Foundations for Partnership

The “Foundations for partnership” program enables school students to deepen their acquaintance with their religious culture and tradition (Judaism, Christianity or Islam) and to expand their knowledge of the other’s religious culture and tradition. The program aims to promote understanding, respect and intercultural tolerance, and encourage the development of social and interpersonal skills in a multicultural society.

To combat prejudice and stereotypes towards the ‘other’ that are rooted in ignorance, “Foundations for partnership”, in operation since 2006, is a Jewish-Arab school-twinning program that directly involves school principals, teachers and pupils, and benefits some 800 -1200 Jewish, Christian and Muslim children every year. 

“Foundations for partnership” operates on the assumption that we live in a multi-faceted society and that we must recognize and appreciate this complexity. It is the complexity and the difference that enrich our lives in Israel; they invite opportunities for learning and encourage positive values such as democracy and pluralism.

The program works out of the belief that when we come to know others different from us, it is important to focus not only on what we have in common but also on learning about difference, recognizing and respecting it. We believe that prejudices, one-dimensional vision and stereotypes are products of ignorance, and that not only hatred and fear are created, but also disdain for other people and religions. 

The uniqueness of this project and what facilitates its substantial impact is the fact that it works with school principals and teachers in order to maximize the impact on school students. The project trains educators in promoting dialogue among students on religious, communal and individual histories, identities and needs, and guides them in helping students overcome fear and misinformation. With the support of principals and the supervision of teachers trained by the Rossing Center’s staff, students together explore similarities and shared values – and differences as well – in their complex identities and religious trajectories and acquire the interpersonal skills necessary for positive communication. ‘Dialogue and Identity’ thus provides an opportunity very few school communities have, namely to challenge the ongoing norm of separation and segregation between Arab and Jewish students by bringing them together several times over the school year, and providing a setting for experiential, mutual learning.

This Program is also co-funded by the EU.