Recreational activities as a tool for enhancing relations between Arab and Jewish students in an Israeli college

Abstract

Evidence from SDP programmes around the world illustrates that structured sports and recreational activities promote interaction between individuals from different cultural backgrounds that over time can lead to a more significant understanding of one another. Based on this evidence, the effects of a recreational activities programme on the attitudes of Arab and Jewish Israeli undergraduate students (average age, 23) studying at a college of physical education in Israel were examined. A pilot recreational activities programme was conducted once a week for six weeks. An average of 70 students participated in the first five meetings and approximately 200 students participated in the sixth meeting, a peak event of Israeli folk dancing. Students filled out pre- and post-programme questionnaires on their attitudes towards each other. Written student feedback on the programme and observations of activities were collected by one of the researchers. Findings indicated positive changes in attitudes on both sides.