Seven teachers from the Friedrichsgymnasium visiting Israelian and Palestinian friends

From our meetings we want to write a school book

By Peter Staffa

Only a few days ago seven teachers from the Friedrichsgymnasium returned from a one week visit of their Israelian and Palestinian friends. They wanted to prepare the next students` meeting and wanred to see their friends in these unusual times.

Even preparing the trip was kind of difficult because of fear also expressed by family members.

The journey started at Berlin-Schönefeld Airport, where El Al has an extra terminal protected by the army and where all passengers are intensively interwieved by Israelian security service - a journey to a war region is something special. The war in the Middle East lasts too long – this feeling was confirmed by our impressions during our stay.

We experienced what the situation is like – occupation, the permanent presence of armed forces, the fear of our Israelian and Palestinian friends.

The programme in Israel was very extensive. In a workshop we became mediators between Jewish and Arabic Israelians who met there for the first time. We could feel their emotions and were very careful. Lots of things we could understand better.

Our German history was alwasy there – like a veil of memory. A fact we became already aware of when meeting the Israelian students here in Frankfurt (Oder) in January 2002. Yael , 15-year-old girl, said about her trip to Germany: `` I was afraid of going to Germany. In my family there are Holocaust victims. I was scared when I came to Frankfurt. But it was completely different. I made friends.`` And Guy, also 15, said:`` I always thought my life to be normal and safe. But when I came to Frankfurt I learned that feeling free, safe and carefree means much more. ``

We had to convince our Israelian friend that we also wanted to visit the old city of Jerusalem and our friends In Bethlehem. And they accompanied us to Jerusalem. Mara, teacher and organizer from the Democratic school in Hadera, has not been there for twenty years,. Itzhak, teacher in Katzir and fighting for our partnership almost alone , came with us , too after putting on a T-shirt as usually worn by tourists.

The Old City was almost emty, there were hardly any visitors – no wonder that all the guides and shop keepers wanted to talk to us , sell something, just ask where we were from. But there was so little time and we also a bit scared. We wanted to see the Grave Church and the the Wailing Wall. And it was a strange feeling to stand near the Wall and see a company of young soldiers praying before starting their action.

On Monday we went to the checkpoint to Bethlehem – Gilo. We walked across the border, this time only accompanied by barbed wire, army vehicles and machine guns. And the street, which had been crowded with people offering their goods in 1999, was completely empty and quiet.

Then we had to make our way to the Hope Flowers School. Ibrahim, our Palestinian friend, picked us up in the school`s car and took us to the road blocks near the school. All the roads to the school are blocked though this is an autonomous Palestinian area with children living there. We also saw the three watch towers with soldiers armed with machine guns and ready to open fire.

Despite all the difficulties the school has changed since my visits in 1999 and 2000: they continued the school building, finished a sportsfield, work on a garden now and completed a water treatment plant.

What power must these people have to do all this work? And how strong their will to bring children up in another atmosphere and not to encourage them to become suiciders?

We want to work with these special people and offer a piece of future.

Back in Hadera our friends` reaction concerning our feelings was very sensitive and full of empathy. We perfectly understood Izthak when he asked:`` Do Ghada and Ibrahim also want to work with us? ``

It was a question slowly approaching to our joint responsibility concerning our children.

In all the dicussions with our friens one thing became quite obvious – we cannot solve the conflict. But step by step we can contribute to it. That`s why we also want to involve parents to our next meeting in January, we just want more people to share our ideas.

With the students we want to exchange our biografies , we want to write about fears and sorrows but also about hopes and dreams. We dream of a school book in Hebrew, Arabic, English and German – a book free of prejudices and accusations and without taking sides. But stop – it should take sides for our children, as they deserve our care and attention.