Avi Chai - Israel - Encouraging Jewish Study: State Schools

The alienation of secular Israelis from Jewish culture and study continues to preoccupy the Foundation. A healthy Jewish society depends on all of its communities to engage in the development of its cultural life. Tragically, a significant part of secular Israel has relegated Judaism to the religious. AVI CHAI aspires to encourage Jewish study and literacy among secular Israeli Jews so that they can become active and knowledgeable partners in the shaping of Jewish life in Israel. The Foundation continues to focus on three primary areas of support: (1) encouraging Jewish study programs for secular adults, primarily in informal frameworks; (2) promoting Jewish culture in the media, especially television; and (3) enhancing Jewish studies in the state (non-religious) school system.

Hartman Jewish Educational Empowerment
A program of teacher training and classroom support to revitalize Jewish studies in state high schools, with more than 80 high schools associated with the Shalom Hartman Institute participating. The Hartman Institute develops educational materials and offers enrichment programs for school principals, intensive training courses for teachers of Jewish studies, and pedagogical support for teachers in schools. So far the Hartman Institute has trained more than 125 principals and 300 teachers. In 2005/06, the Institute shifted its emphasis from training teachers to providing direct pedagogical support to schools, while continuing to develop educational materials for the program. In 2008/09, the Institute again offered courses for principals and teachers, while continuing to provide direct pedagogical support for 23 schools and less intensive support for the other schools associated with the program. An evaluation carried out in December 2005 and a pilot evaluation conducted in 2006/07 indicate that the project has had a significant positive influence on student attitudes to Jewish studies.

http://hartman.org.il

Hebrew Culture in Tel Aviv
An AVI CHAI grant, matched by the Tel Aviv municipality, which provides support for the enhancement of Jewish studies in Tel Aviv's school system. The program takes a multi-stage, process-oriented approach to working in schools, tailoring its efforts to the profile and needs of each school. The project began in 2005/06, when it focused on training principals from all Tel Aviv high schools (state and state-religious). The following year was devoted to developing or enhancing Jewish educational activities in the high schools and in six elementary schools, assisted by project facilitators. During 2008/09 the facilitation activity and the number of schools involved have expanded to include additional elementary schools. The municipality hopes that the project eventually will encompass a city-wide educational effort.

Ma'arag
A new effort, initiated and fully funded by AVI CHAI, to promote excellence in Jewish studies, Zionism, and civic education in the state school system. The goal is to develop a corpus of model mamlachti (non-religious) schools that embrace and exemplify high educational standards and values in areas related to AVI CHAI's mission.

Candidate schools in Ma'arag, selected after a careful screening process, are expected over a period of two-and-a-half years to work toward meeting the project's standards of excellence. Ma'arag provides a facilitator and budget for in-service and instructional support; these resources, however, are catalysts for the real work of effecting school change, which depends on the commitment and efforts of each school's leadership and staff. Schools are required to develop and implement a school-wide work plan, initially in targeted curricular areas, and eventually encompassing the broad spectrum of school life.

Two cohorts, or a total of ten schools, have earned Ma'arag certificates of excellence so far, and are expected to continue to refine their educational programs over an additional period of three years. Another 18 schools are in various stages of progress toward meeting Ma'arag standards. The project is being supervised by a steering committee, and coordinated with the Ministry of Education.

Mikranet
Development of a website and online resources to support the teaching and study of Bible. In September 2003, AVI CHAI began a three-year grant to the Center for Educational Technology, Snunit and Gesher, three major independent educational organizations, to develop Internet-based tools to enhance the quality of Bible teaching in state mamlachti schools (and eventually to reach a broader audience as well). Designed to comply with the Ministry of Education's new Bible guidelines, Mikranet comprises: on-line access to the Bible, modern and classical commentaries, Mishna, Talmud, and Midrash; a large database from multiple disciplines to support Bible teaching including art and video; web-based teaching materials; and an on-line Teacher Center for information exchange and assistance.

www.mikranet.org.il

Morasha
An AVI CHAI initiative to develop a network of state and state religious schools that offer a comprehensive Jewish education to their students, with special attention to addressing the values and needs of children of masorti (traditional) families. Morasha seeks to nurture schools that embrace Jewish study and celebration, promote the values of diversity and social responsibility, and strengthen the links between school and home. A total of 28 schools, elementary and secondary, work with Morasha, including a new cohort of thirteen schools that joined during 2007/08.

Morasha's staff works with schools to formulate and implement yearly work plans designed to develop a comprehensive program of Jewish education; train principals and school leadership teams; and develop curricular materials.

Morasha points to progress in a number of areas among its growing network of schools: principals and teachers devote increasing time to Jewish education; an expanding circle of staff is involved; Jewish content is penetrating a wide range of school activities; masorti students are viewed increasingly as an asset to their schools; and regular exchanges between staff of mamlachti and religious schools have generated the development of joint study materials and a sense of shared Jewish identity.

AVI CHAI is the primary funder of this initiative, which also benefits from the support of Alliance Israelite Universelle.

http://www.morasha.org.il/

Revivim
A program of teacher training at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem to revitalize Jewish studies in state high schools. The four-year program recruits exceptional students and provides them with an intensive academic and educational training, at the end of which they receive a master's degree in Jewish studies and a teaching certificate, and commit to teaching in state high schools for at least four years. Revivim has recruited nine cohorts of teachers-in-training, five of which are graduates now teaching in the field. In 2007/08 an evaluation was begun to assess the contribution and influence of 67 alumni from the first three cohorts of the program who teach in state schools around the country. The first stage of this evaluation affirms the conclusions of an earlier evaluation of the first two cohorts - that the alumni represent outstanding additions to the school system. AVI CHAI has provided support to all but the second cohort.

http://www.revivim.huji.ac.il/

Yad Ben-Zvi Bible Curriculum
A new Bible curriculum for 4th 5th, and 6th graders in state elementary schools. The curriculum was developed by Dr. Oded Lipshitz of the Tel Aviv University Bible Department; Yehudit Lipshitz, a master Bible teacher, and Omer Sergi, a doctoral student and Bible teacher. The guiding principle behind Yad Ben-Zvi's curriculum is that the Bible should serve as the foundation of a school's program, representing a curricular platform from which to learn geography, literature, science, language, and related subjects, and to explore values and issues relevant to the students. So far, Yad Ben-Zvi has developed textbooks and teacher guides for Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and Samuel (I-II). A textbook for Kings is to be completed in 2009. During 2008/09, Yad Ben-Zvi's texts are being taught in some 120 schools. AVI CHAI's grant supports marketing of the curriculum and teacher training and supervision.

YAHALOM
Promotes parent-child study and activities related to Jewish sources, within the framework of state elementary and junior high schools. YAHALOM began as a program of after-school sessions for parents and children in schools with significant immigrant populations and grew to include similar programs for "veteran" school populations, as well as learning communities of ten families who meet monthly, and summer programs for families. Since 2004/05, YAHALOM has shifted its focus to deeper work in a select group of about 25 schools, which are expected to adopt YAHALOM as an integral part of their school program. With the help of a team of professional facilitators, YAHALOM promotes schools in which: Jewish culture and values are integral to the school's mission and curriculum; Jewish texts are referenced and taught regularly; Jewish content is integrated in a wide range of school activities; and parent-child study is incorporated throughout the school - in classrooms, whole-school activities, homework assignments, and family learning communities. AVI CHAI is the primary funder of YAHALOM.