Summer camp takes on Gaza pullout

CAMP TAWONGA - on the Middle Fork of the Tuolumne River, next to Yosemite, California - The Israeli Knesset just voted 92 to 25 in favor of disengagement from the Gaza Strip.

Bitter arguments were waged between Knesset members from dovish and hawkish parties after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon addressed the boisterous assembly here in Groveland, California.

Is the Israeli government on vacation in the Sierras?

No, these Knesset members are Camp Tawonga campers, ninth and 10th grade teens from the San Francisco Bay Area.

	'Knesset speakers' (Photo: Sarah Lefton)

They gathered to act out the historic 2004 vote to withdraw security forces and support from the settlements in Gaza, relinquishing control of the territory containing 1.5 million Arabs and 8,500 Jewish settlers to the Palestinian Authority.

Like many of their peers back home, Tawonga campers don't necessarily keep close tabs on dealings between Labor and Likud. They know that Israeli society has been embroiled in debate with the Palestinians for decades, and naturally, many of them have opinions they've inherited from CNN, NPR…or their feisty parents.

Experimenting with parliamentary politics

Campers broke into cabin groups for a crash course in Israeli government, and took on the roles of 10 parties, from Labor to Likud, from Shas to the Green Leaf party.

They discussed the history of Israel, the sources of the settler movement, dovish and hawkish views of the Palestinian question, and the importance of security in the State of Israel.

Five Israeli emissaries circulated among the groups answering questions from an Israeli perspective.

Camp Director Deborah Newbrun eagerly anticipated tonight's experiment with parliamentary politics at camp. She says Tawonga is stepping out onto the edge.

"No other camps out there are doing this," Newbrun said. "Jewish summer camps all over the country do Israel education through informal activities like Israel Day parties, like Maccabiah Games, like teaching Hebrew words for this and that, but no one has taken on something intellectual like this."

Imitating life

Campers supporting disengagement cheered on speakers they supported, and anti-disengagement forces wore orange headbands in protest.

One unruly camper was busted trying to sneak a pinecone brigade into the Knesset meeting. An enraged settler (played outrageously against her own leftist Berkeley roots by Associate Director Ann Gonski) was thrown out of the Knesset for provoking the Knesset members, and counselors dressed as Sharon's bodyguards tried to keep the disruptions at bay with mandatory bag searches and a phalanx around the Prime Minister.

"It's so much easier to articulate intolerance than to carefully frame the reasons for peace and justice. It takes a lot more thought," Gonski said, watching with concern as the more hawkish campers harassed the doves at the podium.

She was pleased at the defenses presented.

"Those kids were on the hot seat, having to present thoughtful and articulate positions, and they did just that," she said.

Camp programs are all about letting children and teens experiment with new ideas in a safe and welcoming environment.

"When you give campers ownership of a program, they really get into it. They think about it, they use their intelligence and their energy. Those kids up at the podium were really impressive," she said, smiling with pride at the campers performances.