Aspnet Activities in Israel

Annual Report 1999 • 9

ASPnet Activities in Israel

Beit Berl College Report – Yael Harel The Peace Cruise – Esther Lucas Makif Het High School – Netta Zelinger Baqa Junior High School – Horeia Gazmawy Ben Zvi Junior High School – Carmela Goldglass Tira Junior High School – Iraqi Gazi Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam Primary School – Bob Mark The Jewish-Arab Center for Peace, Givat Haviva The Multicultural Educational Resource Center, Gordon College – Rhonda Sofer 10 • Annual Report 1999

Beit Berl College Report

Dr. Yael Harel

Bet-Berl staff in the International of Education and Dr. Bracha Alpert Relations office, visited the library from Bet-Berl College. The lectures and the art campus. In the evening were held in Hebrew and in English. she had dinner with Dr. Aharon 1000 participants took part in the Seidenberg, Head of Beit Berl conference, more than 100 from College, Dr. Varda Sharoni, Head of abroad. An illustrious gallery of the School of Education, Dr. Gad keynote speakers from all over the Arnsberg, Head of the Foreign world enriched the program of the hree prominent UNESCO Relations Office and myself. During conference. A book of articles will T guests were invited to Bet- the discussions, Elizabeth suggested be published shortly. The following Berl. Unfortunately, the visit of Dr. that we hold a Peace Education themes were discussed: Traugott Schofthaler, Secretary Summer School on the campus. Ideology, values and society in General of the German National The Peace Education course teacher education. Commission, did not take place due idea was approved by Colin Power, Curriculum of teacher education to the sudden death of Dr. David Deputy Director-General of UNESCO programs: contents and pedagogy. Harari, of blessed memory, on 16 for Education. He arrived for the Professional development in March 1999. Still, one month later, Third International Conference on times of change. in April 1999 we received the visit Teacher Education “Almost 2000: Teacher education policy: of Elizabeth Khawajkie, the Inter- Crises and Challenges in Teacher sructural, organizational and econo- national ASPnet Coordinator who Education” held between June 27 - mic dimensions. came to attend the Global Village July, 1999. The lecture he gave as Media, technology and teacher final event. She stayed in the keynote speaker for the closing education. German-Israeli House Hotel on Bet- session was entitled: “Meeting the We are looking forward to the Berl campus for a week and was the Challenges of Change: Teachers year 2000, the year for “A Culture guest of the College for one day. Today and Tomorrow”. of Peace”, and to the Peace Edu- During that day, she visited the The conference was co-chaired cation Summer School: Learning to Diaspora Museum in Tel Aviv, met by Dr. Sarah Ziv from the Ministry Live Together. Annual Report 1999 • 11

The Peace Cruise Visit of Scout Peace Ship to Haifa

Dr. Esther Lucas *

n August 15, 1999, the O Peace Cruise Ship was welcomed in Haifa port on the first leg of its Mediterranean cruise to promote peace and reconciliation in the Mediterranean. The sailing ship, the Black Knight, belongs to the Polish Scouting Association and 15,000 young people have already sailed in it on many seas. The ship can carry 80 passengers but this time there were some 30 youth representatives aged 18-25 on board, as well as four trainers and the Polish Scout crew.

* Pioneer of ASPnet in Israel 12 • Annual Report 1999

The young people, members of the scouts and other youth organizations, hailed from Algeria, Bosnia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, the Palestinian Authority, Slovenia, Spain and Turkey. The cruise was conceived and organized by the World Scout Movement and sponsored by the European Union, the North-South Centre of the European Union, the European Youth Forum and UNESCO as well as governments and local authorities. The Patrons of this innovative Abdel Meguid (Secretary General cruise started in Alexandria on venture were Yasser Arafat, Jacques Arab League), Shimon Peres (Winner August 8 1999 and ended in Piraeus Chirac and Hosni Mubarak as of the Nobel Peace Prize), Jacques on August 21. The Israeli contingent well as Jacques Santer (President Moreollon (Secretary General of the took part in the first and last leg. of the European Commission), Miguel World Organization of the Scout The aim was to train young Angel Martinez (President of the Movement), and Paul Solanila mediators-negotiators, both male North-South Centre of the Council (President of the European Youth and female, to become leaders in of Europe), Federico Mayor (Director Movement). the youth sector by organizing General of UNESCO), Ahmad Esmet Divided into four legs, the activities to prevent and manage Annual Report 1999 • 13

