Run Across Palestine Itinerary

February 3, 2012

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Good morning friends,

The big day is coming up quickly! Here's a note from Chris Treter, a RAP runner and On the Ground board member:

"After all your hard work, the moment has come to launch RAP!!!!! Timothy and I are sitting silently overlooking the Old City of Jerusalem waiting our departure to the town where the run begins. In my view is the Dome of the Rock, Mount of Olives, the Wailing Wall, The Church of the Holy Sepulchre and numerous other important historical and religious places that have shaped our modern times and the very essence of this run. Timothy, Jacob, Aaron and I have been working non-stop doing interviews, organizing, and orienting.

"Check out Aaron's first installment of the web series The People and the Olive.

"Our first community we will venture off to will be At - Tuwani. The community is extremely excited for us to arrive. In each community, On The Ground is donating 500 olive trees which we will help plant in some of these places. These trees will provide sustenance and income as well as a statement that they will not leave and will plant roots that will last up to 2000 years."

You'll be hearing more from Chris & the other team members throughout the run.

Donations raised during the run will be used to purchase more trees & provide college scholarships to the children of the farmers.

Here is a rough itinerary of the Run, with a little info about each area. I'll give you some more history as we travel along the route.

Day 1: Saturday, Feb. 4

Begin: At-Tuwani (Arabic: ﺍﻟﻃﻮﺍﻧﻲ‎ or ﺍﻟتوانة), a small village in the South Hebron Hills where many residents live in caves. Several homes in At-Tuwani are at risk of being demolished by the Israeli government.

End: Beit Ummar.

Day 2: Sunday, Feb. 5

Begin: Beit Ummar (Arabic: بيت اُمّر‎), located 11 km NW of Hebron. Part of the village straddles Road 60, & nearby settlements have taken over much of the Palestinians’ land & access to farming fields.

End: Jerusalem.

Day 3: Monday, Feb. 6

Begin: East Jerusalem, which includes the Old City & some of the holiest sites of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, such as the Temple Mount, Western Wall, Al-Aqsa Mosque, & the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

End: Arura & Mazarea El Noubani.

Day 4: Tuesday, Feb. 7

Begin: Arura & Mazarea El Noubani

End: Nos Ijbeal.

Day 5: Wednesday, Feb. 8

Begin: Nos Ijbeal, population 450. This small village has one of the first established Palestinian Fair Trade Association (PFTA) cooperatives that started with only five farmers. Today there are 18 members in the Nus Ijbail cooperative, producing around 15 tons of olive oil each year.

End: Birqin. With a 45-member PFTA cooperative, Burqin produces over 80 tons of olive oil per year. Known as Arous Falastin or Palestine’s Bride, Burqin has historical significance in the Christian tradition as the village where Jesus is said to have performed the miracle of healing the lepers.

Following the run, we'll celebrate at Canaan Fair Trade's headquarters.

Click here for a larger map & more info. And be sure to do your stretches--you're about to embark on an epic journey!

Peace,

Jennifer & the whole On the Ground crew