The school twinning between the Clore Tikva Primary School in London and the Kerner Ma'ale HaGalil Primary School in Meona focuses on people to people connections, shared Jewish values and the message of Am Ehad. When the teachers' delegation from the Kerner School visited Clore Tikva July 2-8 head teacher Gila Mickel and four teachers from the P2K Confrontation Line Region integrated a serious mission with their stay.

Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier held in captivity in the Gaza Strip since June 25, 2006, attended the Kerner School from age six to twelve. For the past two years the awareness of his situation and efforts for his release have held a prominent place in school life.

During his first year of captivity one of the Kerner teachers came across a story he had written as a pupil in her class. The story "The Fish and the Whale" relates how a fish and a whale became friends although they should naturally be enemies. Kerner pupils have read and participated in activities about Gilad and his story, and the twinned schools decided that Clore Tikva should also share in this experience.

The Kerner teachers entered each Clore Tikva class to tell about Gilad, read his story to each class and conducted discussions suited to each age level on being friends, qualities important in friendship and how Gilad felt when he wrote the story. The older children expressed stimulating insights on Gilad's situation, how he feels today, and on living in peace with each other and with our neighbours.

Then each class enjoyed an art activity associated with "The Fish and the Whale" and the story's implications. Activities included making a mobile or key chain of fish and whales labeled with qualities of good friends, illustrations of the story, and making enlarged "stamps" expressing prayers and special wishes to Gilad. Several of these were sent with the Kerner teachers to present to the Shalit family.

This school to school experience epitomizes the true meaning of our Partnership - sharing not only joyous occasions, but also the difficult times, giving and receiving understanding and support, learning from each other and knowing that we truly are Am Ehad.

Updates on Gilad Shalit and the story of "The Fish and the Whale" can be found on the Internet site: http://www.habanim.org/en/gilad_en.html