Jisr Ez-Zarqa
Highlights from the Field and Plans for the 2019 Season
It is with great pride and gratitude that we announce the successful completion of SHARE's 2018 season at Jisr ez-Zarqa!
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Your attendance at our events and SHARE fundraisers made this work possible, and we wanted to share a few details from the summer:
During the last two weeks of July, SHARE (in partnership with Juha's Guesthouse in Jisr az-Zarqa and the Israel Antiquities Authority) brought eighteen students, aged sixteen to eighteen, together for two full weeks of inclusive activities and archaeological training.
These included eight Arab students from Jisr az-Zarqa, and eight Jewish students from surrounding towns, who spent part of their summer engaging with the past, the present, and one another on their own terms through the program. Our team of sixteen worked together to excavate the ancient city of Ein Asor, a massive and important trading city dating to the Early Bronze Age (over 5000 years ago!)
Our students worked together eight hours a day Sunday-Thursday for two weeks, uncovering ancient city walls, reconstructing pottery, and most importantly, getting to know and understand one another. On Fridays, they participated in field trips to Ancient Caesarea and the Roman aqueduct tunnels in nearby Elona, with the goal of understanding the way archaeology can give us insight into the past while having a positive impact on the present.
We are pleased to report that all sixteen of our students excelled over the two-week program, and each received their graduation certificate. We left Israel feeling inspired and excited about next year's program, which will include even more students, activities, and programing.
We will be in touch regarding our upcoming series of Ancient Wine events and fundraisers that make this program possible, but in the meantime, a huge THANK YOU from our students and staff for your continued support as we use the past as abridge to a brighter future in Israel/Palestine.
These exciting new projects and partnerships will complement SHARE's ongoing work at Jisr ez-Zarqa, as we continue to establish and solidify ties with other private and public institutions, universities, and communities to promote our vision. Critically, as a small all-volunteer non-profit, we continue to rely on both institutional grants and individual contributions to support our organization and programming. As we plan for the 2019 season and beyond, the support of our members, partners, and participants will play a vital role in ensuring that our programs continue to train, connect, and inspire young people to break down barriers and seek out common ground, both figuratively and literally. Now, more than ever, we need your support. By using archaeology as a tool for dialogue and engagement, the Common Ground Initiative brings communities together at a time when dialogue and understanding in the region could not be more important.
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On behalf of SHARE, thank you for all you have done for our organization, and for those we serve.
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Because of SHARE and its programs, I’ve been exposed to ideas and individuals from the region that I never would have been otherwise. The experience has been life changing and has fundamentally changed my point of view.