Music Center – Request for support

Dear Friends and Supporters,

A while ago we (villages group’s members), together with Jubier Shtaeh (a musician from Salem village nearby Nablus), wrote and sent a proposal which brings the urgent need of kids in these villages to have a music center. Since things like that have the nature of being forgotten among so many other human being’s needs in our area, and since we added four minutes video to the proposal because the issue is still urgent and relevant, we send it again to those who care together with us.
Please watch the video in the following link:

salem from salem salem on Vimeo.

Here is the proposal below. Please contact us if you want to help.

Yours,

Jubier Ishtayya – musician, Salem Village

Erella and Ehud
Villages Group

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A Music Center in Salem and Dier El Khatab: A Proposal

Background:

The villages of Salem and Dier El Khatab are located in the eastern outskirt of Nablus, between the refugee camps Askar and Balata and the Settlements Elon More and Itamar. The villages are municipally, economically and medically dependant on Nablus, and thus suffer deeply from the Israeli policy of military blockade enforced in the area since 2000. As a result of this enforced isolation from Nablus the villages lack many basic services in all areas of daily life.

One of the areas in which this isolation is severely felt is that of culture. The villages lack any cultural center in which children as well as adults can learn, enjoy leisure time, exposed to culture and develop their intellectual, mental and spiritual abilities. Children and teenaged people especially suffer. They are exposed daily to the violent state of affairs of the occupation, a fact which brings much stress and pressure on them. Their villages, however, lack any facilities to ease the stress, and direct it to productive channels.

In order to cope with some of these consequences a group of people from the villages, led by Mr. Jubier Ishtayya, a musician and music teacher has attempted to establish a music center. Music, being a universal language, is an important tool for healing and empowerment as well as an educational device, for diligence and responsibility. This initiative is a product of a fruitful and lasting cooperation between people in the village and Israeli volunteers (named “the village group”, see: https://villagesgroup.wordpress.com) which has been in place for more than five years. It also has a full cooperation of the local municipality, which supplies us with a suitable space.

Description of the project:

The suggested program is of a one year course, divided into two terms: In the first the students will study the basics of music, and then learn to play different instruments, according to skill and preference. Each year a new group will open. The project is aims to address 30 pupils from the two villages, who will be chosen according to an examination of their basic musical potential, as space is limited. .

This is only the first step. It is our hope and belief that over the years the center will be able to accept more children and extend its activities. We hope to create a band from among the students. We also believe the place could spread out to other arts (painting, sculpture etc.) to become a real leisure and cultural center for the villages.

Length of the project: 12 months

Aimed group: Boys and girls ages 8-16

Place: A room in the building that belongs to the municipality of Salem.

Musical Goals:

1. Creating awareness to music in the village.

2. Discovering and fostering of musical talent.

3. Creating a music group among the students.

Extra musical goals:

1. Alleviating and easing the mental pressure for the villages’ youngsters.

2. Founding a center for mental, spiritual and intellectual development for children

Budget- pilot project for the first year:

Final price ($)	Price for a unit ($)	Number of units	Purpose	Number
6000	250	2x 12=24	Music teachers for a year	1
450	150	3	Ouds	2
450	150	3	Violins	3
375	125	3	Guitars	4
1500	500	3	Gem organs	5
150	50	3	Drums	6
150	75	2	Large Tambourines	7
150	50	3	Timbrels	8
3000	250	12 months	Project coordinator	9
500			Office equipment	10
500			Administrative expenses	11
750	50	15	Music Stands	12
650		1	Camera for documentation	13
750		1	Laptop and keyboard	14
15325				Total price:

Signed:

Jubier Ishtayya – Salem Village  (jubier10@gmail.com)

Erella Dunayevsky – Villages Group (danidun@shoval.org.il)

Ehud Krinis – Villages Group (ksehud@gmail.com)