Students of 11th grade from Blich High School in Ramat Gan and the Rawaid al-Kudss School from East Jerusalem met for a shared day of activity at the museum, within the framework of the High School Leadership Program of the School of Controversy Culture at the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem, in cooperation with the Manomedin Center at the Faculty of Law of Bar-Ilan University.
The program connects diverse groups of Jewish and Arab students, secular and religious, in a four-session in-depth series. In this framework, students dedicate two days at the School of Controversy Culture for a journey between identities, an encounter with the ‘other’, and learning the ethos and principles of dispute management. Two additional sessions are held at Bar-Ilan University focusing on the legal aspects of constitutional issues around central social topics.
Yesterday’s meeting dealt with the essence of the dispute, focusing on the principles and ethos in Judaism and Islam, and served as an in-depth meeting on the topic ‘between the self and the other’. The learning was accompanied by experiential activities and games designed to encourage open dialogue, and completed a previous workshop that the group had undergone on the journey between identities.
Noa Rektanti, Deputy Principal of 11th grade at Blich High School: “The meeting between the students from the two schools was especially meaningful; they discovered that although they come from different backgrounds, 17-year-olds in the education system enjoy the same things, laugh, engage in the same activities, and share common interests. Through the conversations, activities, and shared experiences accumulated over the meetings, new connections were created, communication between them deepened, and the commonalities that bind them were emphasized.”
Soha Mashal, Grade Coordinator and homeroom teacher, Rawaid al-Kudss School: “Today the last meeting took place, completing a series of four sessions, led by the School of Controversy Culture at the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem and Bar-Ilan University. During the sessions, the students experienced a particularly meaningful event. They actively participated in discussions, conducted a dialogue about complex dilemmas, and were exposed to different and important perspectives. Even in the more tense moments, the program uniquely managed to give them tools to cope with challenges. As a result, we saw cooperation, joint work, and an important bond. In my view this is a program with great educational value, promoting open and respectful dialogue.”
The School of Controversy Culture, operating within the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem, is an educational center that provides tools for managing respectful dialogue, critical thinking, and empathy in a polarized social reality. The place offers experiential workshops dealing with the study of identity, understanding sources of dispute, and coping with complex discourse.
For further reading about the School of Controversy Culture and to book specialized workshops
https://motj.framer.website/education/school-of-debate-culture
