Growing Together: Summer Camp 2023
Duration: 23rd - 28th July, 2023
Overview
Musalaha’s 2023 Summer Camp brought together 65 children from Jewish, Christian, and Muslim backgrounds for a week of transformation. Coming from Jerusalem, the West Bank, and across Israel—including families who previously fled Gaza—these young campers stepped outside of the prevailing narratives of division to discover their shared humanity.
The Challenge
In Israel Palestine, children are often taught narratives that justify the dehumanisation of others for their own safety. This year also brought significant bureaucratic hurdles, with tightening permit policies making it difficult for Palestinian children to travel. Despite these obstacles, our dedicated network of volunteers ensured every child arrived safely and ready to participate.
Project Activities
Centred around the theme "Created Equally," the camp used a vibrant mix of play and learning to plant seeds of reconciliation from an early age:
Trust-Building through Fun: Days were filled with pool time, water games, and "Musalaha’s Got Talent," where children collaborated across ethnic and religious lines, learning the value of cooperation and creating genuine bonds.
Lessons for Life: Campers engaged in six hours of interactive Biblical teachings focused on “reconciling values” of equality, active listening, and identifying obstacles to "good neighbourliness," such as racism and sexism.
Valuing Diversity: Children spent time sharing their languages, teaching each other Hebrew and Arabic songs and phrases. They were given opportunities to express their identities through arts and crafts.
Leadership in Action: 35 young adult counsellors and helpers—most of whom are former campers themselves—mentored the younger generation, putting their training in reconciliation into practice and providing an example of what it looks like to live out values of diversity and mutual respect.
Seeds That Grow:
The results from Musalah’s 2023 camp show the power of bringing people together:
Lasting Friendships: 75% of the children established new friendships, and half of the group exchanged contact information to stay in touch long after the camp ended.
A New Way of Seeing: Surveys taken at the start and end of the week showed a clear increase in tolerance and acceptance of diversity.
Breaking Barriers: By the final day, 80% of children were voluntarily interacting with peers from different backgrounds, even outside of their mixed-group activities. This helps children view their neighbours as equals, influencing the choice they will make as they grow.
A Sustainable Future: There is a 90% return rate for older campers moving into leadership roles, ensuring that the values of peace and respect continue to grow within the community.
A Ripple Effect: By entrusting their children to our care, parents also take a step toward reconciliation, showing a growing willingness to embrace a future built on compassion and justice rather than fear.
