Nabi Ilyas
Inspired by the activity of our colleagues, Brenda and Marci, with children in Nabi Ilyas, and after meeting Yuval Roth and Tal from “The Road to Recovery,” and together with Rivka Shahaf, who had the idea, an exciting juggling act 
was organized yesterday in the events hall on the ground floor of the Nabi Ilyas municipal building. Almost 100 children were there, the youngest aged 4-5, the oldest 10-11, as well as a group of older, hard-of-hearing children who came from the regional school for the hard of hearing located in Nabi Ilyas. As it happened, the older village children, some of whom are in Brenda and Marci’s classes, couldn’t attend because final examinations are now underway in school.
The show began against the background of deafening noise from dozens of frenzied, enthusiastic children in the hall with terrible acoustics. But the younger ones calmed down very quickly when the two jugglers began their act. Within a few minutes Tal and Yuval had gotten their attention and involved them in the performance laughing and cheering. There were balloons, lots of balls and bottles flying through the air without falling, tricks with and without fiery props, jokes and even a ride on a monocycle – all with the participation of children in the audience who volunteered and received prizes of balloons shaped like animals and hats, Tal’s imaginative creations.
It was wonderful! It’s hard to describe the children’s joy and enthusiasm, and also that of the adults who were there.
The volunteer coordinators – Rada, Wisal and Samah, along with ‘Abed – were present throughout, also enjoyed themselves, and didn’t stop photographing. A., a municipal employee, helped translate from Hebrew to Arabic. Asraf, another affable guy, was also there dressed as a clown to adorn the stage. The joy and excitement were very great.
When the show was over, Wisal met us in the office. She and Rada were filled with praise and thanks for Yuval and Tal, and also for Machsom Watch. Yuval and Tal were asked to appear again when the older children have finished their exams, and in particular for the children from the school for the hard of hearing in the village. They promised to return.
May there be many such joyful events!
A-Nabi Elias
See all reports for this place-
A-Nabi Elias this is a Palestinian village in the northern West Bank, east of Qalqilia on Road 55, north-east of Alfei Menashe colony and west of Karnei Shomron colony and the Palestinian city of Nablus. As of 2016, the village was populated by 1,458 inhabitants.
Near the village is a maqam (holy site memorializing a sanctified person) - the prophet Elisha. Until 2021 Road 55 crossed the village. Then a bypass road was paved through olive groves that were sequestered from the villagers. Consequently, the farmers were left with small olive groves that they could not access nor cultivate. Inhabitants protested against the road for weeks, supported by peace activists, but nothing helped and the road is now a given fact.
The village's main street had been a shopping center for all residents, including colonists. We even saw a Kashrut (kosher food) inspector in a butcher shop close to the falafel stand… The bypass road, according to tradesmen, has impacted their businesses and clients, while others claim that there are customers now for parking has become easier.
Alfei Menashe and Tzofim colonies nibble at the village lands from the north and south and get closer to it all the time. Colonists of Alfei Menashe have outdone themselves, sending their surplus sewage from the oxygenation pools toward a-Nabi Elias land, even reaching the houses.
The villagers are known as seekers of peace. For years there was no hostility towards Israelis. On the contrary, we were always welcomed warmly and stopped there to enjoy their delicious, inexpensive falafel.
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