August 29, 2010

THE SURFBOARDS HAVE ARRIVED! 

After two years of waiting for the surfboards that were assembled by Gaza Surf Relief, the shipment of surfboards was finally granted permission to enter Gaza.  The boards were delivered yesterday by our good friend Matthew Olsen, whose organization Explore Corps, oversaw distribution to the members of the Surf Club.  For the first time, every member of the surf club has his/her own surfboard and has the freedom to surf when and where he/she wants.  Explore Corps arranged for permission to deliver the boards directly to the surfers, with no interference from outside parties.  We would also like to thank the Dolphin Club for hosting the distribution event.  Check out the photo section to see the distribution process in action and check back in for shots of us enjoying the boards once we get some waves.

We are forever thankful to Sev Sztalkoper for creating Gaza Surf Relief, to Matthew Olsen and Explore Corps for their support of the surf club and the delivery of these wonderful gifts and to Arthur Rashkovan and the entire Surfing 4 Peace community, for keeping us in their thoughts and helping to make our dreams become a reality.

Last but not least, we want to thank all of the donors who have made this all possible.  Here are a few highlights: Global Surf Industries for their incredible donation of 15 new surfboards, Donald Printup for two beautiful custom boards with Palestinian colors, and Renee Johnson for donating a board for Gaza’s first female surfer.  Your generosity will never be forgotten.

Salam Aloha

The Gaza Surf Club.

June 30,

The Gaza Surf Club is on the New York Times website today!  You can see the video of El Hindi teaching the next generation of Gaza Surfers here.

One additional note, the story states that Gaza Surf Relief originated in Gaza, which is a mistake.  Gaza Surf Relief is run by our good friend Sev Sztalkoper and is based at the Levantine Cultural Center in Los Angeles.  Find out more at www.gazasurfrelief.com

May 23,

مادة جديدة حول الجهود التي نبذلها لنشر هذه الرياضة في غزة

http://www.elaph.com/Web/Sports/2010/5/564212.html

A new article about our efforts to spread the sport of surfing in Gaza, in Arabic language only

http://www.elaph.com/Web/Sports/2010/5/564212.html

May 12, 2010

The Surf Club and our friends at Surfing 4 Peace and Explore Corps are featured in the headline story on the CNN.com today.  Thank you to Mairi from CNN for helping to tell our story.  You can see the article here.

January 5, 2010

Happy New Year!  The Gaza Surf Club is now on Facebook.  Search for our fanpage and become a fan!

October 15, 2009

The rest of the wetsuits donated by Ralph Tieleman have been delivered by our friends at Explore Corps! Thanks to all for your great support!

September 1, 2009

Our friends at Explore Corps and Surfing 4 Peace were profiled this week in the Abu Dhabi paper “The National”.  Check out the article here.

August 7, 2009

Go to our video section to see the new montage of images from the filming of God Went Surfing With The Devil.  They’re at the bottom of the page. Click here.

Also, Tribal Surf is featuring a great interview with the film’s Director, Alex Klein, which you can see here.  Please check these items out and show your support for the film!  Alex, we hope to see you and your crew back in Gaza soon!

August 3, 2009

Last night ABC news ran a prime-time story about the Surf Club and our efforts to surf despite the difficulties of life in Gaza.  Mohammed and Ahmed from Al Diera beach were featured in interviews, with Asam, Taha and Yousef standing along side.  Many thanks to ABC news for helping us to tell our story to the world.  We will post the video here on the site as soon as it is permitted by ABC. In the meantime, you can check it out on their YouTube page, here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hPpzNzVSWg

July 18, 2009

Congratulations to our very own Mahmoud El Reyashi for winning the first ever Gaza Triathlon.  You’re making the Surf Club proud!

July 15, 2009

Summer has arrived in Gaza.  Pollution in the sea continues to be a problem but we surf whenever its “safe.”  The donated boards are still being prevented from entering Gaza due to the siege but we’re working on other projects in the meantime including planning for a small clubhouse for the surfers at Sheik Khazdien beach, and storage facilities for the surfers at Al Diera beach.  Fiberglass is now once again available in small quantities so we are working to repair the few surfboards that we have but only a lifting of the siege will allow us to receive the gear and materials that we truly need.  Free Gaza!

May 15, 2009

Michael Scott Moore has just published an article in Spiegel Online about his visit with the Gaza Surf Club in March.  You can read the article here:

May 10, 2009

The summer has arrived in Gaza but, unfortunately, international rebuilding efforts have not.  Entire neighborhoods in Gaza remain as piles of rubble and the Israeli border authority has been preventing reconstruction aid and materials from entering, as well as prohibiting the entry of foreigners involved in reconstruction efforts.  In the meantime, the water has warmed up and we can put our wetsuits, donated by Jack’s Surf Shop and Ralph Tieleman in storage until December.  We also hope to welcome Explore Corps director Matt Olsen back to Gaza as soon as he is able to obtain a permit.

March 18, 2009

We were pleased to meet journalist Michael Scott Moore this past week in Gaza and we thank him for including us in his writings.  Mike also delivered some of the new wetsuits donated by Ralph Tieleman of Tofino,BC in Canada.  We thank Ralph for his generous donations as well as Jeff Green at Northern Boards Victoria, BC and Grant Shilling for hand-carrying the wetsuits over from Canada.  Thank you all for your great support and we hope to welcome you in Gaza in the future!

March 1, 2009

Many thanks to everyone who has sent their support during these difficult times.  We are all fine here in Gaza but we are in the process of rebuilding our destroyed city.  As for surfing, the water is still cold but we have been able to surf thanks to our wetsuits donated by Jack’s Surf Shop and delivered by Gaza Surf Relief and Explore Corps.  Summer is coming!

January 10, 2009,

Thank you to all of you have have written to us to show your support and hopes for the invasion of Gaza to end soon.  The area around Sheik Khazdin beach has been heavily bombed, due to the large amount of Municipal buildings that were targeted in the neighborhood.  As far as we can tell so far, all the surfers and their families are alright but it is difficult to tell before the fighting stops and we can move about the streets freely.  Once we are able to do so, we will update this information.  Israeli troops are now well inside Gaza City and are in several of the neighborhoods where the surfers live.   We hope the situation will soon be over and we thank you all for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.

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November 2008,

The first two teasers have been released for the upcoming documentary film, God Went Surfing With The Devil.  This film tracks the lives of Israeli and Palestinian surfers in Israel and the Gaza Strip as both side struggle to survive in the face of war and seek refuge in the waves of the Mediterranean.  Filmed in the summer of 2008, this documentary features footage of The Gaza Surf Club and interviews with its members. See the teasers here.

We are still anxiously awaiting the delivery of the 15 new surfboards donated by Global Surf Industries, and 4 used longboards, all of which were gathered by Gaza Surf Relief.  The surfboards have been prohibited from entering Gaza by the Israeli Navy but we hope to receive them as soon as the siege of Gaza is lifted.  FREE GAZA!!!!!