Tent of Nations

“Our land is our mother, and our mother is not for sale.”

            Having just climbed out of the village of Lifta, a deserted Palestinian village located deep in a valley, I was exhausted. No more, please. Every part of me needed a break—emotional, physical, and mental. Throughout the trip, my spiritual practices, which provide me with rejuvenation, were lacking. There seemed to be no time, and I was running on LOW.

            However, the day was just beginning with our climb out of Lifta, and we were headed to a place called “The Tent of Nations”. Feeling like my stomach was in my chest, I closed my eyes in hopes to catch some rest. When I woke, our bus, our 40 some odd passenger bus, was backing up down a narrow dirt road. Seriously? Where are you taking us? Is there more hiking involved?

            The bus finally came to a halt due to huge boulders that were blocking the road. We piled out, maneuvered around the boulders, and ended our journey standing outside of a locked gate. After standing there for a few minutes, an enthusiastic man came running down the road leaving a small dust trail behind him. As we walked through the gate, we were greeted by a rock that read, “We refuse to be enemies.". Okay, I like it.

            The grounds of the Tent of Nations were decorated with brightly colored paintings, mosaics, and other lively things like the orange VW and donkey you see in the picture above. If I had to rest anywhere for lunch, I was happy to be in this place. Located on the top of a hill, we had a beautiful view from all directions. Bring on the restful lunch.

            It wasn’t until we began our conversation with the founder and landowner of Tent of Nations that I realized how valuable and important the land is for the people who work it. Once registered to his grandfather, it was clear to me that the land had been in his family for a long time. However, when the war started and much of the surrounding land became occupied Israeli territory, it became an uphill battle for the land to stay in the family. Because the land is in occupied territory, the landowner has no control over resources and struggles daily to get permits to build things that will help him maintain the land.

            Although Tent of Nations is racking up a plethora of legal fees, by continuing to work the land they believe they are building a bridge of reconciliation, justice, and peace. By working the land they are protecting it from confiscation, but also expressing the need for change. Even though settlers will often uproot the olive trees that represent hope for the people, the frustration of the people from Tent of Nations becomes an energy that allows them to continue their work.

            Tent of Nations opens its gates for people all around the country and the world to come and work. People are invited to harvest the variety of trees they house as well as plant trees. Those who work and volunteers at Tent of Nations are taking part in a shared experience with the other. They are actively involved in creating the collective narrative of the future—hope. 

"We refuse to be enemies."