As the new school year approaches, the Primary School at Wahat al-Salam Neve Shalom is preparing to welcome its students back. This summer has been a period of practical renewal, intensive planning, and determined work to ensure that the school can begin the year on the strongest possible footing. Renovations have been carried out, and the Association, school staff, parents, and community are working together to prepare for the year ahead.
At the same time, the school faces a significant challenge. Approximately 135 children are expected to study across six grades, but there are currently not enough Jewish children enrolled in the incoming first grade to achieve the balance between Jewish and Palestinian students that is fundamental to the school’s bilingual, binational educational model. Efforts to recruit additional Jewish families are continuing, particularly in neighboring communities.
There has also been an intensive effort to build support among parents and the Mateh Yehuda Regional Council for the village’s position in its discussions with the Ministry of Education. In the latest development, village representatives met with the head of the Regional Council and the head of its Education Department. It was agreed to press the Ministry to allow the first-grade class to open while efforts to recruit Jewish students continue. At a time when Jewish-Palestinian relations are under such strain, preserving spaces where children learn together in equality is more important than ever.
While there is hope that these efforts will succeed, the Association is also preparing for another possibility. If the Ministry does not approve the class, the Association is considering opening first grade privately. This would involve a significant financial commitment, but allowing a year to pass without a first-grade class could threaten the continuity and future stability of the school.
The coming weeks and months will therefore be critical. The Primary School and its supporters will continue working with families, educators, neighboring communities, and others who share its vision of peace and equality to ensure that first grade opens and the school year begins successfully.
