Binational School for Jewish and Palestinian kids

For many of us, playgrounds bring fond memories of new friendships and childhood adventures. However, recent changes in the Ministry of Education’s safety regulations have meant that the “Purple Playground of Friendship” has had to remove swings, slides, and the playhouse. None of this equipment will be replaced by the Ministry of Education.

Last week, with nothing to play on before, during, or after school, the children took their lessons on democracy to heart. They voiced their dissatisfaction by making signs and demonstrating for a replacement playground.

A fundraising committee has been formed with representatives from all classes at the school, determined to renew Purple Playground. The students are taking charge of this project- a child contributed his $5 birthday gift as the first donation towards the new playground. Parents are involved as well, volunteering time and forming their own fundraising committee.

The Primary School’s playground is vital to the mission of the school, enabling Jewish and Arabs children to build bilingual friendships that bridge divides.

We hope that you will support this project and help us to re-create the Purple Playground for the Primary School students. If recess was ever your favorite part of the day, bring that joy to these children. Together, we can provide an accessible, creative playground where cross-cultural play forges strong friendships and hopes for the future. With your help, we can make this goal a reality.

This year is the Primary School’s biggest yet! Fifty-four new students have joined the school, bringing the total number of children enrolled up to 314. This is the largest that the school has
ever been. The Primary School’s growth represents both increasing interest in bilingual and multicultural education and the Primary School’s stellar academic record. To accommodate the school’s
expanding student body, seven new teachers have been hired.

As the Primary School grows and becomes more diverse, funding needs for the school have increased. The Education Ministry recently cut the amount of tuition that the Primary School was allowed to ask for, producing a $130,000 deficit last year and significantly decreasing the amount of subsidy that the Primary School was able to provide for student transportation and supply costs. Friends organizations from around the world are doing what they can to help the Primary School continue to be accessible and affordable for years to come.

As teachers and administrators at the Primary School prepared for their new students, they were also hard at work launching a project that has been in the works for the past three years. The Primary School’s groundbreaking multicultural and bilingual curricula have been collected and developed into a program that can be adapted for
use in schools throughout the country and the world.

The Primary School, with help from Israel's Center for Educational Technology, has created an educational resource with the potential to revolutionize education for thousands of students. The Primary School will be translating the material into English over the next few months and increasing their digital presence, including a website on which the curricula will be available for schools and all others interested in learning more about bilingual and multicultural education.

The Primary School is gearing up for a new school year!. Over the past five years, the Primary School has become larger and more diverse. Enrollment rates are up by twenty percent and the students come from more villages than ever. In times of instability and crisis, growing interest in the Primary School is a sign of hope for the future. This year’s incoming class, which comes from twenty-four villages and many backgrounds, is set to be our largest yet! From the moment they step on the school bus, these children become part of a brighter future. They take in the evidence that a society built on equality and justice is possible— listening to Arabic and Hebrew, seeing families of all faiths living together— and develop that reality in their villages and communities. These children truly are the future. 

We at AFNSWAS have been hard at work supporting these children. The Adopt-a-Class fundraiser, an annual donation drive, supports incoming students and their families as they learn, grow, and become advocates for peace. 

You already think that bilingual, multicultural education at the Primary School is a good idea. Now make it possible for these 24 children to become the builders of tomorrow’s shared society. Together, we can support a peaceful future! 

The Primary School- bilingual, multicultural and always stretching any boundaries of learning- is a finalist for the Ministry of Education’s Prize for Excellency! The 5th grade class designed and built robots for the national competition in Robotics, Mathematics and Cybertech, making it to the finals! A steady stream of visitors watch Arabic and Hebrew-speaking teachers transform children’s differences in language, culture and history into dependable problem-solving strengths.

The Primary School is being asked to assist other schools in learning the art of teaching language as a subject, while also using both languages while teaching special subjects. The school’s unique approach provides all grades with rich  learning opportunities for  Holocaust Day, the Naqba, Memorial Day, Land Day, Ramadan, Christmas, Passover and always brings all parents together for community celebrations like Purim and Olive Harvest”

The joys of learning together across differences touches the families every day…

A Jewish 3^rd grader was speaking with his grandmother about Memorial Day when he suddenly said,

            “ You know, I know about Memorial Day, AND I know it is also the beginning of Ramadan for my friends, but I think that for this year, I won’t fast!”

His grandmother was amazed at her grandson’s sense of solidarity with all of his classmates. After a short time at the Primary School, her grandson was removing barriers, welcoming difference and being true to his own identity.

With your support, one child, one family, one community at a time become healers of nations!