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.
More than 250 Jewish and Arab students, family members and other friends from around Israel participated in the "Rally Against Racism" at Hand in Hand's Jerusalem school on Feb. 17.
The rally was a show of support for the integrated, bilingual school, vandalized Feb. 7 with racist graffiti in an apparent "Price Tag" attack.
"Death to Arabs" and other racist slogans were spray painted on the school walls.
Students, parents, teachers and community members held signs and painted messages of tolerance on a huge canvas. The school orchestra played, and school leaders spoke.
"Our children absorb the shock waves of the 'Price Tag' operations — here in the heart of Jerusalem," said Executive Director Shuli Dichter. "Today we show our strength and our children's strength. The answer to racism is more equality and partnership between citizens in more places in Israel. In the coming years we will establish three new bilingual schools in Israel."
Local and international media reported on the vandalism incident, with articles in the Washington Post, Reuters, The Associated Press, Al Jazeera, the British paper The Independent, Ha’aretz, the Jerusalem Post, and on Israeli radio and TV. Speaker of the Knesset Reuven Rivlin condemned the graffiti from the podium of the Knesset and wrote a personal letter to Hand in Hand students.
Chair of Hand in Hand's American board, Stuart Brown, prepared a letter to be read at the peace rally. "Although you have gathered today in response to an ugly incident, this incident is not what makes your school special," he wrote. "What makes your school special is the learning together and working together that happens every day. The daily routine of your school will not make headlines in the news — even when you have the highest scores on a civics exam or win a national science competition — but it will make you successful as individuals, as a school, and ultimately as a community that shows the way for an entire nation." Read Stuart's response in full.
About 540 students from kindergarten through 12th grade attend the bilingual school, located in Jerusalem's Pat neighborhood. Hand in Hand's three schools promote full and equal partnership between Jews and Arabs. Curriculum is supervised by the Ministry of Education and reflects the common values of the Jewish-Arab community.
