Project TEN
For 8 months I lived in a tent in a forest adjacent to Kibbutz Harduf in the lower Galilee of Israel. From their website - “The Kibbutz specializes in creating social and educational community projects that promote a Jewish-Arab partnership, empowering disadvantaged populations and equal opportunities.
All projects work in full collaboration with local nonprofits and organizations which include: teaching English in elementary schools in the Bedouin Villages; working at Beit Elisha – A rehabilitative community for adults with special needs; working in the organic agricultural fields; working with at-risk youth at the Tuvia Boarding School; a theater project in English, Hebrew and Arabic; ecological planning and construction of the “Sha’ar La’Adam” Forest.”
Co-Existence Theater
As part of my work with the Project TEN fellowship, I composed and music directed a play call GOLDEN HEARTED FLOWER, originally written in Hebrew and adapted and translated to a trilingual production in English, Arabic and Hebrew. Here is a small anecdote that really shows the impact that this kind of work can have on the community:
After putting on one of our plays we heard from a mom of one of the children who also happens to be a teacher at the school. She was telling us that it’s rare that her kids hear Arabic spoken outside of their own villages, let alone in a fun play that incorporates people and languages from around the world. To her, there was no better example of co-existence and demonstrating a more inclusive world for her children.
