8 August 2010
Artsbridge Profile: Peer Mentor Kerem
Posted under: Artsbridge .
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How has Artsbridge changed since you first were a participant in 2008?
The program is so different in so many ways. The art projects are different—this year’s final projects aren’t completed yet, but I think the art-making has become much more professional and serious from year to year. I also think Debbie better understands the needs of the participants—how the Middle Eastern mind works, if you will. We have a little more free time—not because she likes it, but because she understands we need it. The kids who come here are carefully chosen, and this year we have a really great group.
In the year after I was a participant, I held a weekly meeting in Neve-Shalom/Wahat al-Salam with 4th through 6th graders. We sometimes did artistic things, but it was mostly about spending time with them, building their confidence, and building friendships. When I told them at the end of the year that I was leaving, they were all very sad, and for a long time after that, they would come knocking on my door, asking to hang out. I felt very appreciated.
What final project were you a part of as an Artbridge participant?
I was actually a part of two projects. First, I filmed a piece about an Arab kid and a Jewish-Israeli kid who find themselves in the middle of the woods and then find each other. They begin to talk—coincidentally, when we were shooting this scene, it started to pour, which was a really cool effect. They find out about each other’s background and don’t want to cooperate because of that. When they are struggling to survive, they find each other and begin to bond. That scene doesn’t have many words, but it says a lot. Then, they wake up, and the viewer discovers it was just a dream. The film then follows their interactions with their friends, and the viewer gets to see how they react differently when their friends insult Jews or insult Arabs. It’s hard to explain an art project—you have to see it!
And, with everyone’s permission, my group filmed part of a dialogue and we shot someone saying something we thought was important, made other people think. We recorded the thoughts everyone else might have had at that moment. There were serious parts, and there were silly parts.
Do you have any thoughts about what you’ll do after graduation next year?
I think I am going to first be in the army. I am going to try to be a medic and see how it feels. I currently volunteer on an ambulance, and I do think medicine might be in my future.
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