Programs & Travel

Siraj seeks to educate visitors and empower the local community through the following programs:



Youth Exchange Programs E-mail
Siraj encourages youth exchange programs with young people from all over the world, to promote personal dialogue that will help them in their future work for peace and justice. The Youth Exchange Program is divided into two sections: high school students and university students. This program fosters face-to-face interaction between youth from all over the world and the youth of Palestine and the Holy Land.
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Sister Ship Programs E-mail
Siraj wants to create Sister Ship programs that will establish real and lasting relationships between Palestinian community organizations and organizations from all over the world—church to church, high school to high school, youth center to youth center. Through its many connections in the Holy Land, Siraj will facilitate these projects until they run on their own.
 
Seminar Itinerary E-mail
Theology Seminars:
Theology seminars will be offered three times a year, unless otherwise scheduled by large parties. Topics will include: how to approach the Old Testament from a local Christian perspective, and how religious scripture and theological study can inform peace, human rights, and social justice work. The aim of these seminars is to promote inter-religious dialogue and spiritual growth. In addition to seminars and lectures, we will visit the key sites of Biblical history, get to know local Palestinian families, and meet with various organizations to learn about past and current religious, cultural, and political movements—culminating in a spiritual pilgrimage to remember.
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Christian Programs E-mail
Let Siraj plan your visit to the Holy Land! In addition to offering guided tours of all key Christian sites--Church of the Nativity, Gethsemane, Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the room of the Last Supper, the Sea of Galilee, Mount of the Beatitudes, the Jordan River, and more--the Christian program also includes shared worship with local churches, accommodation and meals with local families, and insightful meetings with grassroots organizations and church leaders.
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Hiking and Cultural Programs E-mail
This program is for travelers who want a unique and intimate encounter with the geographic landscapes and authentic culture of the Holy Land. From village to village, home to home, desert to desert, shore to boat, you will pass through olive orchards and sheep pastures, ancient ruins and Biblical cities, stopping for lunch in locals’ homes and witnessing traditions that have lasted for thousands of years.
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Local Host Family Programs E-mail
Siraj can arrange short or long term accomodations with caring, hospitable local families, sure to be an enriching experience for both parties. While living in a Palestinian home, you will learn some Arabic (or practice what you already know), enjoy delicious food, tea, and sweets, and have a unique firsthand encounter with the life and culture of Palestine. In addition to sharing yourself and your culture with your host family, you will be helping them economically, since they will be compensated at a fair and reasonable price. The host family option is available for both tour groups and individuals.
 
Fact Finding Programs E-mail
The aim of this program is to educate international visitors—whether students or journalists, authors or activists—about the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict by providing safe and secure tours of West Bank conflict zones, facilitating dialogue with people who have been and are directly affected by the conflict, and setting up meetings with prominent peace activists, political officials, and human rights organizations from both sides. Program participants will be able to meet with representatives from B’Tselem, Ittijah, Christian Peacemaker Teams, Temporary International Presence in Hebron, Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, The Right of Education Campaign, and The Palestinian Center for Rapprochement Between People. Participants can also visit various refugee camps and unrecognized villages, and attend lectures and events in Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and Ramallah. 
 
Interfaith programs E-mail
Siraj is committed to creating mutual understanding and tolerance between people of different faiths; and the Holy Land is the perfect place to establish common ground. It is, after all, the origin of the world’s three most popular monotheistic religions. Siraj can facilitate meetings with any number of Palestinian and Israeli faith-based groups, arrange shared worship and interfaith seminars, and educate visitors about current inter-faith campaigns for peace and justice in Palestine and Israel.
 
Copyright 2010 Siraj Center.