of his hand.

On the way down we met a group from “Breaking the Silence.”  They said they also want to go up the stairs to “Cordova,” and that it’s necessary to insist, to try again and again.

Many visitors in the area of the Cave of the Patriarchs – Israelis and others.  Today, as it happens, the music comes from the muezzin.

A-Tuwani

We stopped at A-Tuwani, saw the excavations and mosaic Leah Shakdiel referred to, and Nasser showed us a calling card from a group called “Emek Shaveh.”  It’s apparently headed by a person named Yonatan Mizrahi; we immediately saw on the internet that he deals with “Archaeology in the shadow of the conflict”: an effort to build bridges between communities. It would be worth getting to know them; maybe they can be useful.

Nasser is worried that if the excavations continue as planned his home may be damaged, and, of course, their request to be connected to a water line depends on the excavations!!

We visited the small museum and shop.

Guest: Shachar

Translator:  Charles K.

Meitar crossing

Many laborers arrived despite the rain and fog. They’re waiting on the Israeli side of the crossing for their employers to pick them up

Route 60.

Nothing out of the ordinary along the road.  The weather affects everyone.

Hebron

The security guard at the entrance to Kiryat Arba again asks who we are, and we again must remind him that we’re all citizens with equal rights [that’s what’s written, at least] and that it’s unacceptable to demand an ID only from someone who doesn’t look Jewish. Again he explains that he has the authority and instructions from the police to ask for IDs.  Again he calls “big brother;” what a quixotic battle in one of the bastions of Israeli racism.  We’ll continue; even stones are worn away by water. 

Golani soldiers in the town since last Thursday. Their signs stand out at the base at the entrance to town.

Rain, fog and bone-chilling cold.

Hagit and Shachar again walk along the new apartheid path which is marked similarly to those of the Nature Protection Society, indicating the shortcut for residents of Tel Rumeida, beginning at the stairs up to the Cordova school/

I remain with our driver because of what has happened in the past; it’s not a good idea to leave him alone here.

They, of course, run into a soldier who reminds them that this path is restricted to the Jewish residents of Tel Rumeida.  And, of course…a bottle is thrown at them from one of the trailers.

That’s how it ends this time.  Otherwise, nothing special occurred.

Next to one of the houses along the road down from Tel Rumeida to the Tarpa”t checkpoint we met a man who lives there.  He’s a physician working in town, in the H1 area. 

“Everything is ok,” he says.  “It’s hard, of course, that I can’t drive my car from home to the hospital,” but everything is ok.

Everything is deserted and closed down, even – by and large - around the Cave of the Patriarchs.  There are always Jewish visitors coming in groups, despite the weather.

We drove home via the Tarqumiya crossing. 

Highway 35

Quiet and deserted.  The soldiers came down from the pillbox next to the grocery but haven’t detained anyone.

At Tarqumiya they’re as “nice” as ever.  Again the questions – who are we, where did we come from.  Again asking to see only M’s ID.  We insist they check ours also.  Again they send us to the inspection area on our right.  They open and inspect the car.  Again they ask for our IDs.  The inspector smiles apologetically.  “Orders.”  “Can’t she exercise any discretion?” we ask.  Can’t you see we’re not security risks?  A shrug.  “Do you also ask residents of Telem and Adura for IDs?”

“Yes,” she replies grudgingly.  Why don’t we believe her?

Sansana-Meitar

Checkpoint is clear. A long line of trucks waits at the check-out and seems to move quickly.

Route 60

Lively but there sure are some lousy drivers around here, Israelis and Palestinians alike.
 

Bani Naim: We came here first: a large village close to Hebron where settlers had defaced a mosque.  We found the mosque alright but at first couldn't locate the damage until the Imam appeared (the grapevine really works out there!) and showed us a side wall where the scarlet letters were already obliterated by -- more red paint. (see photos).  The imam and his people thought the perpetrators came from Yitzhar but its more likely that this was a local job. It should be said that the Imam and his companions received us most graciously, explalined patiently to the three (!) translators - among whom Netanya shone out with her Arabic  - and they even embarassingly thanked us for coming.  Netanya expressed our regrets for the vandalism.

Um Farqa is our next stop: a tiny, desolate hamlet between Tuwani and the Maon settlement where the Civil Administration had destroyed the mosque, several residential buildings and a room that had been added on to a cave dwelling, as well as all the electricity poles between the village and Tuwani. Iin the process  destroying the peace of this impoverished place.  The Sheik kindly gave us a tour of the devastation (see pics of mosque rubble). At one point a figure was seen striding across the hills from Tuwani. The locals froze on the spot and only relaxed when it transpired that this was an "Arab".  The fear of the Lords of the Land lies heavy in these parts, and with good reason.
Two girls from the village were arrested during the demolition, however they were released and the trial of the older one, Souan, took place on 19.12.11 - please see Ehud Krinis' report circulated on the reshet.

