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Writer's pictureKimberly Grace

RAZ Journal, week 1-Magnificent Middle East. June 14-18.

Updated: Sep 1, 2021


Digging up ancient wisdom and tales of the oldest cultures, our RAZ Summer Art Campers' world quest, themed "Unity Through Diversity," began in the Middle East.



Art Campers had fun getting their RAZ Passports stamped at each country they "toured" places on the other side of their world this week including; Israel, Morocco, Iran, and Egypt. They recorded the names and capitals of each country, drew their flags, and collected currency.


Painting project: Campers were challenged to paint a concept after hearing an ancient story about creation and how it relates to new beginnings in their lives.


The first week of 2021 RAZ Summer Art camp’s world tour started in the Middle East, from where ancient wisdom and many stories of creation about the world have come. One of the stories came from the ancient wisdom of Kabbalah. The root meaning within the heart of the word “Kabbalah” is “to receive.”


Telling that story RAZ founder Yael Lichaa illustrated how this world started when there was chaos and darkness. "There was a force of good that caused the earth to emerge into perfect order with only blessings and light. That force, of only good and light, just wanted to give. It was called Ein Sof, which means Endless (pronounced Ane’ Sof).


Projects: Making collages of a peaceful magical place and Morrocian tiles.


The story continued:

Ein Sof wanted to share so much it decided to create a human being whom it named Adam. Doesn’t this name sound like the word atom? Ein Sof had already made a magical garden called Eden and placed Adam in this outdoor home.


Adam’s soul was giant and embodied all of what would eventually become the many nations of our world. Because the many nations had come from the same source they were connected, even though the peoples had spread throughout all the continents on planet earth and become very different.”


RAZ Art instructors dressed in Moroccain theme. Hagit Damito, Yael Lichaa and Kimberly Grace.


The story continued:

But there was a big problem. This problem has kept happening throughout history. Can you guess? If the people didn't know how to play together or be friends or create in spite of their differences, what would happen? How bad could things get?


That big problem is our challenge today too. What do you think could make it better? Within ancient wisdom from the Middle East were secrets with some answers like in the story. “Even though we are all very different, we are all connected and need each other.”


While "touring" Iran and Persia Art Campers made their own story characters in a project: Drawing and painting mythical creatures with watercolors



Sculpting Project of Persian royalty characters


Project Tie-Dye T-shirts; Kids made a colorful personal work of art they could wear.


Leo Carrillo State Beach, Malibu field trip

Children collected treasures of the sea to put on the Eqyptian boats they planned to build.


In the country of Egypt

Campers learned to write their name in Egyptian heiroglyphics.


“Weeee!’ exclaimed new friends as they decorated their Egyptian boat projects with treasures found from Wednesday’s field trip to the Leo Carillo State Park.


Art campers got to paint their own RAZ technology zipper pouch and learned principals of the color wheel, including primary, secondary and tertiary.