JERUSALEM | Seeds of all ages led service projects in their home communities throughout the month of September. To recognize the holidays of Ramadan, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, young Egyptian, Israeli, Jordanian and Palestinian Seeds seized upon the theme of service to others as a way to build compassion and mutual understanding. Seeds volunteered with programs and schools that work primarily with disadvantaged youth. Their efforts resulted in meaningful experiences for both the young people being served as well as the Seeds themselves, who were able to exercise the communication and team-building skills first learned at Camp and deepened by follow-up programming in the Middle East.
Egyptian Seeds: Seeds have been working exceptionally hard in Egypt throughout the month volunteering at the Ebtesama Charity daily iftars at Sakia. Through their service, Seeds have been able to make a positive difference in their community while exhibiting for others, by example, the values and skills most important to being a seed of peace: caring, compassion, problem-solving and leadership.
Israeli Seeds: Wanting to volunteer with other young people, a group of Israeli Seeds took the initiative to reach out to current patients at Schneider Children’s Medical Center in Petach Tikva and help them prepare for the new year by providing an afternoon of fun and meaningful activities in the spirit of peace. In coordination with hospital management, Seeds spent the afternoon rotating through the various departments of the hospital hosting activities for the patients, showing videos about respect and understanding, and sharing personal stories of their experiences at Seeds of Peace. It was a rewarding day for all involved and a welcome distraction for the children of the hospital.
Jordanian Seeds: On September 14, 30 Jordanian Seeds and about 15 Delegation Leaders and educators held a community service project followed by a Ramadan iftar meal to break the fast. Both were held at the Theodor Schneller School and Orphanage just outside Amman with about 75 kids from the school, ages 12 to 17. Seeds organized games and participated in a meal with the orphans and Schneller School staff. Afterwards, Seeds joined the kids for a comedy show. The evening concluded with two original Jordanian folksongs performed by singer/oudist/composer Nayef Al Zoubi and with distribution of presents to each of the orphans. This event was almost entirely funded by money raised by the Seeds and by contributions from the Delegation Leaders and educators.
Palestinian Seeds: Ramadan iftar meals were held for Palestinian Seeds in Hebron & Jericho. Each dinner was preceded by a community service event. On September 4th, 24 Seeds visited a special needs home and distributed candy and organized activities for the children. They then had an iftar at a restaurant in Hebron. Afterwards, the Seeds played the traditional post-meal quiz game with books as prizes.
Twenty Palestinian Seeds from Jericho were joined by another 20 from Ramallah for an iftar meal in Jericho on September 6th. Before eating, Seeds helped paint walls and plant trees at a girls school in the city. The meal itself was held at a restaurant at the top of the lowest cable car run in the world.