Thing is, I never really explained my love and interest for the country that is Israel and why I am here. And to make this post even more meaningful, I really should explain. For those who already know, this is just a re-fresher.
In 2003, 3 women launched a peace program based in Glenview, Illinois called Hands of Peace. It was a peace program that focused solely on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the idea of co-existence. This program involved 4 different delegations; Israeli, Palestinians in the West Bank, Palestinians in Israel and Americans. For about 2.5 weeks, these 4 delegations would spend the morning having dialogue about the conflict at hand, and the afternoons were like most and every summer camp in the area. The kicker was that it was all locally done.
Unlike other programs, all the teenagers and staff from the Middle East were placed with host families. Because this was a non for-profit organization that was just getting started, families in the area would have the teenagers stay in their homes to save money. Other local events were that there were downtown days in Chicago and Hands of Peace picnics and parties. And ever since that first year, it has still all been locally done. Right smack dab in the middle of Glenview, Illinois and more and more host families as the years have gone by.
Although most of you know that I personally participated in Hands of Peace in the summers of 2009 and 2010, my family was one of the first host families back in 2003...when the shirts were red, not purple. And we have been ever since.
So, I was 7 years old when Hands of Peace and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict entered my life. All I knew was that these two teenage girls were going to be staying in our house for two weeks and my little sister was going to have to share a room with me. Little did I know that from that day forward, my life was going to change forever...as cheesy as that sounds.
In 2003 we hosted two teenage girls. One was an Israeli teenager from Ashkelon, while the other was a Palestinian in Israel teenager from Haifa. Their names were Shira and Natalie. And from day 1, they were the big sisters I never had. We would do each other's hair, have dance parties in the basement, watch movies, go to the mall, have censored boy talk around me and my little sisters and more. I would wait at home until they got back from all the cool Hands of Peace activities they did just because I wanted to hang out with them. I asked them questions upon questions about their lives and their homes and I would say over and over again about how I couldn't wait to visit them. But the coolest thing they showed me as my older sisters, was that they "weren't supposed to like each other", but at the end of the day all I heard was "mi amor". They showed me what true friendship was all about.
Needless to say, the end of Hands of Peace in 2003 was a very vivid day in my memory. I cried like no other and probably just looked like a stupid 7 year old. But at that time, Hands of Peace was the best thing that happened to me. Ask any person from that year and they'll remember those 3 little girls that ran around a lot. I finally had two cool older sisters, that spoke cool languages and ate cool food and now they had to leave. All I wanted them to do was officially move in my house and be my big sisters forever.
This was the last day of the whole program, just hours before they boarded the busses back to the airport. That picture was taken 9 years ago in my front yard. Shira has her head tilted against my head, while Natalie is touching heads with my sister Nonie. And fun fact, the shirt I am wearing was the original Hands of Peace shirt; they switched to purple the second year of the program.
After they boarded the bus, we didn't know what was going to happen next. Was there even going to be a Hands of Peace next summer? Well luckily for us, I got one of my original big sisters back in 2004. Shira came back as an XL, but Natalie was still back in Haifa. It was another summer I will never forget, but after that the years bunched up. I loved each and every girl that came through our house like they were my big sister, but nothing was quite like that first year.
I counted the years until I was allowed to be in the program because to be perfectly honest, I wanted to be just like them. I wanted to be as good of friends with someone, like they were. And I wanted just wanted to be those cool teenage girls that they were way back in 2003. And in 2009 I got my chance.
I did the program in 2009 and 2010 as an XL. And I got my wish. Hands of Peace has some pretty intense moments, but at the end of the day we were all best friends. With a hug every morning and a hug every night, there was no denying that each and every one of those people were my friends. It didn't matter what beliefs you had, what religion you practiced or where you lived, at the end of the day we were all just teenagers trying to have some fun. And after they get on that bus, just like back in 2003, you never know what was going to happen next.
Well as you all know, I'm here in Israel. In between the semester starting in October and Hebrew class ending about a week ago, I have no school. So I am taking this time to see a lot of Israel. This week, i've been in Haifa trying to catch up with as many friends as possible. I got to meet up for ice-cream with a great friend from 2009 that I haven't seen since he drove away in that bus. I got to really know George's family and see another friend I haven't seen since that bus ride in 2010.
But the kicker and the best part of this whole week is the person who's bathroom I'm sitting in writing this while she's sleeping. After 9 years of no visual contact, scarce facebook inboxes and a couple phone calls later, I'm with Natalie. And I can't thank God enough for the opportunity and the utter joy I feel staying in her home and meeting her family.
Yep, that's right, Natalie. My big sister, my role model and idol. The girl who told me that Spanish music is prettier than English music. The girl that used to dance and sing with me in the basement. The girl that was mountains taller than me is now hosting me in her home. The moment I walked out of George's building and gave her a hug, I got tears in my eyes. And to be honest, just writing this is making me cry. I never ever knew if I would see her again. I never knew if that bus ride was going to be the end of the road for us and I would only get to hear from her through facebook comments.
So, if Hands of Peace did one thing for me, it was that it made reunions like this possible. And like this, I mean meaningful. Someone could go 9 years without seeing relatives and generally just feel a neutral sense of joy, but this...this is something I will hold with me forever. My big sister and idol is once again my big sister and idol. Hands of Peace created bonds and relationships completely indescribable and that only tears can really describe. She means the world to me because she was the basis of everything I am doing now. I would never have come to Israel or done Hands of Peace if she didn't give such a lasting impression on me. I would have never thought of caring about conflicts and situations in this world if it weren't for her.
And now at 24 and 18, things are pretty similar. She is giving me advice and telling me stories about her life. She doesn't know my thoughts on anything and she doesn't ever need to ask because at the end of the day, she's just my big sister.
Hands Of Peace <---Click the link, you won't be disappointed
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