Educational Exchange visit to Detroit and Ann Arbor

The Educational Exchange concluded the same way it was conceived- in a small room filled with eager faces glowing with ideas, a few burekas, and bottles of pop on the table. This setting gave rise to a new educational initiative in Jewish Family Education recently enacted by Parthership 2000. The Educational Exchange was a professional visit of Jewish Family Educators from the region that met with their counterparts in partnering schools in Detroit and Ann Arbor. "We are building a partnership at the level of the professionals allowing us to learn from the different challenges facing each school and work side by side towards our shared future," noted Shulamit Malach, principal of Nofim school, at the first meeting since the delegation returned. Shulamit Malach of "Nofim" in Migdal Haemek, Uri Ruveni of "Gilad" in Nazareth Ilit, Principal Panina Chalvani of "Hermon", and Miriam Chemi of Nahalal in the Jezreal Valley are the four area principals participating in the initiative known as the "School-to-School" project. These four were chosen because their schools currently run Jewish Family Education Curriculums successfully replicated from a pilot project in Jewish Family Education at Nahalal School started by the Ann Arbor Federation a few years ago.

Educational Exchange from the Jezreal Valley, Migdal Haemek, and Nazareth Ilit

Partnership 2000's "School to School" project is an expansion in Jewish Family Education with the joint creation of a new curriculum. To date the partnering schools include "Kol Ami", "Adat Shalom", and "Hebrew Day School of Ann Arbor" to be matched with "Nofim", "Gilad" and "Nahalal" respectively. "Hermon is in the process of being matched with a partnering school. Batia Shimshi, Educational Coordinator in the Partnership 2000 office oversees the delegation and coordinates the implementation of programs in the area heads the "School-to-School" project in the region. The curriculum is being constructed under Dr. Etti Serok, Director of The Frankel Center for Jewish Family Education. Dr. Serok lead the delegation to Detroit and Ann Arbor and oversees the program in Israel as well as coordinates the communication between the partnering schools. The curriculum engages the students and their families in such subjects as holidays, Jewish identity, Jewish values, and Israel and opens a dialogue of learning between the schools. Information, ideas, and school projects can be shared across the Atlantic. Students will have a connection to others in their respective grades and will one day have a chance to in person.

The Educational Exchange was the first face-to-face introduction between the partnering principals and staff. "We were received with such warmth, open arms, professionalism, and endless hospitality" Uri expressed. The atmosphere during the Educational Exchange was filled with excitement, high hopes, and sheer enthusiasm for the work that lies ahead. After the initial pairing the schools will work closely together to shape the shared future in Jewish Education. The Ann Arbor Community has allocated seed money to launch the Northern Branch for the Jewish Family Education Center to advance this educational initiative.

Iyar 5764 - April 2004