United Reformed Church

Go with Greta and Connect to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory

Welcome to our free online teaching resource to help children, young people and adults become more involved in mission, global development and social justice.

“Must-Read” Information for leaders: This background history and guidance from the URC will help you share Go with Greta and #Connect2 confidently and appropriately with children and young people.

There are two elements to this resource, and each one is aimed at different age groups:

  • Go with Greta is the name of the materials aimed at children aged between 5 and 10
  • #Connect2 is the name of the resources aimed at older children in the 11 to 14 age range

For hard copies of the booklet, please email [email protected] giving your postal address and preferred number of copies.

Tap the tabbed pages below to download the each booklet or the five individual sessions for each age group.

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These resources are aimed at children aged between 5 to 10 years of age and focus on IOPT.

You can download the whole booklet (PDF | 6mb) or download the five individual sessions below.

There is also a supplement to help you adapt the sessions for the younger children in the age range.

Session 2 will help you find out why the region is known as the “Holy Land” and why it is special to Christians, Muslims and Jews.

Use this session to think about how different faiths can live together.

Session 3 will help you hear the voices of Israeli and Palestinian children as they talk about how the conflict affects their daily life.

Use this session to think about how normal days are the same and how they differ for Palestinian and Israeli children and children in Britain.

Session 4 will help you find out about walls, checkpoints and water control and how these affect some children in the occupied territory.

Use this session to think about freedom and safety and what access to water feels like.

Session 5 will help you find out about what people within IOPT, both Israelis and Palestinians, and outside are doing to promote peace. Read about Sindyanna, (a fair-trade olive oil producer staffed by Jewish and Arab women) and Oasis of Peace school.

Use this session to think about peace, how we can build peace and break down barriers in our own community and how we can help IOPT break down barriers too.

If you are experiencing difficulty adapting the sessions for the younger members of your group, here are some suggestions to help you

Supplement to the five sessions for younger children (PDF|628kb)

These resources aimed at older children aged between 11 to 14 years of age and focus on IOPT.

You can download the whole booklet (PDF | 7mb) or download the five individual sessions below.

Session 2 will help you discover why IOPT is known as the Holy Land and is important to all the Abrahamic religions.

Use session 2 to think about the role of religion in the current situation and how Jews, Christians and Muslims might live side by side.

Session 3 will help you discover a bit about education and what might affect education for young people in IOPT, about access to water supplies, freedom of movement and the separation barrier.

Use session 3 to think about how barriers might be broken down between different people and also about what you take for granted in your daily life.

Session 4 will help you find out about the employment options for Palestinians and the poverty many experience, about National Conscription for Israeli young people, and about the housing challenges in the occupied territory.

Use session 4 to think about what ‘home’ means and also what ‘hope’ means. Try a recipe from the region using Palestinian olive oil.

Session 5 will help you discover more about some of the organisations working towards peace both within and beyond IOPT such as Sindyanna (fair trade olive oil company), the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme (EAPPI), and Solutions Not Sides.

Use session 5 to think about what peace is and what we can do to promote it from the UK.

This document outlines the current situation in IOPT, some of the background leading up to it, and the United Reformed Church's response.

Pre-reading: information for leaders (PDF | 5mb)

All the images and a pack of recipes from both resources are available on request from [email protected]

Intergenerational celebration ideas

Draw your series of sessions to a close by holding an intergenerational celebration to share what you’ve learned with others. Ideas for decorating your hall, for praying and singing and dancing together, for games to play, recipes to make, activities to do.

United Reformed Church