SquashBond Israel
This project's parent organization is SquashBond Israel
It operates in Israel
It uses Squash
Entered the Sport for Equality Award
More about SquashBond Israel
Young Jewish and Arab Israelis hardly socialize with each other, leading to escalating alienation, fear, and prejudice. Socioeconomic gaps intensify distrust and lead to significant disparities between Jews and Arabs in almost all measures.Tension is especially apparent among neighboring communities where Jews and Arabs live in close geographical proximity.SquashBond program provides Jewish and Arab children, who would never have encountered otherwise, an opportunity to interact, become acquainted with each other, and participate on equal ground - on the squash court.
Unlike other racket sports, in squash, players share the same small space, move around each other, keep each other safe, and show respect for each other during the game, even as they compete to win.
Interaction between peers and teamwork enable participants to lower their guards and forge personal friendships that last beyond the duration of the program.