Next stop on this other planet was Givat HaAntenna - Antenna Hill, another desolate spot not far from Hebron. A smooth road leads up to the hilltop, not paved but clearly rolled out with heavy equipment. This was the site of the murder of two guards (guarding the antenna) and has been turned into a memorial for them. (see photos with their names),  The hilltop boasts a (tattered) Israeli flag and a little gazebo which announces itself as a place of prayer. In the middle of the gazebo is something that looks suspiciously like a sacrificial altar, but it may be a bima for a Torah scroll, to be fair.  A small plot of ploughed earth lies close by: watch this spot for a new outpost may sprout up here one of these days.  This is how these things begin...And judging by the amount of garbage lying around the place is well used.

Finally, for how could we not get our weekly fix of ghtost town, a quick spin around Hebron. Two Border policepeople (a man and a woman) munching snadwiches and drinking coke at the entrance/exit to the Worshippers Alley,  On Shuhada street several men in shorts are jogging incongruously, while a platoon (?) of paratroopers patrols the street with drawn weapons, showing the natives who is in charge. At the Cordoba school steps which are now marked as a national monument, a group of elderly Jews is strugglling upwards, some of them give up and come down again while an energetic guide jolly's them on.  Clearly, the intention is to drive the  Cordoba people out of their minds by making a nature reserve out of their neighbourhood, and no doubt eventually they will give in and go away, or perhaps not. Maybe the steps will prove too much for the elderly tourists and the Ministry of Education will have to make it a compulsory route for School certificate completion.

Thursday, 22.12.11

Netanya and I joined a Shovrim Shtika/Breaking the Silence tour of Hebron (that's reall addiction!) - fascinating since we went in under police protection, were only harassed (by the police) three times for our ID's and once by a paratrooper, who agreed to compromise and see the identification only of the guide. We  peeped into the Casbah - desolate and deserted, climbed up to Jewish Tel-Romeida where our 'protectors' abandoned us by the so-called 'Cage House' and we took the roundabout route that Palestinians are forced to use to reach their homes nearby.  Very picturesque and rather beautiful with really ancient olive trees but heaven help anyone taken ill, in labour, carrying heavy bags or coming home at night - no vehicle access is possible and the ground is thick with tree roots, stones and the inevitable garbage all waiting to trip you up.  It was salutory to be reminded of the historic development of the Jewish settlement in Hebron and hear again the details of government and army policy of closure-checkpoint-curfew that has made the city of Abraham a ghost town.  The tour lasted three and a half hours and is highly recommended to anyone interested in knowing the minutae of how the occupation works and of which Hebron is merely the outstanding example.  We also met Anat Cohen but she was berating a paratrooper (they seem to be the people on the ground currently) and we were able to evade direct contact.
 

Translator:  Charles K.

In the midst of the disturbing silence we again examined the path between the apartheid stairs to the Cordova School to the neighborhood of the Tel Rumeida settlers, where a sign is posted restricting its use to Jews.

The soldiers are quiet today.

Suddenly a settler appears, coming down the road.  He pastes a poster on the decorated concrete wall which attempts to hide Hebron, the lively city at the foot of the hill. The poster recounts the injustice committed by the government against the settlers by limiting the Jewish settlement in the Hebron, compared to the excessive rights granted to the Palestinians. The soldier watching him talks on the phone about what the settler is doing.  In response to my question, the soldier says he’s obligated to report any such activity no matter who does it, and he’s checking to see whether the man is entitled to paste up the poster.  We learned something.

The unfortunate Cossack pastes up a second poster, this time on Shuhada Street, not far from Gross Square.  It explains why the adjoining shop had been closed.  We kept our eye on this energetic man.  He’d already reached the Cave of the Patriarchs and was preparing to paste up another poster containing the settlers’ pearls of wisdom.  To our surprise, Border Police soldiers prohibit him from doing so.  The order “came down,” arriving after he’d pasted the two previous posters.

We met Yehuda Shaul, from “Breaking the Silence,” who had come to show some VIP around.  We suggested he go look at the new posters.

The poor settlers have to convince people that their actions are justified.  They seem to feel they’re now really under attack.

A cup of tea with ‘Abed revives us somewhat and we leave this city.

