On December 9th, 2024, Hand in Hand hosted a webinar titled "Anchors through the Storm," featuring two remarkable HIH leaders—Mohammad Kundos, Prinicipal of the HIH Kfar Saba School, and Rebecca Bardach, a HIH parent, writer, activist, and facilitator. Both Rebecca and Mohammad have experienced tremendous personal losses due to the…

https://youtu.be/u5YWy4Mukjo Sonja Dinner, AFHIH Board Member, spoke to three Hand in Hand Max Rayne Jerusalem students—Ben (4th grade), Rita (6th grade), and Rotem (6th grade). The following is a transcript of their conversation: "Sonja: What makes the Hand in Hand Jerusalem School so special? Ben: Jews and Arabs live together.…

"This Arab Activist in Israel Isn't Afraid to Criticize Both Netanyahu and Hamas" Written by Sheren Falah Saab. Published on October 8, 2024. Click here to read the article on the Haaretz English website. Sokina Taoon couldn't speak a word of Hebrew 11 years ago, but today she's a strong…

On September 1st 2024, after a long, challenging summer, Arab and Jewish students returned to the Hand in Hand Haifa campus for a new year of shared learning. This year, the school welcomed in 361 students, including 2 first-grade classes (a first at the school!)—all on their new campus which…

Sally Karaja, a graduate of the Hand in Hand Jerusalem Max Rayne School, shares her experience growing up in this unique, integrated, and bilingual school and community. Sally, daughter of a Palestinian-Israeli mother and Palestinian father, grew up in Jerusalem, and attended the Hand in Hand school from preschool through…

"When it comes to education, you must face the radical question of how to teach values. If you teach equality, or social justice, and if you really believe in these values, then it is measured by your ability to wish for and fight for these values for everyone." “Groundwork" is…

Engi Wattad has served as Vice Principal of the Max Rayne Jerusalem Middle and High School since 2017, bringing what she calls an "expansive spirit" and a profound sense of humanity and compassion to her students. Now, she reflects on educating a new generation during the most difficult year the…

To paraphrase Hand in Hand’s Kfar Saba principal, Mohammad Kundos: "It’s been the hardest and most incredible year." October 2023 was the first time we felt uncertain about the future of Hand in Hand. Our success is never a given; it requires ongoing and rigorous effort even in the best…

Running integrated Arab-Jewish schools in Israel is never an easy task. But October 7th and the ensuing war have brought on unprecedented levels of grief, pain, and loss to Hand in Hand's schools and communities. Every aspect of our work has been impacted, and many students, teachers, and community members…

Hand in Hand's latest webinar, which took place on June 20, 2024, featured an inspiring discussion with two Hand in Hand alumni: Sally Karaja and Bar Itamari. https://youtu.be/SsKLF1nGSUw

Our network of alumni is an integral part of Hand in Hand’s culture, staying connected through events, holiday festivals, trips, and meet-ups. Alumni programming is a multifaceted platform for graduates to continue taking part in shared society activities and actualizing the values of their education as they embark on their…

Lee Gordon co-founded Hand in Hand in 1997, and soon after created the American Friends of Hand in Hand network. Based in Portland, OR, American Friends of Hand in Hand has become a community of almost 10,000 friends and supporters aligned with Hand in Hand’s mission. Now, after 25 years,…