walaje - וואלג'ה

June 21 was another great Yom Yam! Today, Tel Baruch beach welcomed a group from Al Walaja village, which is located south of Jerusalem and in the governorate of Bethlehem. For many children and also adults, this was their first time swimming in the sea. The sea was particularly fun today, because there were some pretty good waves and the water was always in motion. It was also a very hot day, and the sunscreen was constantly in use.

We swam and splashed and laughed and made many new friends. At some point, all the kids and some volunteers formed a “train” in the water with the floating tires and water pistols. Later, we ate delicious sandwiches, watermelon, and strawberries! There was quite a large and diverse number of volunteers present today. It’s always interesting to see where and how volunteers first learned about Min al Bahar. Maayan and her friend, volunteers from Tel Aviv, even gave a mini performance of their acrobatics skills!

The day concluded with fun times at the Community Center in Jaffa, and a refreshing boat ride on the Mediterranean sea! Tired, happy, and with the slightly salty taste of the sea still on our lips, we said goodbye and hope to welcome this great group again in the future.

Franziska Zoe Kabelitz, volunteer from Germany Photos: Ruti Tuval Video: Moran Barir