Hand-in-Hand plans first Arab Jewish high school

The latest news from Hand-in-Hand director Amin Khalaf about the foundation partner's progress in popularising Arab-Jewish education in Israel:

Dear Friend,

As spring draws ever nearer, I can feel the excitement of growth and renewal that comes with the season. In this spirit of optimism (the same that drives us forward), I wanted to update you on recent developments at Hand in Hand.

• Growth and Registration: All four schools have begun registering new students for the coming fall 2008. Due to the high demand for the excellent integrated education offered by Hand in Hand, we expect to receive over 130 new students.
• New High School in Jerusalem: Hand in Hand has submitted documentation to the Israeli Ministry of Education in preparation for its fall 2008 opening of the world’s first bilingual Arab-Jewish high school. Starting with the 10th grade, we will eventually offer young citizens of Israel the chance to study together in a comprehensive, integrated framework from ages 3-18.
• Visit from the Minister of Education: On February 18th, 2008, Hand in Hand’s Max Rayne Jerusalem School welcomed Israel’s Minister of Education, Professor Yuli Tamir, for a visit to witness our unique model of pluralistic education. During the visit, she expressed her personal support for our work while offering to help set up meetings with other Ministry officials in preparation for our future expansion. (Attached is an earlier photo of me and the Minister at January’s Jaffa Conference.)
• 3rd Annual Bilingual Conference: In partnership with the University of Haifa, Hand in Hand organized our third annual Conference on Bilingual Education. Nearly 200 educators, researchers, and parents attended the conference, which discussed the successes and challenges of bilingual education in the State of Israel. (Attached is a photo of the Wadi Ara School’s choir, which gave a beautiful performance.)
• Hand in Hand in the press: The Jerusalem Post wrote an article about our high school plans.

An enterprise like Hand in Hand, unique in its work and critical in its mission, depends on the support of individuals like you who are committed to a shared future in the Middle East. I thank you for your support and look forward to keeping you up-to-date on the latest exciting happenings at Hand in Hand.

Yours,
Amin Khalaf
Director and Co-Founder