A re-run from the vaults for a Memorial Day weekend, that seemed apt and is still one of our favorite stories of late from the Gaza:
“God will surf with the Devil if the waves are good”- Doc Paskowitz
The Gaza Surf Club, Surf for Peace, Gaza Surf Relief and the upcoming documentary telling their story, ‘God went surfing with the devil’ , are sport-based initiatives attempting to break down some of the barriers between young Palestinians and Israelis. The Gaza Surf Club is a place for the young Palestinians, feeling imprisoned by the blockade, to leave the political tension behind for a few hours, surf, and feel free. To quote them in their own words “…for us surfers, the waves of the Eastern Mediterranean provide us with an escape where we can forget the pains and hardships of living in the Gaza, and at least, for a while feel, free!” The sheer, unfettered, liberating act of riding waves leaves them elated, excited and soothes their nerves. Surfing takes them out of their environment and away from the pressures in the same way their counterparts on the Israeli side of the border. The smile on the faces of the these young ’surfers for peace’ makes one hope for the future relations between the young people of the Gaza and their Israeli neighbors.
The Gaza Surf Club, through the sub-culture jungle drums, soon came to the attention of other surfers around the world, including Israelis and Americans. Race and religion didn’t prevent them from identifying with them as fellow surfers, and many wanted to help. This little story of an embryonic surf club in the Gaza, grew into a torrent of international support that bridged the ideological divides. Surfing companies donated supplies, not as a statement of support for a political cause, but as a way to equip these young Palestine surfers with better gear than a piece of hand crafted wood as a board, and a piece of rope as a tether that had served them up until that point. Companies and retailers from around the world supplied cases of wax, surfboards, wet suits, and rash guards as the surfing community reacted with passion. The outpouring from the surfing world was just what the young Gazans needed. One can only imagine the stress of being a resident in one of the most densely populated areas on earth, sealed in by closed borders, surrounded by violence, and with limited supplies. It is a grim reality that contrasts starkly with the freedom of surfing, even though the surfers can only paddle out as far as the watching Israeli gunships allow. It is a brief time of respite from the tensions of the Gaza.
News of the Gaza Surf Club continues to spread. The following extract is from an article by Mathew Olsen from ‘The Surfers Path’:
“Surfing 4 Peace isn’t so much a state of being as a state of mind. Are we really going to solve the problems of the Middle East through surfing? No, maybe not. But according to the logic of this growing grassroots movement, when politicians are unable to make peace between nations, it’s up to us to make peace between peoples. When over 3000 people showed up for the Surfing 4 Peace Benefit Concert, in October of 2007, Surfing 4 Peace co-founders Dorian “Doc” Paskowitz, Arthur Rashkovan and Kelly Slater knew they were on to something. Surfing 4 Peace is an American-Israeli-Palestinian personto-person initiative created to build communication and cross-border cooperation between the surfing communities of the Middle East and spread the stoke of surfing, starting with the Gaza Strip, Israel’s neighbor to the south. Dorian “Doc” Paskowitz is a legendary surfing ambassador, and is credited as the man who introduced Israel to surfing in the 1950s. Arthur Rashkovan is an Israeli surf industry executive and the go-to guy for all things surf and skate in Israel. Kelly Slater needs no introduction. Surfing 4 Peace is also the lead organization in the joint effort known as The Trinity Project, which includes LA-based Gaza Surf Relief and Explore Corps.”
In a recent interview, Sev Sztalkoper Director of Gaza Surf Relief (www.gazasurfrelief.com), talked of the difficulty they faced in such simple tasks as getting the donated surfboards into the Gaza. The Israeli blockade prevented the boards from being shipped there, so before the borders were closed all together recently, the surfers would walk into the Gaza carrying two boards, surf with the Palestinians, and then leave the boards behind as they left back across the border. This activity quickly came to the attention of Hamas security who quizzed the surfers. On hearing their story, Hamas gave them free passage within the Gaza so that the surfboards and supplies could continue to flow in. Many boards were taken in this way, until the border was finally sealed in its entirety prior to the recent violence. Szralkoper said that in the last few weeks, they have managed to get in touch again with members of the Gaza Surf Club, and from the roll-call all seem to be safe, but tell harrowing stories of laying low in buildings while the bombardments fell around them. Hopefully, surf will be up for them again soon.
The story of the Gaza Surf Club and the efforts to support them by both American and Israeli surfer friends is being made in to a movie, entitled ‘God went surfing with the devil’ and the web site is certainly worth the visit. This trailer, God went surfing with the devil, gives you a flavor of the trials and tribulations of the project. If ever there was a chance for the new generation to break down the barriers of distrust between the Palestinians and Israelis, then that kernel of hope lies in projects like the Gaza Surf Club. Maybe the answer to the ‘unsolvable’ conflict may not be found around the negotiating table, but instead with on the waves where the youth of the region surf together freely and blind to creed or religion. Watch the movie, donate if you can, but regardless of which side of the divide you sit, the Gaza Surf Club gives some hope for the future of the Gaza.
Kelly is amazing. End of!