Hand in Hand: Center for Jewish–Arab Education in Israel

Hand in Hand operates at the intersection of education, language policy, and Jewish-Arab civic life in Israel. Its schools are recognized by Israel's Ministry of Education and are open to all population groups without admission requirements or entrance tests.[4] The organization's core model pairs a Jewish teacher and an Arab teacher in each elementary classroom, using Hebrew and Arabic as co-equal languages of instruction.[3][4] Students participate in regular dialogue sessions, while organized educational and cultural activities involve both children and parents.[4]

Hand in Hand received approximately one-third of its funding from government sources.[10] Bilingual institutions receive no additional Ministry of Education allocation specifically for simultaneous two-teacher instruction, so the extra costs are met through donations and parent payments.[3] The curriculum emphasizes commonalities in the holy writings of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.[10] Its broader community work has included parent-child programs, civic engagement, facilitated dialogue, language classes, shared holiday celebrations, and community gardens.[7]

Hand in Hand traces its origins to 1997–1998, when Amin Khalaf and Lee Gordon, working with groups of Jewish and Arab parents, sought to establish bilingual schools in the Galilee and Jerusalem.[1][4] Khalaf described his founding motivation as finding a way for Jews and Arabs, as the country's majority and minority, to live in conditions of genuine equality, with bilingualism, mutual language learning, and engagement with each other's histories and cultures serving that goal.[11] Published accounts differ slightly on the chronology: one dates the organization's founding to 1998, while a Knesset report records the Galil Jewish-Arab School as founded in 1998 and the Jerusalem school as opening in 1999.[11][3]

The Jerusalem school began with 20 pupils in temporary buildings in the Katamonim neighborhood and moved about a decade later to a site between Beit Safafa and Pat.[4] Bridge over the Wadi opened in Kafr Qara in 2004.[3] By 2014, the network also included an elementary school in the Galilee and preschools in Jaffa and Haifa.[12] The Jaffa community later grew from ten people to more than 500 families and from two kindergartens to five; its school was adopted by the Tel Aviv Municipality after a prolonged campaign.[13] Hand in Hand's kindergartens across five localities enrolled approximately 80 students in 2013/14 and 470 in 2018/19.[3]

By June 2016, the network comprised six schools and more than 1,300 students, with enrollment growth of 15% in each of the two preceding years.[14] A 2017 account counted approximately 1,800 pupils and roughly 8,000 adults participating in organized communities around schools and kindergartens in the Galilee, Haifa, Jaffa, Jerusalem, Wadi Ara, and Beit Berl.[13] By 2021, the reported student population exceeded 2,000.[5] Khalaf described the schools' continued operation through sharply changing political conditions, from an early atmosphere of hope for peace through the Intifada and into a period when a peace process was no longer actively discussed.[1]

The defining feature of Hand in Hand schools is the co-teaching model. In each elementary classroom, a Hebrew-speaking Jewish teacher and an Arabic-speaking Arab teacher instruct together in their respective languages, with neither language formally given preference.[4] The wider bilingual-school model uses Hebrew and Arabic equally as languages of instruction.[3] Khalaf identified bilingualism as a cornerstone of Hand in Hand's work, arguing that language is tied to identity and reflects wider social power relations.[1]

The curriculum follows that used in Israeli public schools and combines material from the Jewish and Arab educational sectors, with modifications to the teaching of history and civics. Teachers receive training in cultural adjustments, including the selection of texts.[1] Students learn both Israeli and Palestinian historical narratives.[14] A 2009 U.S. House resolution specifically noted that teacher Yiftah Ron taught Israeli-Jewish students the Palestinian perspective on the War of Independence.[15] Students also participate in weekly discussions of current events and have two dedicated weekly hours of dialogue.[14][4]

The schools observe the religious and national holidays of their Jewish, Muslim, and Christian students and seek to create an environment of mutual respect and equality.[3] The network also engages with what it calls the "National Days," including Holocaust Day, Memorial Day, and Independence Day, as occasions for joint learning.[16] In Jaffa, 600 people attended a community fast-breaking event, illustrating how the communities extend shared activity beyond the classroom.[13]

