SHARED LIFE EDUCATION DATABASE
Age Group: 1-3 yr. old
Annual No. of Participants:
3 Arab / 6 Jewish.
Region / Location: Rosh Pinna, Northern Region.
Professional staff training: 16 hours in first year.
Evaluation: Internal, ongoing. Results upon request.
At a developmental stage when children begin to acquire language skills, discover their personal identity and start interacting with others, Bustan Hagalil’s bilingual, multiethnic approach has a powerful, formative impact on encouraging co-existence and increasing tolerance among different populations. Today, nine families – 3 Arab and 6 Jewish from Tuba-Zangaria, Rosh Pinna, and the Galilee communities of Amuka and Kahal – send their toddlers to the Bustan Hagalil kindergarten in Rosh Pinna. The children, aged 1 -3, spend Sunday through Thursday at Bustan Hagalil from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm, and Friday until noon. The staff speaks to them in Arabic and Hebrew, they listen to bilingual children’s music, hear stories in both languages, and celebrate the Muslim, Jewish, and Christian holidays together.
School Description
Bustan Hagalil Preschool
Instructors: 2 Arab instuctors &
1 Jewish instructor.
Language Studies: At any given time there are two staff members, one is an Arabic speaker and the other is a Hebrew speaker, and each one learns from the other.
Events & Community: Parents meet on a regular basis along with other supporters and stakeholders, both to chart the growth trajectory of the kindergarten and to find ways to influence broader Arab – Jewish relations in the Upper Galilee. Bustan Hagalil has organized Arab Jewish events in Tuba Zangaria, Rosh Pinna and Amuka, participated in an annual festival of Bedouin culture and in a multicultural event called the Succah of Peace, in Hanukah celebrations with a Reform community and also in Christmas Tree Lighting festivities in Jish (Gush Halab) . Plans for the year ahead include a course in spoken Arabic for Jews, joint study groups, region-wide Arab Jewish events. At every event there is an average number of 30 people.
Yearly Budget
Philanthropic Contribution: 30%
(Domestic only - 12% Headstart Campaign).
Ministry of Education / Govt. Allocation:
N/A for age group.
Total Program Cost: 340,000 NIS
Including initial capital investment.
Tuition: 70%
Other (Municipalities): N/A
The day begins with a welcome drink and cookie, then the children help prepare breakfast. After breakfast, the younger children nap while the older play. After the nap, all have an outside educational activity, tending the kindergarten garden and chicken coop, or visiting a goat farm. When it rains, creative activity is done inside. The children participate in preparing lunch. All nap after lunch, then listen to music, stories, dance and sing in Arabic and Hebrew. With support of the community, the children have exposure to nature, encounters with animals and other activities tailored to the needs of toddlers.