We returned via Highway 317 and reached the Metzudat Yehuda checkpoint.  Merchandise crosses here, a few Jews and some Palestinian families living near Beit Yatir.  We waited in vain for the pupils.  Today, as it happened, they finish very late, and we can’t wait.  But once again we were exposed to the settlers’ behavior:  “Who are you?  What are you doing here?,” asks a settler passing by who stops next to us.  “Why should we answer you?”  “I wanted to invite you for coffee.”  How nice; really, really sweet!  He waves goodbye and drives on.  Who among us would dare ask a passer-by at the entrance to our town what he’s up to?!  The lords of the land are convinced it’s their right and their duty.

Meanwhile, cars go by.  The Jews are stopped, greeted and then drive on.

A Palestinian family arrives; since it’s one of the few permitted to cross into Israel, they’re certainly known to the soldiers.  They’re asked for ID cards, and their vehicle is inspected.

Translator:  Charles K.

How the presence of the army is legitimized and imbued with meaning

Nobody is waiting at the Meitar checkpoint.  All the laborers are already on the Israeli side.  We again note that those manning this checkpoint behave appropriately.

Route 60

A military vehicle stands at the entrance to Dahariyya.  Soldiers are inside; they don’t get out, but they’re there, right next to the sign notifying that you’re entering Area A, making their presence known.  We photograph them; one responds with a rude gesture.

The road is full of cars and pupils at this hour of the morning.

Reservists at the Dura-Elfawwar junction; they’ve come down from the pillbox, stand around. “Area A” newly inscribed in sloppy handwriting on the concrete barrier, one soldier standing on guard next to it, two others stopping cars coming from Elfawwar on their way to Dura and then on to their territory, Area A, to Hebron. That’s their daily routine – why interfere with it?  Why come in to upset daily life?  How else could the reservists feel they’re doing something important?  How else could they tell themselves and their families that this waste of time and money has some meaning, some justification?  So they stand on the road in the morning, conducting searches.  “When will you dismantle the checkpoint?” we ask.  “At eight,” they reply.  More proof that it’s only to give them something to do:  If there had been a real reason for the checkpoint, they wouldn’t have already known when it would come down.  Wouldn’t they remain until the problem had been solved?  But there’s a schedule:  From 7 to 8:  a flying checkpoint.  Breakfast is at 8, so they have to leave.  Meanwhile:  we’re in charge here.

The same occurs at the Pharmacy checkpoint, though the soldiers there are from the Lavie battalion. They’re stopping cars at the outskirts of the southern entrance to Hebron. Only Palestinians are allowed to use this road.

“Don’t talk to them,” one soldier says to the others.  We hear them explain about Ella, a friend of theirs who appeared on the “Big Brother” program [on Israeli TV].

Hebron

Two guards stand at the concrete barrier at the entrance to Kiryat Arba, next to the hitchhiking station.

“Mitzpeh Avichai” keeps expanding on the hill to our right.  Solar heaters, cars, etc.  It doesn’t seem that anyone thinks it’s illegal.

In the city, many children on their way to school. Paratroopers guard the Worshippers’ route. Paratroopers are also at Curve 160 today, rather than Border Police. Border Police man the other checkpoints to the Cave of the Patriarchs.  We drove to the Tarpa”t checkpoint, hoping they’re allowing teachers from the Cordova school to go through the gate. No, it’s locked. The locals tell us that a few days ago a girl was found with a knife that she’d carried intentionally. She was happy to be arrested. It’s what she desired, because she didn’t want her father to force her to marry someone she didn’t want.

We’re told about another guy who was arrested for touching a soldier when he asked him not to be rude to a girl he was searching. “But,” he added, “there are also good soldiers, who are kind and embarrassed.”  Hagit “dares” to rip down a sign reading “Kahana was right.” A young soldier starts yelling at her: “Rip down your own signs. The settlers have a right to put up whatever they want!  You’re not allowed to remove it.” He seems very jumpy. His commander calms him down, asks Hagit to move back a little. From the side it appears he is strongly motivated to detain Palestinians. His companions say they’re acquainted with the detainees and he lets them go. It’s still quiet at the Cave of the Patriarchs.

Everything’s as usual at Beit HaMeriva.  Soldiers on site, but someone made a path between the concrete barriers so residents of the neighborhood could take a route which should never have been blocked.

We left the city with a sigh of relief, as always. Nothing special happened today.

Southern Hebron Hills

We drove home via Highway 317 to see whether there’s anything new on “Antenna Hill,” not far from Zif junction. 

In fact, this is “Mitzpor Ziv,” established in memory of two employees of the Israel Electric Company who were killed there in 2003.

