North American Hashomer Hatzair youngsters and madrichim with East Barta’a in the background
The relationship between Hashomer Hatzair, Givat Haviva and the Wadi Ara Arab Muslim village of Barta’a is going from strength to strength.
Barta’a is a divided village, split in to two parts by the 1949 drawn Green Line, therefore one has these days East Barta’a (an Area B of the West Bank) and West Barta’a (in the State of Israel).
One might well ponder what divides the two parts, East Barta’a under the Palestinian Authority and West Barta’a under the BISMA local council in Israel. The possibilities running through one’s mind would probably include a fence, wall, soldiers, policeman or at least some sort of checkpoint. Actually, it is none of these things.
Unbelievably it is a rubbish filled ditch a few meters wide and about as deep.
However the divide is a wide as could possibly be between those with Israeli citizenship on the Israeli side and those with Jordanian citizenship and Palestinian papers on the other – even though the 8,000 plus residents are almost all from the same extended clan, or humula as it is known in Arabic.
Barta’a is physically situated off Wadi Ara (also known as the Little Triangle). The main road Route 65 connects the coastal plain with the Galilee and in the area of Wadi Ara literally hugs the Green Line.
In the Little Triangle (from Umm el-Fahm to Kfar Kara to Baka al-Gharbiya) sits Barta’a, Givat Haviva and frequently visited by Hashomer Hatzair groups from abroad and those on leadership courses in Israel. A triangle of friendship and strong belief in coexistence has basically formed between the Zionist youth movement, the Givat Haviva center for peace education (belonging to the Kibbutz H’Artzi Federation of Kibbutzim) and the unique and fascinating divided village of Barta’a.
SHOMRIM from North America looking over and walking through Barta’a
Since the mid-l980s thousands of visitors from overseas participating in seminars run by the International Department (originally known as MAKOR) at Givat Haviva have had the opportunity to visit Barta’a, talk with the residents from both sides of the line and see and hear for themselves the complicated issues dealt with usually only in a classroom.
After such a visit during a seminar some years ago Yale university student even decided to do her thesis on the village, studying the relationships between the people and their differing nationalistic and political outlooks.
The natural habitat of Hashomer Hatzair in Israel, Givat Haviva houses the archives of the movement and features a museum depicting the 95 years since the movement was founded in Europe. The recent group of over 40 young North American from Hashomer Hatzair, as in the past spent time on campus learning more about the movement whose blue shirts with the white string attached they so proudly wear.
Prior to their Israel Tour the youngsters were at Camp Shomria in the States where they also interacted with a group of young Israeli Arabs and Jews – teens from the Wadi Ara area who had participated in the THROUGH OTHERS EYES coexistence projects organized by the Givat Haviva Arts Center under director Etti Amram.
A group of young American Muslims also joined them at Shomria Camp for 3 days and the Israelis hosted by the Muslim youth in New York prior to their return to Israel.
Last year a group of North American Hashomer Hatzair bogrim (graduates) taught English over a period of some months in the West Barta’a high school as well as organizing different activities for the students. The period of intensive work put in by the young folk from Canada and the States culminated in an English language festival at the school where pupils performed scenes from plays – even Romeo and Juliet – in English.
One of that group – Kvutzat Orev – was Jacob Ulrich who this summer was leading the blue-shirted Israel Tour and of course delighted to have the opportunity to reconnect with his past pupils.
The Yedid Plus youngsters spent the afternoon visiting and participating in activities with Barta’a youth, once more adding even more depth to the already established friendship formed between the triangle of Hashomer Hatzair, Barta’a and Givat Haviva in the Little Triangle!
Falafel forever! Jacob Ulrich (right) and Hashomer Hatzair movement madrichim and chanichim enjoy lunch in Barta’a.
Photos and text: Lydia Aisenberg
August 2008
