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.
The Israeli school system needs Hand in Hand.
Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel live in a highly segregated environment — sometimes in closely adjoining neighborhoods in the same city, sometimes in separate towns within a region. The current make-up of the country is 80 percent Jewish and 20 percent Arab. Few opportunities exist for meaningful interaction between these two major groups, especially in elementary and secondary schools, which are almost entirely segregated.
Segregation in the Israeli public school system poses a big problem. It promotes rival viewpoints and attitudes that become ripe for exploitation by proponents of violence. The schools of the minority Arab population become incubators for resentment and hostility, while the schools of the majority Jewish population reinforce a sense of insulation from the concerns of others.
What happens in schools right now is critical for the future of Israel. Children are directly taught to uphold the values of the nation, and indirectly socialized into groups with diverse attitudes toward Israel and its institutions. Schools build community among parents, teachers and neighboring families, affecting nearly every person living in Israel. By fostering peaceful coexistence in schools, Hand in Hand is helping to change the way Israel sees itself, and the way the world sees Israel.
Working in partnership with Israel's Ministry of Education, Hand in Hand has obtained certification for all of its public schools, along with substantial public investment. When Hand in Hand was founded in 1997, many doubted whether the experiment could work. Now there is demand for new schools, partnerships in new communities, and higher enrollment in the established programs.
עברית