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Today was Habonim Dror Camp Galil day at Camp David.

About 50 Bonim and Bogrim (8th & 9th graders) from Habonim Dror Camp Galil spent the afternoon in the "demonstrators box" across from the Camp David press center in Thurmont, MD — in the Sukkat Shalom constructed by World Movement Secretary General Michael Landsberg only the day before. I know, because I joined them as an LZA representative, as well as the Chair of the Galil Camp Committee.

They came with peace signs and banners (Habonim Dror and HaNoar Ha'Oved) and songs. Chuizot and Galil T-shirts. They sang up a storm, attracting video cameras from CNN, Reuters and Israeli TV, reporters from the Baltimore Jewish Times, The Boston Globe, a Palestinian paper (I didn't catch which one) and a German Paper. They were briefed by representatives from Peace Now, the Israeli Peace Organization of Grieving Parents (Aharon Barnea) and the Reform Action Center. They dialogued effectively with Likud Knesset member Uzi Landau in front of reporters.

Most beautifully of all, however, is how they handled themselves with the 15 or so representatives of the West Bank settlers who were also there, often trying to disrupt us. (These were also mostly young people, with the exception of a 3 or 4 older folks). The settlers were very passionate and seemingly used to having their passion win the day. Our chanichim and madrichim engaged them and slowly but surely and with grace and in a very peaceful manner responded to both their heartfelt arguments and their not so nice arguments. I'm not saying that we made Labor Zionists out of them, but I could see the grudging respect for our positions emerging on their faces as the encounters continued. The chinuch today was awesome! Our Shiicha, Maya Lapid, and our Israeli Madrichim were brilliant.

Then came the thunderstorm that threatened to end the day. Everyone was thoroughly soaked. But just as suddenly as the rains came, the baking sun returned.

The Peace faction has hired a drumming group for Thurmont, "King David's Peace Drummers Army" who came late in the day, right after the rain. The excitement of the drumming allowed the day to end with the Settlers joining us for a rousing "set" of "Jewish unity" songs. Given how the day had begun, that was quite the sight.

So the press covering Camp David got a good dose of Habonim Dror, "our Labor Zionist youth movement" (as I kept telling them) today. Now I have to watch all the news reports tonight to see if we made any of them.

All in all, today's events were quite something, at least from my perspective. Well worth the 8 hour round trip ride. All Labor Zionists and supporters of the Peace Process can be proud.

Chaver Steve Weinberg