Strings of Freedom
Encyclopedia
Strings of Freedom is an orchestra in the West Bank
town of Jenin
. It was founded by an Israeli Arab, Wafaa Younis, who travels regularly form her home in central Israel to teach music to children in Jenin.
to play for a concert for a group of Holocaust survivors.
Following the concert in Holon, the house that Younis rented and used as a music studio was sealed and she was briefly barred form working in Jenin. The Popular Committee, "a grass-roots group representing the Palestine Liberation Organization," told journalists that said the young musicians had been exploited by the orchestra director, Wafaa Younis, for the purpose of “normalizing” ties with Israel. He told the New York Times that the children had been “deceived” and dragged unwittingly into a political situation that “served enemy interests” and aimed to “destroy the Palestinian national spirit in the camp.”
After a short period of time, Younis was allowed by the PA to return to the camp and continue teaching children and conducting the orchestra. In her words, "This is my family, here in the Jenin Camp. I love them so much and they love me back."
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
town of Jenin
Jenin
Jenin is the largest town in the Northern West Bank, and the third largest city overall. It serves as the administrative center of the Jenin Governorate and is a major agricultural center for the surrounding towns. In 2007, the city had a population of 120,004 not including the adjacent refugee...
. It was founded by an Israeli Arab, Wafaa Younis, who travels regularly form her home in central Israel to teach music to children in Jenin.
Holocast survivor incident
In 2009, Younis arranged for some of the young musicians to travel to Holon, IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
to play for a concert for a group of Holocaust survivors.
Following the concert in Holon, the house that Younis rented and used as a music studio was sealed and she was briefly barred form working in Jenin. The Popular Committee, "a grass-roots group representing the Palestine Liberation Organization," told journalists that said the young musicians had been exploited by the orchestra director, Wafaa Younis, for the purpose of “normalizing” ties with Israel. He told the New York Times that the children had been “deceived” and dragged unwittingly into a political situation that “served enemy interests” and aimed to “destroy the Palestinian national spirit in the camp.”
After a short period of time, Younis was allowed by the PA to return to the camp and continue teaching children and conducting the orchestra. In her words, "This is my family, here in the Jenin Camp. I love them so much and they love me back."