The Hindu : International : Jerusalem schools reach across the big divide

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Wednesday, Apr 07, 2004

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International

Jerusalem schools reach across the big divide

By Diane Taylor— @ Guardian Newspapers Limited 2004

JERUSALEM, APRIL 6. Visiting an education project that promotes peaceful coexistence between two rival factions in the middle of a virtual war zone is not always easy. The first time I tried to get to an event in Jerusalem due to be attended by Jewish and Arab children, it had to be postponed at the 11th hour because one of the Jewish school caretakers was killed in a explosion on a bus by a Palestinian suicide bomber.

The caretaker, from Nisui school in the centre of west Jerusalem, had been involved in the project, the Israeli Centre for Creativity in Education and Cultural Heritage, for more than a decade. Instead of the activities the children had been looking forward to, some of them would be attending a funeral.

The tragedy was not the first to hit the project — nor was it the last. Less than a month after the caretaker's death, there was another bus bombing in Jerusalem, killing eight. This time an 18-year-old student from the same school was among the dead. Nine of his fellow pupils were hurt in the blast. But Simon Lichman, who runs the project, says those involved on both sides are used to coping with adversity and remain remarkably resilient.

The suicide bombings, devastating for those caught up in them, spread fear and panic throughout the Israeli population. The Israeli raids on Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip claim lives and traumatise the civilian population. The Israeli house demolitions, the checkpoints and the curfews, confine and humiliate. All of this has become part of the daily mosaic of terror in the region.

``The reality for all of us, Jews and Arabs, is that we are in constant danger while at the same time leading ordinary lives,'' says Mr. Lichman.

It is the ``ordinary'' bit that Mr. Lichman focuses on. His project uses the folklore and traditions of Jewish and Arab families to bind together two groups who are sometimes fearful and often ignorant of the ``other''.

The children's parents and grandparents are their offspring's homework — traditional food, games and toys passed down generations, family stories and traditional songs. First, children ask their families about these things. Then they report back to their teachers and classmates; a lesson a week is earmarked for this. Next, a pair of classes, one from a Jewish and one from an Arab school, come together with their parents and teachers to share food, games and information.

Over the course of the two to three years children and their families spend in the programme, barriers come down and trust grows, says Mr. Lichman. The activities do not attempt to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict nor to apportion blame. However, each side sends messages of condolence to the other when casualties are incurred as a result of the spiralling violence. One Jerusalem bus bombing left a Nisui pupil and his father in hospital. The father died but his son recovered. Children from Ein Rafa sent cards to the family, which they displayed in the son's hospital room. When some Israeli visitors asked how they could put such cards up, the family replied: ``They are reaching out to us and it helps in this hour of tragedy.''

The project has changed attitudes, too. A group of Jewish students were making their first visit to a Palestinian school in the village of Jabal Mukhaber, which lies just beyond Israel's 1967 border. They were welcomed very warmly and only after they had left did they discover that the home of one of the children had been demolished by Israeli soldiers the day before because the family did not have a building permit. The Jewish children were horrified and for the first time began to understand the impact of Israeli army house demolitions on Arab families.

On my second attempt to visit, I get to see this principle in action. It is a chilly March day; the bleached white stone of Jerusalem and the brilliant blue of the sky are dazzling as we pile into Mr. Lichman's car. It is stuffed with people and breads (the theme of today's activity) and we head for Ein Rafa, an Arab village on the outskirts of Jerusalem.

The school there, Ein Rafa-Naquba, has worked with the Nisui school for more than seven years. In some parts of Israel, such as Haifa, Jews and Arabs live side by side, but in Jerusalem Jewish and Arab neighbourhoods are separate. In the Jewish part the fear is palpable. People scurry around, afraid to enter shops or cafes with no guard on the door, afraid of buses, afraid to listen to the interminable news bulletins.

In Ein Rafa the atmosphere is relaxed. The children involved in the activity, entitled Traditional Breads and Spreads, are 11- and 12-year-olds. They know each other well from previous meetings; some have forged firm friendships and visit each other's homes. The children and their parents greet each other affectionately, exchanging hugs and kisses. Class teachers are seen as the key to their communities. To date, 10 different schools have been involved with the project: around 500-700 children a year.

Mohadir Barhoum, head of the sixth grade (11- and 12-year-olds) at Ein Rafa-Naquba school, welcomes everyone. The children run off to play football together while parents and teachers catch up on family news and unpack a seemingly endless selection of breads and spicy dips. At the joint meeting immediately following the recent death of the student from Nisui school, Barhoum made a moving speech. She referred to the student as ``one of our own'' and said to the children: ``You are all our children, we have worked together as communities for so many years and now we grieve together.''

``Projects like this one bring communities together,'' says Mr. Barhoum. ``The philosophy of our school is to respect all human beings whatever their nationality, religion and gender. We want to live in peace together, quietly. This project gives a lot to children, parents and teachers. It takes out the fear of the other for both sides.'' Mr. Lichman is frustrated that the project, which is largely funded by private foundations, does not have the capacity to do more work in more schools.

``How long have the politicians had to sort this conflict out and have they attained any level of success? If we were given the same amount of time and resources, just think how much we could achieve. When people talk about our work being a drop in the ocean I say: "We are the ocean and the ripple effect from each pair of Jewish and Arab classes which join together is enormous.''

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