Our Stories: "In this immensely complex and difficult situation, if there is ever to be hope for the future, we need to begin with the children." Dalia Peretz, former principal. Read her story.
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Hand in Hand: Center for Jewish-Arab Education was established in 1997 to provide integrated, bilingual schools for Arab and Jewish children in Israel.
Beginning with only 50 children, the network of schools now has an enrollment of almost 900 students in three schools, located in Jerusalem, the Galilee and Wadi Ara. The schools are accredited by the Israeli Ministry of Education and have received numerous awards for teaching and promoting coexistence.
In Israel, where 80 percent of the population is Jewish and 20 percent Arab, schools (and society as a whole) are deeply segregated; this separation increases fear and misunderstanding between the country’s two major groups. Hand in Hand students are taught by Jews and Arabs in both Hebrew and Arabic. Learning each other’s language, culture and religion is critical to breaking down stereotypes and fostering mutual respect. Students develop pride in their own heritage while acquiring the skills and experiences needed to live peacefully in a diverse and often conflicted society. Hand in Hand’s ultimate goal is to create a more peaceful, pluralistic and democratic society.
Please see Hand in Hand's Mission Statement.
