The Tiyul-Richla Project is an initiative bringing together young Israelis and Palestinians. Over the course of a two-day trip, a small mixed group of Arabs and Jews will explore parts of the land and visit important historical and modern sites. The destination of the trip will alternate between areas under Israeli control and areas under Palestinian control.
The project aims to introduce the land and its inhabitants through tourism and personal encounters. The tours, though non-political by definition, will touch upon history, heritage, current realities and ideology, with the aim of stimulating meaningful experiences.
The first Tiyul-Richla took place on September 8-9 in Jerusalem. Nineteen Palestinians from the Hevron and Nablus areas joined 20 Israelis over two days to tour Jerusalem’s Old City, The Haram Al Sharif mosque, the Western Wall, Yad Vashem, historic Jaffa, and finally an afternoon at the beach.
The second Tiyul-Richla took place on December 22-23 2011 to the cities of Jericho and Beit-Lehem, bringing to light selected chapters of history and selected aspects of the respective narratives. Over 20 Israelis joined 15 Palestinians for a fun day of archaeology and touring in Jericho to Hisham’s Palace, Qarantal-- the Mount of Temptation, the Shalom al Yisrael Synagogue, and the Spanish Gardens. The evening closed with lighting Hannukah candles together at the hotel in Beit Jala. The second day of touring Bethlehem included visiting Solomon’s pools, the Church of the Nativity, and the seeing the security wall at the edge of town.
For more information on the next Tiyul-Richla please write to tiyul.richla@gmail.com. We hope to be planning more trips in the future and welcome participation by Israelis and Palestinians.