“This is bigger than smiling children, this is social change at its highest level.”

In a society that has long suffered from violent conflict between Jews and Arabs, Hand in Hand is building integration and equality in Israel through a growing network of Jewish-Arab public schools and communities. Started in 1997 with two classes and 50 children, Hand in Hand is now in seven locations across the country, with over 2,000 Arab and Jewish students coming together every day in multicultural and bilingual classrooms.

In the context of renewed violence and polarization in Israel, we are doing our part to create Jewish-Arab partnership and a shared society. We believe in transforming fear and mistrust into friendship and cooperation. Hand in Hand schools are living proof of what is possible when Arabs and Jews refuse to be enemies, choosing instead to live together.