Jews, Muslims and Christians come together in Project TRIUMPH
By Nancy Needham nancy@theacorn.com

They are Jewish, Muslim and Christian teens who live in the same town in Israel but, because of segregation, hadn't met until they participated in Project TRIUMPH in Simi Valley. After two weeks there, the group of 20 students from Haifa became close and vowed to stay friends when they return home.

During the second annual Project TRIUMPH (Today's Revolution Is Understanding: Make Peace Happen) the high school students were given tools for self-understanding and communication and advice on getting along with others, according to the program's designer, Frances Fujii.

Thousand Oaks residents Fujii and her husband, Tom Voccola, an author and CEO trainer, were asked for their help by the Rotary Club of Newbury Park. Together they work with the teens in the same way Voccola teaches corporate leaders to energize their companies with creativity and focus, he said.

He travels around the world helping the heads of companies in trouble learn to stop reacting to the ego side of themselves. With his help, the high-level leaders begin to listen to their more spiritual side so they can inspire creativity, Voccola said.

"They have them begin with themselves, because if you clearly know who you are, there is no need to fight with each other," he said.

He holds up a poster with the words: "To be powerful in your life you must first understand and master yourself."

The teens filled out posters representing how they see themselves. Some saw peacemakers. Others noted their creativity.

"To be powerful with others, you must first understand and appreciate what it is to be human," Voccola said.

He also emphasizes the importance of listening to others who think differently and how one should always create hope.

"Someone who is hopeless is someone who would blow themselves up," he said.

The teens involved in the project were selected in a competitive process that began with their high school principals in Israel nominating them. Sixty students were nominated, and through a process of interviews and other selection tools, the 20 who would come to the United States were chosen for their leadership skills, Fujii said.

"It's a yearlong process that began in December and will continue when they go home," she said.

Fujii and Voccola are very impressed with what the teens have accomplished, they said.

"We've been teaching them senior level stuff- and they get it," Voccola said.

"I enjoy being united and working together," said Mariana Nakkara, 16, a Christian. "We didn't know each other before and they are my best friends now."

She said now that they know themselves and understand each other, they can respect each other and live calmly.

"Before I came I thought that Jews are different, but there are no differences between us. We have the same daily lives, the same interests, and all hope for peace and understanding between us," Nakkara said.

"We all love sports and the Internet. I learned Jews are pretty much similar," said 15year-old Aula Abudahrsh, an Arab Muslim.

"We are all really good friends now and will stay in contact with everyone when we get home," said Dany Volfovsky, 16, a Jew.

Together the teens stayed busy with many activities that included going to classes, hiking and expressing themselves artistically. At the end of the two weeks they talked and laughed together as if they'd been friends forever.

"I had never met a Jew before; now we are good friends," said Anwar Awad, 15, an Arab Muslim.