Religious Heritage Curriculum

The curriculum presents texts of the three religions, the Bible, the Koran and the New Testament, as a basis to study topics such as the creation story, the flood, and leadership qualities. Both teachers and subsequently students, explore the similarities and differences between the values being transmitted. As a result, they better understand the cultural and religious values and traditions which are an integral part of their own identity, while gaining an understanding of and appreciation for the culture and religious traditions of additional religions.

Teachers participate in a training program with a HIH Pedagogic Supervisor so as to experience the curriculum themselves, before using it with their students. The teachers then facilitate 8-10 sessions with their students, using this curriculum. As a result of this process participants feel closer to one another as they gain knowledge, appreciation and respect for different religious beliefs. They come to realize that there are not only differences, but also commonalities between them. As Hagit, a Jerusalem School teacher explained:

“The added value is that we first look at the things that the religions have in common, what’s in common and what unites them, and only then do we look at the differences. There are shared values, the Creation story, similar themes from the holidays, similarities in the way they see the connection between people, and between man and God, and also the different and special things that make each religion unique.”