At the high-school level, pupils study core and elective subjects including art, theater, science, communications, and religious culture.[4] The Max Rayne school reported that 80% of its high-school pupils were eligible for matriculation, a rate described as among the highest in Jerusalem, and maintained a waiting list among both Jewish and Arab families.[4] The Jerusalem school is a recognized public institution; parent payments and donations help cover resources required by its simultaneous two-teacher model.[4][3]

The network's oldest and largest school is the Max Rayne Hand in Hand school in West Jerusalem, which serves approximately 700 Jewish and Arab pupils from kindergarten through 12th grade.[6][4] It is the network's only secondary school; the other schools are primary schools.[1] Hand in Hand has also operated schools and kindergartens in the Galilee, Haifa, Jaffa, Wadi Ara, and Beit Berl.[13]

The Jaffa community illustrates how Hand in Hand's model extends beyond classroom instruction. From a founding group of ten people, it grew to more than 500 families, while its kindergartens expanded from two to five.[13] Jewish, Muslim, and Christian pupils learn together in classrooms taught by one Jewish and one Arab teacher, each using her own language.[13] The Tel Aviv Municipality eventually adopted the Jaffa school after a prolonged campaign.[13]

Other bilingual institutions operate independently of Hand in Hand, including the school established by the Wahat al-Salam–Neve Shalom community and the Hagar school in Beersheba.[3] Bilingual educational institutions in Israel have generally been established through parent groups and nongovernmental organizations rather than initiated by the Ministry of Education.[3]

Hand in Hand's schools are recognized public institutions, and government sources provide approximately one-third of its funding.[4][10] Bilingual schools receive no additional Ministry of Education funding specifically for their distinctive model. The substantial extra costs associated with simultaneous two-teacher instruction are therefore met through independent fundraising, donations, and parent payments.[3]

International support has included a $1.08 million USAID award for 2012–2015 for the "Shared Community/School Integration" project. The project sought to establish eight shared communities: five around existing integrated schools and three in regions without existing schools.[16] A USAID official described it as seeking a collaborative framework capable of enduring the continuing conflict and its inevitable fluctuations.[16] The UK government provided £11,743 in Bilateral Programme Budget funding in 2010/11, while the Jerusalem Foundation was also listed among the network's outside funders.[17][14]

In 2024, Hand in Hand received the Roger E. Joseph Prize for building partnership and mutual respect through public bilingual schools and communities. The award materials cited its parent-child programs, civic engagement, facilitated dialogue, language classes, shared holiday celebrations, and community gardens.[7] In 2021, the organization was named among ten finalists for the World Center for Pluralism's Global Pluralism Award for its contributions to equality and understanding among Jewish and Arab pupils, families, and communities.[5]

Hand in Hand represents a sustained effort to bring Jewish and Arab children into shared educational environments in Israel. Its model combines bilingual co-teaching, joint observance of Jewish, Muslim, and Christian holidays, and engagement with the national narratives of both communities.[3][5] Surrounding community programs extend this work to parents and other adults through dialogue, civic activity, language study, and shared cultural events.[7]

The Jerusalem school grew from 20 pupils in temporary buildings to approximately 700 students from kindergarten through 12th grade.[4] By 2021, the wider network reported more than 2,000 pupils.[5] A 2017 account also identified approximately 8,000 adults participating in organized communities around the schools, showing that the network's activities extended well beyond enrolled children.[13]

U.S. religious-freedom reports have listed Hand in Hand among organizations promoting Jewish-Arab dialogue and have highlighted its bilingual, interreligious curriculum.[18][10] The response to the 2014 arson also demonstrated institutional and civic support for the school: Israeli officials condemned the attack, U.S. representatives visited in solidarity, and thousands gathered publicly in support.[9][19] The subsequent prison sentences imposed on the perpetrators showed that the attack was also addressed through Israel's judicial system.[20]

The Jerusalem Institute for Policy Research reported that, in almost all cases, the Ministry of Education and local authorities initially opposed the establishment of bilingual schools and declined to support them financially. More than two decades after the first Hand in Hand schools opened, no clear national policy on bilingual schools had been established, and the Ministry's overall attitude was described as ambivalent.[1]

