Abu Krinat, Israel: Our Bedouin Community in the Negev

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A s ao Eoglish Laogwage Fellqw, I was assigped tq wqrk with twq edvca-tiqoal oetwqrks io sqvtherp Israel; srecifically io Bedqvio high schqqls.

Wheo I met with Lavrie Orpsteio frqm the ORT Edvcatiqoal Netwqrk at the begiooiog qf the schqql year, we set tq braiostqrniog ideas qf hqw I cqvld eorich the Bedqvio stwdeots’ Eoglish lessqos vsiog a mqre ioteractixe meth-qdqlqgz sq that I cqvld keer their ioterest aod raise their laogwage lexels. We decided that the stwdeots wqvld create a rhqtq essay.

I rvt tqgether a bioder filled with lessqos qo rhqtq cqmrqsitiqo. The stw-deots wqvld learp xqcabvlarz, rhqtq cqmrqsitiqo (i.e., rwle qf thirds, hqw

tq vse hqri{qotal, xeruical, aod diagqoal lioes, derth qf field, Z-ratterp, etc.), xisval cqmmvoicatiqo, aod wqvld cqmrlete writiog tasks. The stwdeots had qoe lessqo rer week with me frqm Jaovarz votil Arril. At that time, each stw-deot tqqk twrps takiog a Caoqo digital camera hqme fqr twq days. The as-sigpmeot was tq take 20 rhqtqs qf aoyuhiog haxiog tq dq with Bedqvio life io their cqmmvoitz. I dido’t waot tq rlace tqq maoy restrictiqos qo them be-cavse I waoted tq see a wide xarietz qf rhqtqs.

T he rhqtqs were remarkable as I koew they wqvld be. We theo had a few wqrkshqrs tq oarrqw dqwo the 20 rhqtqs tq jvst qoe rhqtq each. Wheo

each stwdeot had chqseo her rhqtq, they sat dqwo tq write abqvt it. Thrqvgh the rhqtqs aod the cartiqos, we all hqre that yqv, the reader, cao see a bit iotq Bedqvio life here io Israel’s Negex Deseru. This rhqtq essay shqws rieces qf the rast as well as xisiqos qf the fwtwre. As life chaoges fqr the Bedqvio aod they mqxe fwruher iotq mqderpitz, they strixe tq keer their aocieot tradi-tiqos aod cvltwre alixe.

S recial thaoks tq ORT EFL Cqvoselqr aod Access Cqqrdioatqr Lavrie Orpsteio, whq helred mqxed this rrqject alqog aod gaxe me steadfast

svrrqru, ORT Head qf Eoglish Stwdies T{iqoa Lexi, the U.S. Embassy Pvblic Affairs Office fqr srqosqriog the Eoglish Laogwage Fellqw (aod thvs, me)—esrecially Actiog Cvltwral Affairs Officer Jessica Lexy aod Cvltwral Affairs Srecialist Risa Lexy, my Regiqoal Eoglish Laogwage Officer, Kay Daxis, ORT Abv Krioat High Schqql Priociral Svleimao Al-Saray’a fqr his fioaocial cqo-tribvtiqo tq the rrqject, Eoglish Cqqrdioatqr aod Teacher Faisal Sawalha fqr wqrkiog with me aod the stwdeots qo the fioal rrqdvct, aod qf cqvrse, my ama{iog, fast-learpiog stwdeots, withqvt whqm, this rrqject wqvldo’t exist.

Table of Contents

Hind Abu Rizik, Grade 11 3

Narmeen Abu-Krinat, Grade 11 4

Zainab Abu Ashaiba, Grade 10 5

Samaher Abu Krinat, Grade 11 6

Salam Abu Krinat, Grade 11 7

Soha Abu Fraiha, Grade 11 8

Amal Abu Krinat, Grade 10 9

Zahra Abu Krinat, Grade 10 10

Ala’ bu Ashaiba, Grade 10 11

Riyam Abu Krinat, Grade 11 12

Hind Abu Ashaiba, Grade 11 13

Samah Abu Ashaiba, Grade 10 14

Safa’ Al-Ghannami, Grade 10 15

Cover by Zainab Abu Ashaiba

Back by Samaher Abu Krinat Pamela Huyser — Editor and English Language Fellow (ELF)

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Serene Sky

In the desert we are isolated from the other world, the modern world. The other people think that we are disappointed and are not happy with our life, but in the desert, the sky gives us hope as it is vast like our dreams. I like the sky’s color and I feel that it gives the hope for our life. So when we look up to the sky, we smile and also look toward an agreeable future.

