Sorry for the late update – it has been a busy week or so.

Last Tuesday, we had our final set of 2 workshops to see how the potential new kids interacted together and participated for the final selection (starting in a few minutes!).  Just a few hours before it was set to begin, one of the two facilitators called in sick and I got the call to step up and facilitate.

Certainly I was nervous – with just a little time to speak with my co-facilitator in advance – to step in to two sessions of 21 kids and run a workshop.  It got off to a bit of a rough start when the icebreaker game of the first workshop went off with a lack of energy… but as soon as the next activity started it went very smoothly the rest of the way and the second one even better!

The layout was set in advance and only one small change was made for the second workshop, in order to get some pep in to the kids and make them more energetic.  That change was the first activity – a quick game of Simon Says, followed by a fun name game. We followed it up with an activity where the kids split in to groups and use nothing but balloons and tape to build as big a tower as possible without speaking – an interesting activity to see how they do with communication and interaction.  We played another game and then did a one-on-one activity where the kids get to know someone from another religion and introduce them to the group and end with feedback.

It was a little bit of a nerve racking to see how it would all go with the last second call, but it was exciting to see the success of it all!  Now, I am joining the final selection committee to decide which 24 out of some 90 kids will be selected – an extremely difficult job indeed.

Other good highlights of the past week: a successful meeting with Rebecca that determined my work for the next 6 months decisively and a decision of my job titles – I am the Director of Monitoring and Evaluation and the Co-Director of Camp Logistics. Speaking of the camp – I met the Roots4Peace kids (3rd year participants) who will be in the camp I am co-planning and then drove down south to Kibbutz Ketura where we will be putting it on for the weekend.  It was beautiful but SO HOT!  We are all set now to plan out a daily schedule and finalize the budget – we are all so excited for this fist ever local camp which will be based on nature and culture and include solo time in the desert, visiting the sand dunes, a night in Eilat with water sports, and so many other excellent activities.

Great things happening with life in Israel right now!!!