Al Raja Dance Troupe

Watch Saba Nader and Ali, Yanal and Ihab's Music from 2006

In the summer of 2006, the Al Raja Dance Troupe from the Lutheran School of Hope toured the US from Chicago, through Nebraska, California, Texas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Vermont, Massachusetts and New York. They performed in churches, auditoriums and even in the Alamo Dome, in front of 20,000 people at ELCA Youth Gatherings, sharing their culture, dance and life with those they meet. They have introduced hundreds to Palestine and - more importantly, Palestinians. At workshops during both weeks of the ELCA Youth Gatherings, the young people described their lives and realities to American kids like them.

"We are from Palestine, and we will never leave it," one dancer from the Al-Raja Dance Troupe told a crowd of 100 gathered at the ELCA Youth Gathering in San Antonio, Texas, in early July. They described life under occupation, and invited their audience to come and visit them and see for themselves. The group showed a slide presentation, told stories about their lives and taught others steps from "debka," their folk dance. When they showed slides and told about the almost 30-ft wall being built through the middle of Palestinian land, only a fraction of the Americans present knew anything about it. Two young people from Nebraska were shocked by what they heard, and told the Ramallah group that they would organize a trip to visit them. "We want to get involved and do something. We have to," they said.

"We're just human beings. We want to live normal lives like anyone else." The group asked the Americans to come and see them and to read more about the situation."