The Teacher Exchange project between the Shittim School in the Arava and Bialik College in Melbourne has now completed its third year. During the first two years of operation of the project, Bialik College teachers visited the Arava, teaching music, Hebrew and special education at the Shittim School. For the first time this year, two teachers from the Arava spent about three weeks at Bialik College: Margalit Mor and Shula Garfunkel, principal and vice-principal of the Shittim Elementary School. 

The teachers were very warmly received in Melbourne in general, first at a heartwarming reception prepared by Keren Hayesod shaliah Meir Buber, and then throughout the visit, during which AAP (Arava Australia Partnership) members went out of their way to make them feel at home, took them on trips and hosted them for meals. At Bialik College Margalit and Shula felt that they were treated as colleagues in every sense of the word. They felt that they were able to make a contribution, and that the program enriched them greatly. Shula, who is a special education teacher, ran training session focused upon the theoretical side of learning disabilities, which was very well-received.

Upon their return they immediately began making plans for the implementation of two projects to which they were exposed at Bialik College: the Holocaust "Buttons" project in which children of the same age in the Arava and Australia dialogue directly with each other, and the "Reggio Amelia" system for young children. Margalit and Shula expressed gratitude for the opportunity that they had been given, and the hope that this wonderful tradition will continue in years to come.