There is a special K-12 school system in Israel where both Palestinian and Israeli students learn together.\u00a0 This is a place where students learn value-based education including essential concepts such as mutual respect, human dignity, and empathy towards others.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHand in Hand\u201d is the fitting name for this school system which was created to make this world a better place and to show that Jews and Arabs should not live in separation, fear, and violence.\u00a0 Created in 1997, with 50 students in two campuses, Hand in Hand now has over 2,000 students from 3-18 years of age in six schools across Israel.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not only do the students study together, they also learn a bilingual curriculum with classes in Hebrew and Arabic!\u00a0 Each class has one Jewish and one Arab teacher.\u00a0 According to Hand in Hand, \u201cOur students\u2019 ability to speak the language of \u2018the other\u2019 is essential to engendering a sense of comfort among peers, in spite of cultural differences. It allows children to overcome their fear of \u2018the other,\u2019 and be open to friendship instead<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n These students also have a shared calendar with a purpose of \u201cimmersing students in stories, songs, symbols and traditions of Muslim, Jewish, and Christian holidays.<\/em>\u201d\u00a0 This further provides the opportunity for students to let their heritage shine and learn mutual respect for on another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n