Binational School for Jewish and Palestinian kids

In February, Yael and Michael Melzer, professors at the Jerusalem Academy of Dance and Music, came to Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam to meet the children at school. All the pupils, divided into three 45-minute-sessions by age, had the opportunity to participate in a fascinating musical and educational activity. The couple presented its collection of wind instruments, 13 historical flutes of different ages, shapes and sizes, most of them natural, made entirely of wood. The two musicians played a selection of short musical pieces from the Middle Ages to contemporary times. The artists used the unique multi-cultural setting of the school to emphasize the social role of music, beyond its cultural and aesthetic value: “We want the children to learn to listen, because we believe that the source of violence, especially nowadays, lies precisely in our inability to listen”, says Prof. Melzer. “In Hebrew the word 'ilem' (dumb) and the word 'alimut' (violence) are semantically connected: if you are 'ilem,' then you become 'alim.' On the contrary, if you are able to listen, you also become able to express yourself, and there is no need for you to become 'alim'.”

Links:

• American Friends of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam

On September 1, 2009 the school opened its doors to 55 new children in the primary school and about 20 new children in the preschool. The first day of school is always a day in which there is both awareness of challenges ahead, and a strong determination to meet them and succeed. This enthusiasm is shared by students, teachers and parents alike. One source of optimism this year is the new syllabus that the staff shaped crafted during all the 2008-2009 school year and in the summer break. The syllabus (which still requires some fleshing-out) covers the key subjects of language instruction and civic and environmental studies.

Some of the difficulties from 2008 – 2009 will continue to haunt the school in the current school year. We do not yet know how severely the economic downturn will continue to affect the school, but so far the signs of recovery are not beginning to show.