Rima, a Muslim pupil who participates in the Youth Futures program at the Gordon school, decided this year in cooperation with Oshrat, a Youth Futures Trustee, to introduce the members of her class to some Islamic customs in an original and interesting manner.

After giving a personal presentation in social studies class, in which she explained the characteristics of the culture in pictures and stories, the Youth Futures children attended an evening of hands-on activity at Rima's home, in which they met with Rima's mother and learned how to bake pita bread in a taboon (brick oven).

The children rolled up their sleeves and began to divide the dough into balls, roll it out and sprinkle salt and za'atar (hyssop spice blend) on it. While the pita was baking in the taboon oven, the children set the table, chopped vegetables for salad and heard stories from Rima's mother.

When the pita bread came out of the oven warm and fresh, the children could not stop praising the mother for its special taste, and said that this was the tastiest pita with za'atar they had ever eaten.

At the end of the meal, the Trustee held a round of thanks among the group members and asked them to share their experiences from the lovely and tasty hospitality. Esti, one of the group participants, said that she greatly enjoyed not only baking the pita, but also the pleasant atmosphere and her first encounter with a Muslim family in the city.

The mother also thanked the group and the Trustee warmly for the heartwarming initiative, and for the successful cooperation with her daughter's classmates.