I had the opportunity last night to attend a presentation of
an organization called Hand in Hand. The program is an initiative of the Center
for Jewish- Arab Education in Israel. The mission of the program is to
integrate Jewish and Arab students in the same school and sharing language as
well as cultural differences. Currently there are six Hand in Hand schools
operating in Israel and since the school are public institutions they are 40%
funded by the Israel government. Twenty percent of the funding comes from the
parents and another 40% from various philanthropies. It is hoped that these
schools will be agents of change that foster an understanding of the two
cultures that live in Israel. Schools such as these require a solid commitment
from both the parents and the community at large. Parents make a conscious
decision to attend these unique schools and make a commitment to be a part of
the educational process. The communities come together on a regular basis for
shared cultural and educational activities such as picnics, holiday
celebrations as well as excursions. There is an old Chinese proverb that goes ‘
A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.” The Hand in in Hand
program is that first step in creating a mutual understanding and respect from
Israelis and Palestinians.
For more information about this unique school program go to handinhandk12.org.
c.2018 J. Margolis
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