Now an Israeli flag flies there. Locals tell us that people have begun to come pray there. One day they placed a trailer or something like it, but it was demolished. There are signs of some kind of construction.  We should keep track of what’s happening.

Trans. by: Jenny L.

Sansana-Meitar Checkpoint

The workers have gone through. En route we see a bus carrying families to visit prisoners.

Route 60

New earth obstructions; children on their way to school; very few cars. Once again we feel angry at the absence of any signage of the names of Arab-Palestinian villages along the roads, as if they simply do not exist. At the entrance to Avda, we see an army jeep going into the village. We follow in its tracks. What is it seeking in this Palestinian village?

There's a large road sign announcing in Hebrew: "slow down on the curve" in the centre of the village. It seems that a jeep enters the village at least ten times a day simply to observe Route 60 from above. We glean this fact from a conversation with young people in the village. They are already used to it. These guys are nice, they tell us - they are reservists.

Dura Al-Fawwar: there's a police patrol car in the square below the pillbox, parked at the most dangerous spot on the road. Next to the pillbox, the flags of the Lavi Battalion are flapping in the wind. The policemen are getting ready to arbitrarily issue traffic fines. In this way, a few more people will be served with Police bans (restricting their movement) and the Israel Police will financially benefit from the Palestinians. Why not shove them round a little more, if it's possible?

Hebron

A soldier is guarding the hitchhiker's stand at the entrance to Kiryat Arba. Ten caravans painted in the Mizpe Avichai shade of brown cover the hills to the right. Each week their volume increases and solar heating tanks are already to be seen. We wonder, and not for the first time, if this is an illegal outpost in the making?

:  Pharmacy Junction   School children pass through without any difficulties while Border Police soldiers are engaged in an 'open fire' drill. A small boy, aged about three, opens the door of a house near the checkpoint and is given a sweet by a soldier. We go into area H1 with the intention of buying Hebron's wonderful pita bread from the bakery. The soldier tries to prevent my entry, but I ignore him, buy the pita bread and go back through the checkpoint.

"Aren't you frightened," the soldiers ask me. A big loop of wire has been added to the orange gate next to the checkpoint. Children are swinging on the turnstile.

This morning the city looks even more deserted than is usual. Children are playing next to the abandoned checkpoint at the end of Zion Route (referred to by the Palestinians as Jabari).

The barrier is still in place. We go into a nearby metal workshop to have a coffee.

Palestinian Susiya, South Hebron Hills

We notice a new road sign on road 356, shortly after Elazar junction, indicating a turn to the left to "Antenna Hill".

We go in and see Wadi Manzil people plowing their field with a donkey. They tell us that every Tuesday settlers under army protection come to pray on the site.

Mohammed and I forecast that there will be a new illegal outpost here within the month. We phone Hagit from Peace Now to let her know.

We then continue toward Palestinian Susiya, in Area B, where an elementary school was recently built. Personnel from the Civil Authority paid a visit at the start of the building project and found no cause to object to it. Until completion of the school, children either didn't go to school at all or stayed with relatives in Ya'ata so that they could be near a school. But the school signifies attachment, a sort of tie to the land, and this the Civil Authority and the settlers from Jewish Susiya cannot abide and so they have managed to come up with a legal clause that allowed them to have demolition orders issued for the school and the water wells, including the structures and the access roads. The school is one recognised by the Palestinian Authority and includes four classrooms and an external toilet building.

We meet Ezra there, knowing that there had been contact with The Villages Group and that they are looking for a lawyer to take their case. As ever there is no money and a hearing has been set for 15 December.

This today is the face of Israeli occupation.

Trans. Jenny L.

Sansana-Meitar Checkpoint:

full of people on the Israeli side, but the sleeve empty of people being checked. One bus is already waiting for the families of prisoners on the Israeli side. On the way back, we saw three buses on the Palestinian side, but the convoy had already gone on its way after having been checked.

Route 60

all the blockades open as usual, light movement of vehicles and already there is no sign of schoolchildren along the road. Perhaps transportation to school has been organized??

Hebron

all quiet; international organization volunteers are at their posts at the Pharmacy, Tarpa"t and Tel-Rumeida Checkpoints. Quiet, fast crossings at all checkpoints - we didn't see any special checks being carried out. Border Police soldiers at the entrance to Worshippers Route, at Curve 160 and the different entrances around the Cave of the Patriarchs do not delay passersby but merely observe them.

We returned via Highway 317 - Zif junction, the settlements of Maon and Carmel: all is quiet and the road looks quite deserted given the absence of vehicles..

Trans.: Charles K.

