Kufr alDik
Kufr Adik, Irtah
A kindergarten teacher from Kufr Adik spoke to us during one of the beach days. She’s the director of a kindergarten in the village and asked us to provide her with materials, games, etc. We arranged to meet and came to the village. We asked a group of pupils standing near the municipal building how to reach the kindergarten and they were happy to direct us. They all knew Hassana and her kindergarten. As we proceeded up the road one of her sons signaled to us and led us there.
The kindergarten is situated in a private home, with a wide entrance and a broad, concrete courtyard surrounding a fig tree. There are slides and swings on artificial grass. An Arab-style brick building at the end of the courtyard contains two large rooms for some 80 children, aged 4-5, with two kindergarten teachers and Hassana, the director.
Forty children sat in one room, paired at school desks. They’re dressed uniformly, curious about us and amazingly obedient. They greeted us with Sabah el-hir and recited a “Good morning” poem for us. Then they showed us their Arabic and English workbooks.
The other room contained materials for younger children – two round tables and some school desks.
The space was clean and well-ordered. We had brought many toys we’d received from members who’d participated in the beach days. But we had the feeling we were expected to be “the rich uncle from America.” It’s embarrassing to feel we’re expected to supply what they’re lacking – but that seems to be our fate as colonialist occupiers. On the other hand, we were able to propose they visit Israeli kindergartens and meet educators to discuss pedagogy and common interests. The beach days volunteers have a variety of professional backgrounds and sometimes describe them, and we have the opportunity to see what may be needed, act as intermediaries and make connections.
We spoke to the teacher and her son and then the children’s driver appeared; he transports them daily from home to the kindergarten and back again, brimming with love for his job and for the children. He speaks Hebrew he learned from a woman in the neighboring Alei Zahav settlement….
This activity goes beyond Machsom Watch’s mandate, but we find ourselves participating in such undertakings because that’s what meeting Palestinians involves. That’s the stage we’re at today.
Later we were to have participated in a meeting in Irtach between the DCL commander and a resident of Far’oun, to support villagers from Far’oun who have problems with the Far’oun agricultural gate. The meeting had been set for 13:30. When we were a few minutes away from Irtach, Shoshi notified us that the commander had been summoned to an important “mission” and won’t be present. We weren’t surprised… The meeting was postponed to Sunday at 9 AM. We haven’t great hopes for such meetings, but we’ll show up.