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Jordan valley: It was great fun

Place: Jordan Valley
Tags: Activity with Palestinian Children Jordan Valley
Observers: Rachel A. with a group of volunteers, reporting
Aug-10-2019
| Morning
Saturday morning, a beautiful day. The road is empty, the ride to the Palestinian Jordan Valley smooth and swift, at a record of an hour and a quarter. We load a family on the car and drive to a fun day at En Sukut (spring)
Saturday morning, a beautiful day. The road is empty, the ride to the Palestinian Jordan Valley smooth and swift, at a record of an hour and a quarter. We load a family on the car and drive to a fun day at En Sukut (spring)
Photo: Rachel Afek
The place fills up with children from several areas of the Valley – kids, fathers, and us volunteers, with equipment, food and all that’s needed
The place fills up with children from several areas of the Valley – kids, fathers, and us volunteers, with equipment, food and all that’s needed
Photo: Rachel Afek
The pools near the security fence are surrounded with reeds and rushes, filled with green water and fish swimming unhampered, and then children in colorful float-tires
The pools near the security fence are surrounded with reeds and rushes, filled with green water and fish swimming unhampered, and then children in colorful float-tires
Photo: Rachel Afek

please start with the pictures above  

 

it was one big fun time – no other word for it. First they shiver with cold and fright, and do not let go the responsible, adult hand. Slowly they thaw. Over two hours until they really enjoy themselves, and then it’s over.

Not really clear for us why they suddenly decided this was enough. Perhaps the adults’ agreement with the taxi driver? Who knows. Too short in my opinion. They could have enjoyed themselves there for another two hours.

I remained there with the family I brought along, and then came Israeli travelers, and more Palestinians, and it became a social encounter.

When we wished to get on our way back, an Israeli army jeep stood by the exit and instructed everyone, including the Jews, to use the stone-strewn dirt track, just so as not to use the security road.

Finally the Israelis followed us to Makhoul for a visit, and enjoyed Palestinian hospitality.

Since the genderized division is so strict and only men had come as accompaniers, we decided to bring the girls of the same communities to the same place next Friday.

Hanna Safran, nice and pleasant, created and organized this day – kudos!

It was great fun.

  • Jordan Valley

    See all reports for this place
    • Jordan Valley The Jordan Valley is the eastern strip of the West Bank. Its area consists of almost a third of the West Bank area. About 10,000 settlers live there, about 65,000 Palestinian residents in the villages and towns. In addition, about 15,000 are scattered in small shepherd communities. These communities are living in severe distress because of two types of harassment: the military declaring some of their living areas, as fire zones, evicting them for long hours from their residence to the scorching heat of the summer and the bitter cold of the winter. The other type is abuse by rioters who cling to the grazing areas of the shepherd communities, and the declared fire areas (without being deported). The many groundwaters in the Jordan Valley belong to Mekorot and are not available to Palestinians living in the Jordan Valley. The Palestinians bring water to their needs in high-cost followers.  
      חמאם אל-מליח. ליד הריסות בית הספר עומדים מימין: פרץ מהמלווים, עומר בר לב, שני עורכי הדין, מלווה שאיתי, וחבר של עומר
      Rachel Afek
      Apr-23-2026
      Hamam al-Malih: Standing by the ruins of the school (from right): Peretz (volunteer), Omer Bar-Lev, the two lawyers, a fellow volunteer, and a friend of Omer
      View the full album
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