A Warm Haven in the Shuafat Camp

The Shuafat Camp is a Jerusalem neighborhood located on the Palestinian side of the separation wall. Although the neighborhood is part of the municipal area of Jerusalem and the people living in it are city residents, Shuafat is considered a “no-man’s-land,” neglected by the authorities for decades and suffering from deep-seated problems such as poverty, violence, crime and substance abuse. The camp has no green open spaces, no playgrounds, no programs or regular activities for the neighborhood’s children and teens. That's why six months ago, in the middle of a difficult and painful year, we finally made a longtime dream come true. Taking advantage of a rare opportunity, we opened a new center for children and teens in the heart of Shuafat. Over the last months, we have held the following activities at the center: • Capoeira classes twice a week for two groups of 50 children each, aged 7-10 and 11-14; • 12 Hebrew classes for young women (aged 18-23), taught by a medical student who lives in Shuafat; • Arts and crafts workshops led by a local university student majoring in education; • A distribution point of food baskets for local families in need, who are supported by our organization’s activists and volunteers.   The center receives no institutional support of any kind for its activities and expenses, including rent, renovations, equipment and maintenance. To keep the center open and to continue and expand its programming – we need your help. Please be our partners for the year ahead! Help us maintain this haven of hope in the heart of Shuafat, and the possibility of a better future for dozens of children and teens on the other side of the wall.