PLEASE FORWARD TO OTHERS
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Dear San Francisco Bay Area (and beyond) supporters of Palestinian-Jewish
Dialogue,
For five days -- August 18-22, 2002 -- a
Palestinian-Jewish PEACE GENERATION YOUTH CAMP is being proposed and planned to
take place at the Point Reyes National Park Youth Hostel. For more
information about the hostel and sponsoring organization, see:
http://www.norcalhostels.org/pointreyes.html
Among
Nora's diverse, talented and experienced advisory group and staff is Ms. Adee
Horn, a Jewish Dialogue participant who teaches at San Francisco's Lincoln High
School. Adee has been instrumental in turning campus Palestinian-Jewish
relationships from alienation to understanding.
Among Nora's advisory group is Ms. Adee Horn, a Jewish
Dialogue participant who teaches at Lincoln High School, where she has turned
Palestinian-Jewish relationships from alienation to understanding.
This is a practical vision coming quickly and
thoughtfully to life. It is a dream in process.
This is young adult leaders responding to an urgent
need in our community and the world.
Two things are needed at this moment:
1. Local Jewish and Palestinian teen CAMPERS, age 15-18
2. FUNDING from individuals who share this vision of youth coming
together to imagine and build a very new future.
We encourage you to pay close attention to this project and help it as much as
you can. Below we send you Nora Khouri's introduction and request for
help, including her attachment.
Libby and Len
=============================
June 29, 2002
Dear Friends, Family and the greater Peace loving community,
I would like to introduce you to Peace Generation Youth Camp. Peace Generation
Youth Camp will bring together local Jewish and Palestinian youth at Point
Reyes National Park Youth Hostel, the third week of August, 2002. Our
mission is to unite Palestinian and Jewish boys and girls ages 15-18 in a fun
and safe environment set in nature. The goal is to engage the youth in building
friendships, effective communication skills and non-violent techniques while
interweaving the theme of interdependence and responsibility for the earth.
In 1994, my degree in International Relations at SF State led me to do an
internship at Seeds of Peace an organization which brings together Palestinian
and Israeli youth from the Middle East. As a Palestinian-American the
experience was so unique and inspirational, it led me to a dream of being a
part of a camp that did the same. However, since there were peace talks going
on, I believed things were just going to get better. It is increasingly clear
to me and anyone paying attention that this is simply not the case.
This is a time of intense sadness, deep grieving and utter hopelessness for
both the Palestinian and Israeli people. The history of the conflict and
current events are both alarming and overwhelming for one person to deal with.
This creates an attitude for most of apathy and the feeling of, oh well, there
is really nothing I can do about the situation. This is simply not true; our
help is urgently needed! We can no longer afford to stand by passively. As we
have all witnessed when it goes unchecked, the vicious cycle of violence
affects us all eventually.
I believe there are fewer things more important than nurturing youth to be
effective, powerful and peaceful leaders of their communities. As part of a
follow-up plan and a leadership training program, next year we will invite
the participants from this years camp to return as co-facilitators and advisors
for the youth who will travel here directly from the Middle East. The idea of
Peace Generation youth camp is to begin now and teach the future generation
that their is an alternative to resolving disputes without violence and ending
the cycle that has been bestowed upon us.
The camp activities will include peace education, compassionate listening
training and other non-violent techniques. Additionally, we will focus on
creating a fun environment which fosters relationship building, with all kinds
of outdoor activities and team-building games.
Your money will directly support the camp in the form of staff, food &
lodging, art supplies, music, games, transportation to and from the camp, and
outreach. As a program of Hostelling International-American Youth Hostels, we
will send you a non-profit receipt that is 100% tax deductible which will allow
you to claim this donation on your taxes. I am dedicated to working on this
project full-time, and many others from all over peace loving community have
come forward to volunteer their time; the support has really been overwhelming:
With the situation in the Middle East steadily deteriorating by the minute, it
is at a desperate crossroads right now. It is time to change the path to one of
peace, so that we and future generations can live in harmonious coexistence
with one another as well as the earth. Please do whatever you can to help make
this project a reality!
PEACE GENERATION
YOUTH CAMP ONLY NEEDS $20,000 TO
CULTIVATE PEACEFUL LEADERS OF TOMORROW IN THE
PALESTINIAN AND ISRAELI COMMUNITIES!
In order to make this project a reality,
we need generous donations by July 31
Please make the check payable to:
Hostelling International
c/o Peace Generation
Mail to:
312 Mason Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
Attn: Tasha Nesbitt
[ ] $25
[ ] $50
[ ] $75
[ ] $100
[ ] $200
[ ] $500
[ ] other ________________
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO CONSIDER SUPPORTING THIS OPPORTUNITY,
I will follow up with you next week, if you have any questions please do not
hesitate to call or email me.
Sincerely,
Nora M. Khouri
for more information call or email me:
415.566.1062
nora@eGeneration.info
or the other camp organizers:
Tasha Nesbitt
415.788.1814
sfprograms@norcalhostels.org
Patrick Dominguez
415.519.7646
dominguezbiz@yahoo.com
Please forward this to anyone who you think might be interested in
supporting this project.
We also accept donations in the form of art supplies, musical instruments,
games, food (unopened/sealed), and in-kind administrative work.
Attached is a printable copy in word format.
Let me know if you would like a copy of the concept paper sent to you.