A Year in Review at Hand in Hand: Partnership Through Difficult Times

While the 2024-25 school year began and ended under the clouds of wars, great emotional and physical stress, and distance learning, all Hand in Hand schools completed a full year of learning, innovation, and community-building. This is a testament not only to the resilience of our educators, students, and community members, but also to the deep trust and partnership that been cultivated over many years of shared learning and living.

Celebrating 20 Years in Wadi Ara!

The Hand in Hand “Bridge Over the Wadi” School in Wadi Ara was founded by a group of committed local Arab and Jewish parents in 2014—the same year our communities department was founded—and celebrated two decades of excellent, integrated, bilingual education this year. The Wadi Ara families and staff have together weathered many storms, and their uncompromising commitment has made this achievement possible.

Dialogue: The Backbone of Community-Building

In the 2024-25 school year, Hand in Hand staff and parents took part in over 660 hours of dialogue meetings, led by expert facilitators from the Hand in Hand Dialogue Department. These countless dialogue sessions have been critical to maintaining the open channels of communication and solidarity during such a hard time, and maintain the cohesion and fabric of our community. A strong community, rooted in mutual understanding and compassion, acts as an engine that helps drive the entire organization forward.

Supporting Educators

Hand in Hand’s Education Department provided critical support to our teaching staff throughout the year, offering professional coaching, pedagogical guidance, and emotional support. This included launching a new Written Arabic curriculum for 1st grade students—a meaningful investment in early literacy and Arab-Jewish language equity.

Additionally, we expanded our external preschool partnership programs in Nof Hagalil and Jaffa, extending Hand in Hand’s reach beyond our own school walls. These partnerships reflect our growing role as a national leader in bilingual, integrated education.

In another major milestone, Hand in Hand’s School Counselors Forum—which serves guidance counselors from all HIH schools as well as Hagar and Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam—received official recognition from the Israeli Ministry of Education. This accreditation underscores the vital role Hand in Hand has played in providing guidance counselors with critical resources and support during a school year marked by three wars.

From Preschool to University—And Beyond

This year we also took major steps toward longer-term growth. Construction began on the new Philip & Bernice Krupp Center for Integrated Early Childhood Education in Haifa. This landmark project will provide expanded space for preschoolers and families in the north, enabling our Haifa community to grow significantly and become an even stronger anchor for shared society and peace-building in the city.

Meanwhile, the Hand in Hand University Student Community doubled its reach, with active programming in both Jerusalem and Haifa. Leading Jewish-Arab bridge-building on university campuses, the program brought students together for shared learning, dialogue, and leadership development activities each week.

Growth and Connection in Turbulent Times

This year saw the most active recruitment campaign in Hand in Hand’s history, led by dedicated staff and dozens of parent volunteers. Their efforts have paid off, expanding our reach and welcoming new families into our schools and communities—even in the midst of uncertainty.

And in early 2025, we brought our entire network together for two large-scale conferences, one for educators and one for parent community leaders. These gatherings offered moments of renewal, connection, and learning—reminding us all that we are part of something bigger, and that we are not alone.

Looking Ahead

Normally, summers are a time for rest and renewal—which we all need after such a tough year. This summer feels heavier than usual, and yet, it offers us a chance to look back fondly at this past year, and commend ourselves for all that we have achieved under some of the most extreme circumstances and challenges we’ve ever faced. And, we can look ahead, and feel energized and hopeful about the future growth, and the possibilities that are always present in our remarkable network of schools and communities. Because anything feels possible after we’ve not only survived this past year, but somehow continued to grow and deepen our work.

Together, with your support, we will bolster this growth—building a shared future available to every child and family searching for a different way of life.

Thank you for standing with us.