conflicts and by designing training was no air-conditioning and quarters modules for their own organiza- were cramped. Furthermore, they tions. Training took place on board had to get up every few hours at with special programmes in the night to take their turn on watch ports of call. duty. But everyone agreed it was a In Haifa, they were welcomed wonderful experience that they by the deputy mayor, represen- would not have missed for anything. tatives of all the organizations This was no ordinary Inter- involved in supporting the cruise, national seminar. This was indeed a the Polish ambassador, and by an unique experience. Arab Scout band. A poster prepared Unesco’s support for this cruise by the UNESCO Associated Schools says it all. Equipping young people Project (ASPnet) also welcomed the with mediation skills and providing young people. Responses to the them with a forum to express welcome were made by two repre- themselves and to exchange views sentatives of Arab countries. and experiences, which is precisely We were allowed to go on what the Peace Cruise endeavours board and talk to the “sailors”. The to achieve, corresponds fully to the ship seemed very small for such a UNESCO Strategy for Action with long voyage round the Mediter- and for youth. We therefore support ranean. Some members admitted this effort to bring youth together in they were seasick at first. I learnt that a spirit of dialogue and cultural life on board ship was tough. There exchange. 14 • Annual Report 1999

Makif Het High-School, Rishon Lezion

Ms. Netta Zelinger

akif Het High School M was built in 1997 in the town of Rishon Le'Zion. Since its founding it has been involved in three different projects. The main project was the “Global Village Harmony”. The second project on environ- mental conditions was called “Holit”. Rishon Le'Zion was built on sand which has been exhibited as part of during the day they work at old age dunes near the sea. Most of these the project. Next year they will be peoples’ institutions to help them. disappeared because of the building. involved in a project together with The main goals of this project Our pupils give special importance Palestinian pupils. The main goal of are twofold. On the one hand, the to such conservation efforts since this project called “Blue Sky” is to senior citizens continue to be they are the natural habitat for some prevent the area from becoming connected to the community in animals on the way to extinction one huge dump and to avoid air which they live and feel the sense such as birds, foxes, rabbits, etc. pollution. of belonging and on the other hand, Every Sunday 35 pupils check The third project is the respon- the pupils involved in the project the area to prevent building cont- sibility of a group of special educa- have an opportunity to find work ractors from destroying the environ- tion pupils who participate in a related to their experience. ment in which they usually throw course called “Contribution to the In addition to this work, it is rubble. The pupils also trap birds for Community”. Here they learn how essential to note that not only do registration and check the water to to assist elderly people and part of these pupils participate fully in the detect levels of purity. All these their program includes the following project but they have to comply with activities may be seen in a video subjects: Sociology, Psychology, the same demands as the rest of the movie produced by the pupils and and Nutrition. Once or twice a week school enrollment. Annual Report 1999 • 15

Baqa Junior High School, Baqa

Ms. Horeia Gazmawy

aqa is an Arab town in B Israel close to Hadera. It is a beautiful town. We have four elementary schools, two junior high schools and one high school. There are forty four teachers on the staff and five hundred and seventy pupils in our school. The students used to infuriate us by helping each other with set- work in order to achieve better marks than anyone else. We have different sports activities during the day, with teachers and parents. Every year we invite the parents to join us in many activities. 16 • Annual Report 1999

We have sport activities at ings. The students exchange ideas, peace is the only way to achieve school to raise the level of English share their fears and hopes and their goals. and other languages. We have discover common interests. The schools produce a newspaper educational programs for students. The students visit each other's in Hebrew and Arabic in which the “Children Teaching Children”/ homes, meet each other's families, students describe their activities and “Yami” begin to understand each other and feelings. This program aims to break all agree that the peace process At school we use the book “We and down stereotyped images that both must be continued despite the Our Neighbours” which emphasises Jews and Arabs have about each dangerous difficulties. After many learning to live together, to live in other, through face to face meet- meetings, they are convinced that peace with each other because any other solution will bring blood and killing. Also to learn about our backgrounds and their backgrounds, (culture, language, reli- gion, way of living and thinking). Our school also develops innovative ways and teaching methods and strives to make known the results of our work. Annual Report 1999 • 17

Ben Zvi Junior High School, Kfar Saba Planning the Town of Tomorrow

Carmela Goldglass

et me tell you about our L new project that we have carried out this school year and which is unique and has been studied by schools and educators throughout the country. We were invited to join a of Kfar Saba. (The idea was to future mall in our town, Kfar Saba”. project suggested in Barcelona to involve teenagers in town planning In our project we decided to consider study the topic of “Fair Trade” in for the future) the needs and desires of young Israel and provide another 10 We combined these two initi- people, needs of our town and area countries in the world with the atives and decided to carry out a and other facts concerning principles information and study about our project to provide answers about in town planning and in commerce. partners as well. the topic of commerce in the town So , what did we do? At the same time we were of the future. • We created six groups of 10- challenged by the town planner of To become both more specific 13 students to deal with the the municipality of Kfar Saba to and more relevant to the world of project. encourage our students to take part the teenagers, we made up our • 20 teachers from our school in the planning of the futuristic town minds that our topic would be “The started learning about town 18 • Annual Report 1999

