Afternoon in Jerusalem

Today after classes, I went for a run with my friend Danielle and then, about seven people went to the Taelet (a lookout point that views over the entire Jerusalem). There are beautiful green fields and lots of people that go to read, picnic, play games, and just chill. I often go here to meditate and read when my mind is too hectic. We had lots of different fruit juices, fruit salad, cake, melons and we hung out and talked for a while, mostly about the complications of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict because what else would a bunch of Young Judaeans be talking about? Then a group of twelve Arab boys started playing soccer next to us.  A couple of us asked if we could join and we ended up playing soccer with them until the sun set and the call to prayer was echoing throughout the city. Although they didn’t speak much English, we bonded over the love of soccer. I realized that this was the first time I had hung out with Arab kids here and I’m so glad I got the opportunity to meet them because every bridge constructed between a Jew and an Arab in Israel is just one step closer to peace in this land.