Aaron from Toronto reflects on his experiences with Holy Land Trust. 

Coming to Bethlehem through the Holy Land Trust was a life changing experience for me. As a Canadian Jew, I felt that it was important to see firsthand what life was like for Palestinians in the West Bank. Setting everything up was very straightforward. Through an email correspondence with the HLT offices I arranged a two-week stay with a host family living in Bethlehem and decided to volunteer with Al Kul Television, assisting with video editing.

Living with a host family was a really wonderful experience. There were many opportunities to connect whether during conversations over breakfast (which included delicious homemade jams, olives, zaatar and more) or during evenings after dinner, hearing about school, work and other daily events My questions about the political situation were also always welcomed. The personal connections that I forged continue to make an impact on the way I think about the human aspect of the conflict.

I felt lucky to have volunteered at Al Kul TV which matched up perfectly with my interest in exploring media and video production. I was taken under the wing of an experienced video editor who sought out my input and assistance in video projects for the station and HLT.

In my free time I explored the incredible city of Bethlehem. I wandered around the market, visited the Church of the Nativity, walked along the separation wall, caught an art exhibit at the Bethlehem Peace Center and even a classical music concert at Bethlehem University.  More meaningful than any of those experiences was attending a weekly protest in the nearby village of Al Masra which is currently being faced with having much of the village’s land being confiscated.  I was able to experience first-hand the application of the principles of non-violence and was reminded of the difficult situation the Palestinian people bravely continue to confront on a daily basis.