"At the beginning, we feared the encounter with the group from ORT Darski'" said Khader from ORT Shafie.
"Before the encounter, I had the feeling that all Jews hate us; I had prejudices about them. Something has changed inside me," said Ibrahim from ORT Shefai.
"The process changed the way I look at things; I am no longer so angry; I feel that they understand me better. I no longer look at them as enemies, but as friends," said Leila.
Dvir adds to her statement: "We began the workshop about the Holocaust and worked a lot on the topic of racism, and we also related to the Arabs. The facilitator stressed to us that one mustn't make generalizations - You can't say, for example, that all the Arabs hate Jews. The encounters allowed us to get to know friends from ORT Shefai."
At the concluding event two mothers approached me and asked that we expand the process to include parents: "The children comment to us at home that we mustn't talk that way, that it's forbidden to say that the... are... It isn't easy to change ways of thinking and speaking."
How Did all this Take Place?
The Akko schools, ORT Darski and ORT Hilmi Shefai, from the days when it was still called the Arab Comprehensive School, have been working together with the Center for Humanistic Education at the Ghetto Fighters' Museum for close to ten years.
This Center works with more than 20 Jewish and Arab schools in the north to deepen the value-oriented and social insights ensuing from the Holocaust.
Two principals from Akko, Lea Haliwa and Muhammad Hajuj, with the support of the Western Galilee Partnership 2000, closely mentored by Dr. Yehuda Peled, joined forces to give new momentum to the program. The process began with the selection of two teachers who devoted themselves to the process and gave their all to it - time, love, thought, enlistment of their families, etc.
Yafit Cohen and Ayesha Morsy last summer took part in a preparatory workshop at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, along with Steve Robbins, a teaching colleague from Canton, Ohio. The workshop was facilitated by me and my partner, Lynn Williams, the director of a parallel project at the USHMM. We could already learn about the difficulties awaiting us from the not to be taken for granted combination of the three teachers, each one of whom comes from a different cultural and national background.
The students from the two schools in Akko participated in weekly workshops from the beginning of the year, in which they went into major issues from the Holocaust and from the background to its occurrence in depth. Learning was done in a way that encourages a humanistic and democratic outlook which emphasizes the basic values of tolerance and the equality of human beings.
The study of the Holocaust and its significance served as a bridge for the meetings between the cultures. The meetings took place at the Ghetto Fighters' Museum: two single afternoon meetings and following them a two-day intensive seminar together, with an overnight stay at the museum and much hard work in the workshops. Simultaneously, all the students corresponded with friends from the USA via e-mail and in virtual meetings via videoconference.
On May 24, they gathered at the Center for Humanistic Education at the Ghetto Fighters' Museum for a graduation ceremony attended by the students and their parents, the school principals and the three teachers in charge - Yafit from ORT Darski, Ayesha from Hilmi Shefai and Steven from Glen Oak in Canton, Ohio. If not for them, Nofar, Ibrahim, Khader, Leila, Dvir and their friends would not have reached the new insights that have changed the way they view their living together in the city of Akko.
What is the Triwizard ?
"Partnership 2000 - Jewish agency" - represented by dr. Yehuda peled and the "Jewish Federation"represented by Mrs. Martha lottman - came with an idea that: three groups - two from israel and one from Canton Ohio - Usa will produce a constant dialog. The two groups from Israel - Jewish and Arabs will become one group that has its own relationship.
All this process will be creatad with the help of The getto fighters house and the manager - Mrs. Raya kalisman and the manager of the holocaust museum in Washington - Mrs lynn williams.
Our top mission
As members of three distinct and rich cultures, we will actively explore our shared humanity as we build bridges through open dialogue and joint activities.
We will learn, grow, and most importantly, seek to make a positive difference in our lives, and the lives of those we touch, wherever our journeys lead us.
By embracing the values we share, we will strive to be stronger together than we are alone.
The creation of triwizard
The preparation started in Israel and in USA. Dr. Yehuda Peled, Mrs Raya Kalisman, The two principals - Haliva Lea and Muhamad Hajuj prepared the two teachers in Israel and Mrs Martha Lottman prepared the two teachers in the USA.
Aicha and Yaffit were getting ready to the trip to the USA - there they were going to meet all the people that are going to support this project.
We knew that the general concept of this program would be created in Washington.
In Washington we met Mrs Martha lottman, Mrs Raya Kalisman, the wonderful host - Mrs Lynn Wiliams and our two great colleagues in Canton: Mrs Susan Barry and Mr Steve Robinns. from the first minute we knew "this is going to work" there was a click between the four teachers : Steve, Susan, Aicha, Yaffit.
Lynn and Raya organized for us three significant days. from the tour in Washington to the woderful workshops.
We got to know eachother from the name to the family story of everyone. Some of us even discovered new things about themselves.
We had the honor to tour the museum with a private guide that did an excellent work - we could have stayed with him a few more hours than we did.
The highlight of the workshop was the movie that we saw together about the Israeli Arabs and the trauma that they went through in 1948.
Aicha was very surprised at the similarity between the movie and her family story.
Then we learned that most of the good, bad and in between, start with education.
All the third day in Washington we tried to consolidate a general framework and a top mission.
I want to mention the excellent dinner that we shared. not just the good food but also the great energy and the good feelings that surrounded all of us.
Canton Ohio - means to me : a wonderfull woman - Martha lottman - no one in my life made me feel like i am in my own home as she did - thank you Martha.
Steve and Mary Jo hosted us in an open house . we got to know some of Steve's studants , a reporter asked us some questions about the project, Steve came up with a top mission that all of us agreed with, Susan showed us the i.d that she prepared and all of us enjoyed each other's company and a great dinner - not forgetting the good humus
On Friday night we dined with the Rabbi of Canton and his wife.
After dinner we all went to synagogue to present our project.
All the four teachers on a stage - presenting themselves and their community's interest in the project. The people were very nice and showed a real interest in the project.
Saturday noon - we had to leave - we did not know how to say thank you for that kind of hospitality - every word will make the value of this hospitality less than it really was.
thank you all: Lynn, Raya, Steve, Susan and Martha
The israeli triwizard.
Frame work
Our work will be done at two courses:
1. Dialog between the Israelis and the Americans.
2. Dialog between the two groups in Israel, so that they can become one united group.
A. To get to know eachother, by names, photos, etc...
B. To build a deeper I.D to know eachother qualities.
C. To spread eachother family story.
D. To take our best values out of our stories.
E. To unit our best values and to spread it to the macro society.
F. To document all the activities by a partnership final project.
3. Once in two weeks two israeli groups will go to the "Getto Fighters House" and will activate at the same activities.
at the end of this activities the two groups will become one.
The two groups from Akko in Israel:
1- Aicha's group from Ort Hilmi Shafae school.
2- Yafit's group from Ort Darsky school.
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