Nabi Ilyas
We arrived at 10:00 and were surprised to see about 20 children waiting outside the classroom. Most were girls meticulously dressed, some with satchels and writing utensils, but there were also some boys. There were four of Brenda's students waiting in the classroom, but as usual not all of them came. When the rest of the students entered the classroom it was not clear what was going on, and after R., who was responsible for them, spoke to them they left the classroom.
After a discussion with Dvorka on Sunday (we are not sure with whom) she agreed to teach English on Fridays without arranging it, and the children were clearly disappointed that they had come but the lesson was not to take place. I went outside with them to play ball and Frisbee. It was difficult because there were a lot of children and the boys were rowdy, and we had no language in common. The girls who were 11-12 years old have a lot of difficulty with English, but are eager to learn and experience something new. Brenda discussed the possibility of teaching adults for an hour followed by the children's lesson.
At 11:20 the lesson ended and we went to talk with the women in the shed where they were baking pita bread. One of them had worked in Israel and spoke Hebrew.
We left at 12:00.
A-Nabi Elias
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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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