Sansana-Meitar crossing

Many vehicles in the parking lot on the Israeli side, to bring laborers to their jobs.  No line visible on the Palestinian side.

Route 60

Soldiers stood on the Poreh side of the Poreh-Al Fawwar junction, but there were no detainees.

Hebron

Pharmacy checkpoint:  An additional (new?) revolving gate behind the inspection shed; concertina wire across the width of the road (the photo shows a boy going through).  So you first have to go through the revolving gate, and then enter the shed.

The checkpoint at the road up to Tel Rumeida:  no detainees.  The soldiers asked who we are.  And, in wonder:  She, too?  They were referring to Lean, our “rebbetzin.”  An ecumenical volunteer said it’s quiet, but that on Saturday settlers from Tel Rumeida poured sewage on the local residents.  He photographed the incident and promised to send us the video.  I’ll pass it on as soon as I receive it.

Worth noting: the soldiers were pleasant

.

On the way back we saw them reinforcing the earthen berm along Highway 317.

Also worth noting:  Hazif’s grocery guy also opened a vegetable stand outside.  We recommend stopping for the fresh spinach, as well as for other produce.

.

 Purpose: The fourth creative arts workshop of the year led by Eid under the direction of Suha.

Route 317:

Palestinians are building a road between Tawani and Yata.  As is known, the internal road doesn’t reach the primary road – 317 – because the Civil Authority has not given permission for such a road to be built.  Asphalt roads are only allowed within the village but even then this is not always so.

Khasem-el-Daraj:

Because of the wintery weather, only 15 children were present in the preschool today.  As has been true of previous weeks, a large portion of the children were new to the preschool, as attested to by their crying.

Workshop topic: Me and my body. Huda had already drawn a picture of a child on the board.

Workshop program: Huda read a story relevant to the topic and had prepared a doll to depict the main parts of the body. The materials: toilet paper rolls, pipe cleaners, Styrofoam balls, cloth, eyes, glue, color markers.  Huda had cut up the pieces of cloth to dress the dolls. The construction of the dolls involved a number of steps and we worried that perhaps the project was a little too complicated for the children. We went over the steps with Huda and Eid at our previous meeting with them.

            Eid and Huda read (told) the story. As has happened before, reading the story captured the attention of the children; even the children who were crying stopped doing so in order to listen to the story. Some of the children actively participated and answered questions. At our request, Huda actually read part of the story and not only told it – of course, there is a problem with their understanding of literary Arabic but it is still important to hear the story as it is written, in the rhythm and music of the story.

            One of the things that needs to be taught as part of these activities is how to master complicated work in stages. Therefore, we broke up the activity into defined stages. 

1. We passed out the rolls of toilet paper and pipe cleaners which were to be the arms and legs of the dolls. Eid demonstrated and it was clear from the concentration of some of the children that they understood the instructions. We helped the children with assembling the arms and legs.
2. We passed out the Styrofoam balls to be used as heads for the dolls and pipe cleaners to attach the head to the doll.  Again we helped those children who needed assistance.
3. We passed out pieces of material for the clothing and pipe cleaners to be used as belts.  At this point, there was a sudden increase in interest – perhaps because the dolls now looked more person-like.  Some of the children worked almost independently.
4. In order to glue on the eyes, we convinced the children that it would be easier to do so by putting a little dab of glue on to one of their fingers rather than using a stick.  Some of the children were able to glue the eyes without help.
5. To finish the activity, we gave the children markers so that they could color hair on the heads of the dolls.

During the activity, we noticed that some of the children had already begun to play with the dolls. As a consequence, we suggested to Huda that she ask the children if they would like to take the dolls home. With no hesitation, the children said ‘yes’! It was clear that the enthusiasm for the dolls was greater than that for our previous activities, which included creating different types of pictures.

            Conclusion of the project: The children helped us clean up the class room, picking up pieces of the materials that had fallen on the floor. There is much room for improvement in awareness of environmental cleanliness.  We left with the feeling that some of the children are beginning to consider us as friendly adults.  Perhaps there will be less crying when we come next time.

Pictures from the project (Judy):

https://picasaweb.google.com/115469912026094971633/GanHudaArtProject4?authkey=Gv1sRgCPak48TRr43agAE#

“Staff” meeting:

After the children left, we sat, drank coffee and tea, and ate cake while discussing the activity, what we learned from it, and the next project. The next project will take place on Thursday, December 1.  The topic will be the winter season.

 Summary regarding ourselves: Much satisfaction and a feeling that something is developing here – the beginning of recognizing the value of developing learning skills before school entry.