Kaytana in south Tel Aviv

For the past three years, the Saint James Vicariate for Hebrew Speaking Catholics in Israel has been working with the team of priests, sisters and lay people that minister to the community of Filipino migrant workers. The Vicariate has been working to promote the religious education of the children of the migrant workers, who are integrated in the secular Israeli Jewish school system. Until this summer, the collaboration was limited to providing religion classes in order to prepare the children for the sacraments of first communion and confirmation, providing religious catechism books and inviting these children to the Vicariate's annual summer camp.

This year, Father David, the Vicar for Hebrew Speaking Catholics, proposed to run a summer camp especially for these children, who cannot come to the summer camp held in Deir Rafat. The summer camp took place at the Divine Mercy Chapel on Levanda Street in south Tel Aviv from August 13 to 17, 2012. The Chapel opened its doors each day at 7.00 to welcome the children who were left there by their parents on their way to work. Activities began at 8.30 and ran to 15.00. The directors of the camp were Father David, Benedetto and Kirill from the Vicariate community, assisted by Matti and Angelica from the youth group "Desert Flower" and Fathers Carlos and Roc from Deir Rafat. Ms. Bea and Sister Regina as well as some other volunteers from the Chapel assured a presence and prepared the wonderful meals that were shared. The collaboration was perfect.

It is fitting to point out that of the 28 children, 25 attended religion classes during the school year at the Chapel. All the children, without exception, were born in Israel and speak Hebrew as their primary language. They are all Catholic and all express full identity with their country of adoption and its people.

The daily program included: morning prayer, a religion class focused on Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount (the Beatitudes), singing, art, games, daily mass, lunch and a movie. The children participated in all the activities with great enthusiasm.

On Thursday, everyone set off for a day trip to Jerusalem. As the trip took place one day after the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, it was decided to visit Mount Zion. Four locations were chosen as occasions to tell the children the story of the history of salvation: Dormition Abbey (where Mary fell asleep before being assumed into heaven), the tomb of King David, the Room of the Last Supper and the Room of the descent of the Holy Spirit. After a visit to each of these places, the children made their way to the monastery of the Jesuit Fathers where they had lunch in the beautiful garden. A short visit to the Jesuits' museum left an impression because of the presence of "Alex" – an Egyptian mummy that is in the museum.

On the last day, the children sang their gratitude in a festive mass and the counselors also gave thanks for a wonderful "kaytana". We are already preparing for another camp like this one next year in the hope of bringing together even more children.