Current events threaten to pull Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel apart. Fear, anger and violence are undermining shared living. But this is not the case at Hand in Hand. Our schools and community activities continue unabated in our five schools and communities. As we begin 2015, and as our network of bilingual schools and communities expands, so does our message to Israeli society: THERE IS ANOTHER WAY.
The mission of Hand in Hand is to create a strong and inclusive shared society in Israel through a network of integrated, bilingual schools and active communities. The organization’s philosophy is that the actual living experience of its students, teachers, parents and others who participate in its schools and communities can inspire broad support for social inclusion and civic equality in Israel.
It was co-founded by Israeli Arab educator Amin Khalaf and Israeli American educator Lee Gordon in 1997, Hand in Hand is a network of integrated, bilingual schools for Jewish and Arab children in Israel.
It started with 50 students at two campuses. Now it operates four schools with more than 900 Jewish and Arab students; next year there will be 5 schools with 1100 plus students. More than 3,000 parents and other adults, Jews and Arabs alike, currently participate in integrated community activities organized by Hand in Hand.
Over the next 10 years, Hand in Hand aims to create a network of 10 to 15 integrated bilingual schools, supported and enhanced by active communities, altogether involving more than 20,000 Israeli citizens.
Video at http://www.handinhandk12.org/
More stories like this one at Libby & Len Traubman website
http://traubman.igc.org/messages.htm
Hand in Hand brings together thousands of Jews and Arabs in Jerusalem, the Galilee, in Wadi Ara, in Jaffa and in Haifa.
