Sidreh Weaving Center

 

On Monday we headed down to the hot, dry, and desolate Negev desert which is base camp for dozens of Old Testament stories. We stopped by Tel Beer-sheva and Tel Arad (both are ancient ruins of biblical cities), but my favorite part of the day was the Sidreh Weaving Center.This center is non-profit organization that provides work for local Bedouin women while preserving the ancient trade of weaving.

Bedouins are a desert-dwelling group of Arabs.  They are commonly shepherds and live a pastoral life. Originally, they dwelt in tents and women had the tedious job of setting up the tent and taking care of the family. Although some Bedouin still live in traditional tents, the majority have been pushed into urbanization and now live in small Bedouin towns. As this urbanization occurred, many women lost their traditional roles. The Sidreh weaving center works to help these women contribute to their homes and the local economy. There are approximately 70-80 women employed at any given time and most of them work from home.

Following the weaving demonstration, we were allowed to wander the gift shop. I love buying things from local non-profits that benefit a worthy cause, so of course I had to get something. I only had 100 shekels and the rugs, pillows, and bags all cost more, so I decided to get creative. I found a rack of belts, but all of them were a bit large and then I realized it would be the perfect size for a camera strap. So, I bought myself a  new beautiful camera strap that will have lots a good use.