Yoel Ilani

My name Is Yoel Ilani, I am twenty-seven years old, married to Racheli and father of two sweet daughters. I grew up in Netivot - small city near to Gaza and - and went to high school ay Yeshivat Makor Haim in Cfar-Etzion. I served in the army as a soldier and sergeant in Golani and studied my degree in History, Education and Jewish Philosophy ay Tel-Aviv university, and now I work as a co-ordinator (with my partner Iyad) of Roots's youth group – after three years in which I was a main counselor.

My journey in Roots is exciting and includes lots of deep and not simple questions about our existence here in the holy land – about the possibility of peace, the honesty of both sides and the conditions for real reconciliation in the painful reality in which we live. However, when I come to our center, meet our youth, and watch them talk, argue and have fun together I feel like I am witnessed a miracle and understand – again and again – that the transformation Is possible.