Published: 19 July 2022
Last updated: 27 February 2024
Travel with TAHLIA BOWEN and Stand Up’s Derech Eretz team as they share a joyful week playing with, teaching, and learning from First Nations children.
Day 1: Sunday, July 3
The sky was still dark as the Derech Eretz team met in Sydney to board the minibus to the predominantly Aboriginal communities of Toomelah and Boggabilla in northern NSW.
Some in the group intentionally embarked on this journey with as few expectations as possible, aware of versatility and unpredictability of Derech Eretz, a program run by the Jewish social justice organisation Stand Up which takes Jewish volunteers to Toomelah and Boggabilla. They knew we’d be spending time with kids and learning a lot, but the rest would require opening their minds to the unknown.
Hours on the road were bookended by an educational program on solidarity and NAIDOC Week. It was important to reflect upon why we were here and ensure our purpose diverged from the phenomenon of voluntourism. We also benefited from an introduction to the story of NAIDOC Week, particularly on its commencing day.
Day 2: Monday, July 4
This morning we visited Toomelah clinic. There, a nurse and long-time friend of Stand Up made a funny comment about Derech Eretz to some new nurses who hadn’t heard of the program. “These kids don’t even go home and party - they’re up learning and writing reports!” We all laughed. She might not have been correct about the reports, but the previous evening’s program certainly remained on our minds.
It is always a privilege to spend an afternoon with Elders at the Elders’ afternoon tea we host when in community. This one, hosted in partnership with welfare organisation DrugARM, was a celebration of NAIDOC 2022, themed: Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!