On language equality, Khalaf acknowledged a gap between aspiration and practice: Hebrew remained dominant in the schools because of its greater presence in the surrounding social environment and its practical importance for Arab students.[1] Arab students generally had stronger Hebrew than Jewish students had Arabic, and the Jaffa preschool deliberately used more Arabic as a corrective measure.[12]

Pupils in both the Jewish and Arab populations generally came from middle-class socioeconomic backgrounds, prompting criticism that the schools catered to an elite or were "preaching to the choir." The same account noted that parents' financial circumstances were not formally a barrier to enrollment for families wishing to participate.[1] The schools were generally intended for Israeli citizens, but principals of the Jerusalem school eventually decided to enroll pupils from East Jerusalem, whose proportion was increasing. Khalaf argued that East Jerusalem parents should decide for themselves what education their children received.[1]

Enrollment balance has also been an issue at individual schools. Bridge over the Wadi began with roughly equal Jewish-Arab enrollment, but by 2011 it had 23 Jewish pupils and 105 Arab pupils. Competing explanations cited the political situation, violence, local school competition, and early management instability. A Ministry of Education spokesperson acknowledged that declines in Jewish enrollment occurred across bilingual schools and said systemic measures were being taken.[21]

Internal discussions about pedagogy identified another tension. Many principals supported what Khalaf termed "liberal multiculturalism," which emphasizes individuals but may leave broader Jewish-Arab power relations unaddressed. Many Jewish principals supported partnership with the Arab sector without seeking significant changes to Israel's national and political structure, while the status of Arabic within the schools was presented as a concrete expression of these unresolved tensions.[1]

The network's most significant achievement was described as its continued existence through difficult political circumstances rather than transformation of the Jewish-Arab conflict to the degree originally envisioned. Its later aspirations focused more on providing graduates with a positive and enriching experience. Principals reported that alumni remained influenced by their schooling, but serious research on alumni outcomes and long-term influence had not yet been conducted at the time of the account.[1]

The Jerusalem school has faced repeated vandalism and violence, including attacks committed by members of Jewish extremist organizations. In February 2012, unknown assailants spray-painted "Death to Arabs" and "Kahane was right" outside the school. In October 2014, "death to Arabs" was again spray-painted on its exterior wall.[8]

On November 29, 2014, members of Lehava set fire to two first-grade classrooms at the Max Rayne Hand in Hand school. Racist slogans written on the walls included "Death to Arabs," "Kahane was right," "down with assimilation," and "there is no coexistence with cancer."[9][8] Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the attack; Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and Housing Minister Uri Ariel also condemned it during visits to the school the following day.[9] The U.S. ambassador and USAID director visited the school in solidarity within 48 hours.[22] A week after the fire, approximately 2,500 people gathered at Jerusalem's Train Track Park, including residents of neighboring Beit Safafa, pupils from religious schools, public figures, and the mayor of Kafr Qara.[19] Hand in Hand communications official Mohamad Marzouk said, "We have to do what we can to enable coexistence between Arabs and Jews."[19]

Three Lehava members were arrested in December 2014 and reportedly confessed to setting the fire.[9] In July 2015, the Jerusalem District Court sentenced Shlomo Twito and Nahman Twito to two years and two and a half years in prison, respectively, for the arson and racist graffiti; judicial review of the sentences was pending at the end of 2015.[23][20] Yitzhak Gabai, a third participant, received a combined three-year sentence: two years for participating in the school attack, ten months for social-media posts constituting incitement to violence, and two months for possessing a knife.[20] The sentencing judge stated: "In addition to violating the values of keeping the peace and public safety, the arson reflects a violation of the values of human dignity, equality and tolerance."[24]

In June 2015, the school was targeted again when swastikas and anti-Arab slogans, including "Arabs to slaughter," "Arab blood is cheap," and "Arab — the son of a whore," were spray-painted on its walls.[8] Hand in Hand director Shuli Dichter stated after the 2014 arson that it was not the first harassment the school had faced and that the organization would continue its educational and social work.[25]