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Kiryat Shmona, Winnipeg and Selkirk students enjoy cultural exchange |
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Written by Rebeca Kuropatwa
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Wednesday, 18 November 2009 |
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WINNIPEG – When six Aboriginal students from Lord Selkirk Regional Secondary School had the opportunity to host six students from Dansiger High School and 14 students from Gray Academy of Jewish Education recently, they learned a lot – including being blown away to discover that the entire country of Israel is small enough to fit into Lake Winnipeg.
Lori Binder, vice-principal of Gray Academy, along with Selkirk educator Eileen Monkman, arranged for Kiryat Shmona’s Dansiger students to meet with Selkirk school’s Aboriginal Student Centre students, and Gray Academy’s Grade 12 English and Human Rights students.
“Last year was the first time Dansiger students visited the Selkirk school,” said Monkman. “We had a panel discussion. Our Selkirk English students asked the Dansiger students questions and listened to their replies.”
Selkirk student Katelyn Young said, “Meeting the students was inspiring. Because of a picture in our classroom of an Israeli soldier in a prayer shawl and Tefillin, I thought they’d all look like that. They looked older than their age. I wish that the time we had with them was longer. I’d like to go to Israel, visit them at their school and see their country.”
Like Young, Selkirk student Tara Hamilton also wanted to have spent more time with the Israeli students.
“When they were leaving, I ran to their bus to wish them a safe journey back. I want to stay connected with them. So I hope we can write each other on MSN or Facebook.”
Monkman led the group with an ice breaker, where all the students sit facing each other in a circle and whichever student holds the traditional Aboriginal ‘talking stick’ could take a turn to speak. The students introduced themselves and shared whatever they wanted with the group.
A news article on the recent Katyusha rocket fired from Lebanon into Kiryat Shmona was read out to the group.
Emily Ballantyne of Brokenhead First Nation gave a presentation on Sergeant Tommy Prince, Canada’s most decorated soldier who just happens to be Aboriginal and from Brokenhead First Nation.
Following the presentation, the Selkirk students gifted the Dansiger students with a WWII-time print of Prince by a former Selkirk school student, artist and Brokenhead First Nation member. They also gave the Israeli students moccasins as a sample of some of their footwear.
Dansiger students presented the Selkirk students with hand-made bookmarkers and other gifts.
The group viewed a 10-minute clip of the Dansiger school that Monkman filmed when she visited there in 2007, which includes Dansiger students giving a greeting to the Selkirk students.
Monkman said, “We talked about war with Lebanon and how their school was bombed and they lost a former student in the conflict.
“It’s my hope that as the relationships develop, we’ll be able to take an Aboriginal delegation of students to Israel, with the goal of doing this in spring 2011.” |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 25 November 2009 )
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