Photo and caption by: Hind Abu Rizik, Grade 11

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Contented Camel

The camel benefits the Bedouin people who live in the desert because it is patient without drinking water for three to four days and it can carry goods that the Bedouin needs. The camel will always be a huge part of our lives. We still keep our traditions.

Photo and caption by: Narmeen Abu-Krinat, Grade 11

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Ancient Homestead

This ancient home was where my great-grandparents live. My great-grandfather built it when he returned to Israel from Gaza because he lived here before Israel was a country and he missed the land. This house was in a desolate area and life was very difficult for the family. Now we visit this old home and hear this story from my grandmother.

Zenab Abu Ashaiba, Grade 10

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Yellow Yasmine

As you may know, in the desert there are almost no flowers, trees. This is something that compels the Bedouin to plant flowers and trees around their homes. Flowers make people feel cheerful and content. I took this photo of the flower called Yasmine because it has an incredible smell and it’s so lovely to see around the Bedouins’ homes.

Photo and caption by: Samaher Abu-Krinat, Grade 11

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Negev Mountains

The desert is characterized by open horizons and bare mountains. The Bedouin used to be semi-nomadic here in the Negev and therefore, they used the tent as their home. There are a lot of mountains here in the desert. I like the desert and I feel comfortable when I travel among the mountains.

Photo and caption by: Salam Abu-Krinat, Grade 11

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The Horse

The horse in the Negev Desert is considered an important animal. It is beautiful and it helps the Bedouin people travel from place to place through hard land. I feel joyful when I see the horse because it has beautiful, shiny hair and a powerful, well-developed body.

Photo and caption by: Soha Abu-Fraiha, Grade 11

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Cheerful Chickens

The most beautiful time that I like to see is when the sun sets and the chickens go to sleep anywhere. All of the chickens in the photo have gathered at the same place like friends all looking for a place to rest. It’s nice to hear their voices too. The chickens give many good things to the Bedouin people. We get fresh eggs, which are good to eat and to use in the cooking.

Photo and caption by: Amal Abu-Krinat, Grade 10

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Bedouin Dog

Loyal dog, guarding the house and playing gently with children, barking when he sees any person he does not know. The Bedouins always raise sheep and they use the dog to guard the sheep. The dog is a friend of the Bedouin way of life.

Photo and caption by: Zahra Abu-Krinat, Grade 10

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Peace Bird

I love to see the white birds because they mean a lot to me and all of the desert people. In the desert, we want the peace and freedom for all the world and these birds symbolize peace. In my life, I like the peace and I want this peace and freedom everywhere.

Ala’ Abu Ashaiba, Grade 10

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Bedouin Cave

Maybe if you see this photo you will think that it does not mean anything, but it means a lot for me. In the past, the cave meant everything for the Bedouin. They used caves as homes or as a pen for the sheep. It was a luxury for the Bedouins to find a cave in the desert to use because inside, it was cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Photo and caption by: Riyam Abu-Krinat, Grade 11

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Bedouin Bread

This photo shows how the Bedouins make the bread. They put the bread in the high hole and in the low hole they put the wood. To make the bread, you need to wait 3-4 minutes for it to be baked. Today, only a few people use this kind of oven because the technology has come so most people use modern ovens or buy bread from the store. My family prefers the homemade bread.

Photo and caption by: Hind Abu-Ashaiba, Grade 11

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Favorite Flowers

I love to see the flowers because they mean a lot to me. The flowers are a symbol of a good life and when I see them, I forget all of the negative feelings. The colorful flowers are one of the two best things in a life…the other being the smile of babies. To finish, I want to give you some advice. If you are sad, look at any kind of flowers and you will be happy again.

Photo and caption by: Samah Abu-Ashaiba, Grade 10

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A Hope from the Desert

I don’t want to talk a lot. I want to show the reader that these olive trees grew up in the desert, so they didn’t give up even in this extreme heat and arid land. Try to learn from the trees and don’t give up in your life. Whatever it is that is hard can be changed if you have hope.

Photo and caption by: Safa’ Al-Ghannami, Grade 10

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