Mofeed and his group of friends and cousins have a small gang in Jaffa. They are Israeli-Arabs whose families hover around the poverty line. A year ago, Mofeed’s brother-in-law Abdallah introduced him to surfing and gave him a surfboard. Although Abdallah is currently in jail, Mofeed and his friends still surf regularly. The young teenagers enjoy life and roaming around their section of Jaffa, blissfully unaware of the prejudices they will face as adult Arabs in a Jewish state.

With shirts tied tight, the group prepares for the surf sharing two surfboards and one boogie.

Mofeed, 14, left, and Mouhmed, 13, right, are cousins and best friends.

When there aren’t any waves, the guys go to the harbor in Jaffa and jump off the docks.

One of the guys fixed up his bike with stolen hubcaps.

Mofeed has a few dozens chickens and ducks that roam through his yard. They have become pets because he cannot bear to kill them.

Mofeed and friends dig a hole after surfing to bury each other.

Mofeed’s younger cousins entertain themselves with mud slinging while the others surf.

The boys sit at home awaiting dinner.

Mofeed’s brother-in-law Abdallah returns home from jail one weekend every two months. He sees his daughter and brings the whole family together.

Mofeed has over a dozen children in his extended family and they usually go unsupervised and take care of each other during the day.

Mouhmed does a dance on his way through the market to beach.

Mouhmed and Mofeed return from a late afternoon surf.