Improving a School with a Multicultural Society

The words "A discerning eye, a guiding hand, and a feeling heart" are carved into the stone walls of ORT's Yad Shapira High School in Tel Aviv, and these simple, eloquent words are the driving principles behind this pioneering school. Yad Shapira's primary goals are to train and educate its students to be productive members of Israel's society and workforce, as well as to foster a multicultural, humanist community in Israel, where the ideals of tolerance, respect, and solidarity with peoples of all backgrounds are paramount.

The school, established in 1965 and located in Tel Aviv, is renowned for successfully assisting new immigrants with their absorption into their new homeland's schools, businesses, and society. Recently, the school has developed a new curriculum that actively promotes understanding and tolerance among the various religions and cultures of Israel's increasingly multiethnic community.

Students in grades 9 through 13, as well as their parents and staff, are taught English, Hebrew, Arabic, and Russian, in addition to being educated about Jewish, Christian, and Muslim traditions, religious holidays, and values. Over 500 students-Jews, Christian and Muslim Arabs, and immigrants--are currently enrolled at Yad Shapira. The contact between the diverse cultures that is facilitated at Yad Shapira is a vital opportunity for its students' growth and enrichment, and is a sure path towards peace and understanding for future generations in our increasingly diverse and complex world.

Contributions to this project will enable ORT to:

• Enact a curriculum that teaches and instills an understanding of the language, culture and values of other groups;

• Create lessons that introduce immigrant students to Jewish life, identity and culture;

• Sponsor visits to holy sites of Jews, Christians and Muslims; and

• Schedule meetings with other school groups representing different Jewish, Christian and Muslim cultures.