planning guided by a town planner who taught us new concepts and a completely new language and attitude. • 6 teachers taking part in the group previously discussed, became the groups’ counselors and led the children through the entire process accompanied by experts and parents who are involved in marketing, town planning, architecture and trade. • Many meetings were held with mall managers, and owners of businesses. • Each group decided on a marketing fields as well as in the tations were held in front of a specific direction they wanted computer field. They collected large audience which required to investigate. For example: a information from articles and the pupils (9th graders) to be futuristic food zone, a special from the Internet taking large very clear and specific and to zone for teenagers, a Mediter- successful malls such as “The stand and perform in front of ranean style mall, the most Mall of America” as examples. many people. successful and profitable mall • Each group was evaluated three The ideas were fantastic and the in the Middle East. times during this period by whole project made all of us in school • Each group of pupils worked for experts, peers and parents think, talk, and work differently. We 20 weeks accompanied by according to their presentation feel the great change in us adults and experts in the planning and on the computer. The presen- students’ ability and attitude, alike. Annual Report 1999 • 19

Tira Junior High School, Tira Co-Existence Project

Gazi Iraqi

group. The discussions were held with a very big and successful party willingly and successfully. attended by the mayors of the two A number of decisions were agreed towns, parents, headmasters, upon concerning the importance of teachers and head teachers of the he activities that have been such meetings and their influence two schools. T performed in the frame of on the population of the two towns. At the end of the party the two the project of the co-existence 2.12.1998 principals of the schools asked the between Tira Junior High School “A” A meeting to plan the activities for mayors to organize a meeting next and Ben Zvi Junior High School, Kfar the 8th grades, was held in Tira. We year between the citizens of the two Saba, are as follows: agreed upon all the activities to towns and to invite representatives 23.9.1998 achieve the goals of the project. from all over the country. At a meeting of the representatives 25. 12. 1998 10.2.1999 from the two schools they decided The second meeting of parents. We were invited to the El-dad Junior on the new and additional stages About 80 parents from the two High School in Netanya after they of the project and the ways of towns participated. The meeting was heard about the project. In this application. held in Ben Zvi Junior High School in meeting it was decided to start with 15.11.1998 Kfar Saba under the guidance of a meetings of one class from each The second meeting of teachers person from the Ministry of Edu- school to work on the project of co- from the two schools. A teacher cation. All the parents were active existence next year. from Bet-Berl guided the workshop and ready to work. The mutual work, educators, by a survey and a questionnaire in 24. 1. 1999 students and parents activities to order to try to provide answers to Mutual meeting held in Kfar Saba create a better understanding bet- all the demands and goals of the between the pupils of the 8th grades ween Jews and Arabs has been project. from the two schools for summing carried out for the last ten years and 23.11.1998 up all the activities and decisions includes meetings at the schools, at Parents meeting; about 80 parents that were taken and carried out each other’s homes and outdoor from Kfar Saba and Tira attended. during the previous meetings. activities and makes a big difference The meeting was held in Kfar Saba. 2.2. 1999 for all participants who attempt to The leaders from the Ministry of This was the march from Kfar Saba break through stereotypes and Education held workshops in groups to Bet-Berl, and from Tira to Bet- become more aware of each other's with a different subject for each Berl. The march ended in Bet-Berl needs. 20 • Annual Report 1999

Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam Primary School

Bob Mark

Description of the Project: The Neve Shalom/Wahat al-salam (NS/WAS) Primary School is a Jewish-Palestinian bilingual school. Half of the teachers and pupils in the school are Palestinians and half are Jewish, all of them citizens of Israel. bilingual education. In the year Material: Objectives of the Project: 2002 the school plans to open a Much of the material used comes The school strives to serve as a junior high school level. from the Israeli Ministry of Edu- model for bilingual education else- cation. The staff needs to create where in Israel increasing number Implementation: material to supplement the regular of teachers who visit Ihe NS/WAS The pupils learn reading, writing text books. Scilooi every year reflects growing and arithmetic as they would in Evaluation: demand in the country to learn many schools. However the bi- The school has been accepted by about this alternative educational national and bilingual structure of the Ministry of Education as an approach. The school has been the school forces the teachers and experimental school. A few small working to respond to this demand pupils to confront different pers- research projects have been con- by preparing the opening of a pectives and languages, enriching ducted in the past and the school resource and teacher training center the subject matter of the regular is searching for funding for major in the field of Jewish-Palestinian curriculum. research. Annual Report 1999 • 21

