FZY at Givat Haviva: Alex Collins (London), with Elise Woolfe (London), Georgina Goldman (Essex) Oli Margolis (London), Matt Pieters (Essex) and Katie Rosshandler (Essex) Five buses filled with FZY (Federation of Zionist youth) teenagers, 15 and 16 year olds with every hair colour and style under the sun (one girl even had pink, yellow and blue braids!), wearing caps, beanies, bandanas and Rasta hats, pulled into Givat Haviva today (20/07/05). Consisting of over 200 students, this was certainly going to be a busy day for the International Department of Givat Haviva! The FZY groups, on tour in Israel for a month, were spoken to by Lydia Aisenberg (Educator and Study Tour Guide at Givat Haviva) about the Israeli Arabs and the Palestinians. The focus of the lecture was the delicate question of identity, and the problems this issue raises for the two groups. Despite the lethargy of the group (who had only had five hours sleep!) and the gravity of the subject matter, Lydia certainly injected some life into the proceedings with her enthusiastic style, especially when she began rapping about the creation of the state of Israel: "In 1949 they drew the line…" Cue much laughter and applause!

FZY group filing in to take Part in a Q & A session with Mohammad Darawshe, Director of Public Relations. After a short break, Mohammad Darawshe, (Director of Public Relations at Givat Haviva) led a question and answer session about Arab identity and how Arabs are treated in the state of Israel. Being one of the 27th generation of Darawshe's who have been continuously living in Iksal (a village in Nazareth) for 800 years, Mohammad is extremely well placed to answer such questions! Discussions centered on the status of the Arab citizen in Israel, whether or not they should serve in the IDF and the increasing cultural integration if the Arabs within Israeli society. After the Question and Answer session, the kids were whisked off on Lydia's 'Magical Mystery Tour' of the Wadi Ara region, in which Givat Haviva is located. Driving up Route 65, between the Menashe Hills and the Amir Mountain Range, the group learned about the history of the divided village of Barta'a, and of Ariel's Sharon's 'Seven Stars' plan. Speaking from a vantage point overlooking Barta'a, with one yellow domed mosque officially in the West Bank, and another green domed mosque (less than 100 meters away) officially in Israel proper, it became evident to both the kids and the Israeli madrichim just how divided this village has become.

Lydia Aisenberg speaking to a group of FZY teenagers from a vantage point in Katzir, overlooking Barta'a village and 1% of the West Bank. From the same vantage point, the group was able to view a number of Israeli settlements which are encircled by the security fence on one side, and Arab villages on the other. Given the number of questions fielded after the explanation, it is clear that the group, as well as the madrichim, were very interested in the situation! "I'm an Israeli, I'm 24 years old and I have never been here and I have never heard this. It's amazing what you can see from up here," said Sara Landay, one of the Israeli madrichim. Gidi Guilman, the second madrich, spoke for the group, saying, "It was very, very interesting, even enlightening." Leo Williams

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