NBA Hall of Famer Ray Allen spent a week in Israel, at the end of which he led a special basketball training session with Jewish and Arab youth in Jerusalem.

“This is probably one of my most incredible visits to be here in Jerusalem, to travel throughout Israel and to end up the last couple of days in Jerusalem. They’ve been very special,” Allen tells Israel National News. "I met some incredible people, lifelong friends. Just to travel through this holy land and learn so much more about the history, not only of Jerusalem and Israel but world history, which we all take deep humbling part in, understanding the genesis of who we are as people.”

Hosted by David and Jason Arison and the Ted Arison Foundation, the basketball legend’s visit was arranged by America’s Voices in Israel and Athletes for Israel. During the trip, Allen had the opportunity to tour and experience historic and cultural sites across Tel Aviv, in and around Jerusalem, and across the Galilee.

During his trip, Allen – who spent 18 seasons in the NBA – met and trained with aspiring young basketball players across the country and ended his visit with a unique meeting at the YMCA in Jerusalem, where he led young Jewish and Arab girls, Israelis and Palestinians, in a special training session, part of the Peace Players Middle East program.

“Thinking about where I was today at a clinic for young girls – Palestinian and Jewish – when you see it, you learn ultimately that hate is taught, you know it’s a behavior that as elder people we have to do better and we have to teach our kids how to build bridges and not walls,” he says. “Today, it was evident in that seeing the young girls come here no matter what neighborhood you come from, you have a common goal to learn teamwork, learn discipline, hard work. I take that home with me to a lot of people because there is narrative that Israel is the land of Jewish people but when I’ve come here I’ve met so many people from around the world and so many people that celebrate the culture of Israel – all the great cities and towns in Israel."

"I will make sure that I have people I know travel here because it’s a great place to visit," he adds.

Allen notes that the reality of being in Israel and experiencing the country firsthand is very different from the narrative the American media tries to spread.

“If you watch news, it over sensationalizes things that happen all over the world. I’ve dealt with that in my neighborhoods, people think that it’s so scary to move to a place that I live in or a circumstance that I’ve been a part of. That’s the same stigma that has been attached to Jerusalem and throughout Israel. I’ve had nothing but a great time and I’ve been educated. I’ve eaten great foods, I’ve eaten foods from so many cultures, I felt like I was bouncing back and forth, sampling so many things, an dit certainly has changed my palate taste-wise.”

Allen comments that he made lifelong friends during his visit to Jerusalem.

“The underlying theme that I’ve really appreciated here, moving throughout Jerusalem this week, is that you sit down at a nice dinner no matter where the food comes from and you will become fast friends, lifelong friends forever," he says.