
Traditionally, the women wake up every morning in the early hours to prepare the bread for the shepherds before their long trek.
Bread-making workshop
Each morning, some of the women in the village wake before sunrise, don a special uniform to protect their clothes and hair from smoke, and grab the dough they prepared for baking the night before. This fresh and warm shraq bread (from the Arabic verb “to begin making the bread”) feeds children as they head off to school, and women and men as they begin their day and prepare to go to work.”
You are welcome to join in learning about the practice of making shraq bread by joining our bread making workshop. Stay overnight to prepare the dough the night before with the other bakers, then awake shortly before dawn to bake the bread and eat it fresh with the morning’s first cup of tea as you watch the sunrise over the South Hebron Hills.
In Um al Khair, the community knows that along with other forms of resistance to colonial oppression, practicing and upholding cultural traditions such as breadmaking are an important part of their oft-denied right to culture and identity. The shraq bread is baked before dawn, for example, because the community’s traditional belief is that if God is to bless your food, you must be awake for al-Fajr, the time before sunrise–as well as because most of the village goes to school or work during the day and must be ready to leave early in the morning.

Sitting and learning from the indigenous communities is a powerful way to connect, grow, and come to a better understanding of the land. These are the spaces special relationships are made.
Good Shepherd Collective
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For individuals the cost is $35. Bring more people and get a discount on each subsequent person. Bringing a party of more than four? – check out our special group rates.
Build relationships with the ancient tribes that have shaped the Holy Land.
Stunning landscapes, historical accounts of resistance, and deep cultural experiences.

BREAD MAKING
Learn how to make traditional Bedouin bread and how the process fits into the ecosystem of sustainability from the women of the village.

SHEPHERDING
Join the village’s shepherds to learn about the role they, along with their sheep and goats, play in supporting the community’s economy and traditions.

CAMPING IN THE DESERT
See first-hand the beauty and history our deserts have to offer–watch the sun rise and set, listen to local stories, all while you sip traditional Bedouin tea.

MILKING WORKSHOP
Sit side by side with shepherds who will explain the importance of carrying on their traditions while teaching you how to milk goats.

DESERT TOUR
Historical sites, a striking landscape, wild camels, and more! Join our tour of the desert to learn about the land’s past and our hopes for the future.

BEDOUIN JUDGE
Bedouin communities have a special history of conflict resolution. Meet a local judge to learn more about the practices useful in reconciliation.

TEXTILE WORKSHOP
Learn about this treasured tradition of textile creation from a few experienced women of the village, and take yours home with you when you leave.

GUEST HOUSE
We really hate to brag, but we know we have one of the most comfortable guest houses in the whole region–and best of all, it’s on our very own land!
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