The Jewish-Arab Center for Peace, Givat Haviva Children Teaching Children

Children Teaching Children has been chosen as an international model of dialogue between two conflicting communities and will be featured for fifteen months at the Millennium Village, Epcot Center, Disneyworld, Florida and at Expo 2000 in Hannover, Germany. peace and co-existence and edu- members, as well as facilitators who During these two important cation towards democracy and work as freelancers. Over 12,000 exhibits we have been given the human dignity. The different depart- people participate in our various opportunity to present cultural ments at the Center deal with an activities during the course of a year, events which will express our array of issues in various methodo- most of them youngsters from desire for dialogue and peace to logies: education, instruction of around the country. Senior staff people of all ages, cultures, and languages, research, counseling members participate in programs nationalities. This will also express and community work. They reach and conferences around the world, UNESCO’S theme of Culture of out to many sectors of society including the USA, Europe, South Peace to millions of people. involving children, teenagers, and Africa and Asia, carrying our The following is a short des- adults of different ethnic and message abroad and bringing back cription of our center’s activities: religious groups in Israel. The new insights and expertise. The Jewish-Arab Center for Center's staff consists of approxi- The Center conducts its activities Peace promotes education towards mately 30 full time and part time within six departments: 22 • Annual Report 1999

● Education for Peace and Institute publishes its findings ship between Arabs and Jews Democracy offers seminars and holds colloquia and semi- in the region. The department and workshops on this subject nars. This year the Institute currently co-sponsors prog- for Jewish and Arab students published the integrative study: ramming in tandem with the and educators such as “Children 7 Roads Theoretical Options for Palestinian Authority and deals Teaching Children” and “Face to the Status of the Arabs in Israel. with such subjects as women's Face”. An extended library and infor- issues, education for peace, mation center is also open for and face-to-face encounters. ● The Institute for Arabic the public. Studies offers short classes and ● The Counseling Center for year-long courses in Arabic ● Community and Social Peace Education assists and language and culture and en- Involvement offers courses counsels other institutions on richment seminars for Arab and seminars which promote how to create and run prog- teachers. The Institute features empowerment to women in rams of Peace Education. The a language lab with 24 stations. their communities. Additionally, Center conducts teacher's workshops for teachers and courses, organizes seminars ● The Institute for Peace other professionals are regularly and programs for students and Research engages in academic offered to the Arab community. has established a resource research on topics concerning center. Jewish-Arab relations in the ● Regional Cooperation primary State of Israel and the status of aim is to develop an under- Arab citizens in Israel. The standing and working relation- Annual Report 1999 • 23

Gordon College of Education, Haifa

The Multicultural Educational Resource Center (MERC)

Dr. Rhonda Sofer

eaching staff of over 200 Tmembers who hold degrees of higher learning and rank from full professors to lecturers. We have approximately 1,500 students studying in our Four Year Bachelor of Education Program, hundreds of teachers studying in a special Bachelor of Education Program for aware of the multicultural nature of Education established the Multi- certified teachers, and thousands of Israeli population and felt that there cultural Educational Resource educators who attend and partici- is a real need to address this issue Center (MERC). MERC’s aim is to pate in enrichment programs offered of working and teaching in a multi- promote pluralistic values based on throughout the year. cultural classroom. Prejudice and mutual respect and understanding As a teacher’s college, our staff negative stereotypes of different and enhancing attitudes of tolerance is involved in close supervision of ethnic and minority groups and the and coexistence between different their students who are sent to over lack of tolerance towards cultural cultural, ethnic, religious and secular 100 different Hebrew and Arabic differences, are all problems that we groups in Israel through working Language schools in the north for felt were necessary to address in a with educational leaders. In order their student teaching experience. concrete manner. to promote these values were have By being closely involved in the To take on this challenge, in several programs. reality of Israeli schools, we are January 1997 Gordon College of We developed a specia-lization 24 • Annual Report 1999

educational track which focuses on teachers on educating children to them a better understanding of the the dynamics of teaching in a live in a multicultural society. whole issue of multicultural educ- multicultural society. Today we have We organize conferences for ation in Israel. We also facilitate over 12 different courses and all of Israeli educators on various topics meetings between Arabic and our students, Israel’s future relating to Multiculturalism in Israel. Hebrew speak-ing schools through teachers, take our courses before Our National Conferences have developing programs for inter- they graduate. dealt with a variety of topics ranging cultural communication and activ- We develop learning materials from Israel a Multicultural Society, ities and providing a facilitating staff aimed at promoting the values of East Meets West in Literature, and to help the schools involved. tolerance and respect in children The Israeli Woman in a Multicultural All of these programs are from kindergarten ages through Society. aimed to promote values of tolerance, high school. Our staff has been Each of our students experien- understanding and co-existence, responsible for the development ces field trip during the course of first among the future educators of of several books and learning prog- their studies in which they learn first our country and secondly to the rams on this topic. hand about different ethnic and children where our future lies. We provide enrichment prog- minority groups. Educating Towards Peace for this rams, at MERC’s center as well as in We offer multicultural educa- New Millennium needs to be aimed schools themselves, for Israeli tional field trips for our staff to give at these two populations.