“Likrat…” (Towards)

1. “Likrat…” (Towards) A Dialogue BetweenReligious andSecular Youth, on the Internet and in Face-to-Face Meetings

2. The Centre for Educational Technology (CET) CET is an NGO dedicated to the improvement of the education system in Israel.CETemploys about 250 people, who specialize in: content development, assessment & evaluation and ICT, in all disciplines. We focus on: * Developing textbooks; • * Constructing computerized learning environments; • * Heading assessment and evaluation processes; • * Leading professional development for teachers.

3. Background Israel defines itself as both a Jewish and democratic state, a fact that heightens the tension between state and religion. This tension is especially complex in Judaism, since religion and nationality are entwined. Different notions of Israel’s Jewish identity create conflict Between religious and secular communities. Over the years this dynamic has led to polarisation, to such an extent that at times, common ground has been undermined..

4. Question to the audience • All Israeli citizens over the age of 16 are • issued a national identity card. One of the • headings this card bears is 'nationality'. • Citizens are all labeled 'Israeli'. • True • False

5. Question to the audience • Within the Israeli public education • system, every parent has the choice of • sending their child to either a secular or • religious school. • True • False

6. Religious and secular youth study in separate school systems. Most religious and secular youth have no contact with members of the other community. Conflicts between the two communities are often highlighted in the media and carry political and social tension. Thus, youth from both communities hold misconceptions, disinformation and stereotypic views of their counterparts. Why create a special meeting place for secular and religious students?

7. How does ICT contribute to creating ameaningful and respectful dialogue? Asynchronous Communication Creating a virtual community Meaningful Dialogue Common database Provisions & Rules

8. Question to the audience • In order to best comprehend historical events and • their social implications, students are exposed to • a variety of sources. Are secular and religious • students offered the same sources within their • respective school systems? • No • Yes

9. Creating a virtual community Students participate in structured activities in class throughout the year. Students are identified by their names and schools. Students share the same learning process.

10. Provisions & Rules Students are asked to suggest guidelines and rules that will foster a meaningful and respectful dialogue. Forum discussions are led by both religious and secular facilitators, who guide the students and help them to maintain a respectful discourse.

11. Asynchronous Communication Students may read several messages and explore diverse views before writing their response. Students may take their time when writing their response, which allows them to rethink and rephrase their message. This contributes to avoiding harsh expressions, typical in other discourses between these two estranged groups.

12. Common database The “Likrat…” website offers relevant background information, such as: historical and social events, laws, texts from the Jewish tradition, and so on. This database is open to all students to draw information in support of their views and to enrich discussion.

13. website examples R – Shabbat (Saturday) activities Friday evening we all get together, and on Shabbat I'm a youth group leader at B'nai Akiva. From what I know about secular kids my age, their Shabbat is for partying, clubbing and that kind of stuff. They knownothing about Shabbat's real values! S – Weird… Who are "they" that you're on about?We may be secular, but that doesn't mean we aren't a part of the same nation, and share a history. When you say "they", you're making a generalisation, as if we're all the same! There are many secular people who do know the meaning of Shabbat, they just approach it differently. R – Shared values? Yeah, Shabbat is important to some secular kids. But does it mean the same to them as to us? Yes and no. For us, Shabbat is a holy and special day. How is it special to you guys? If you're partying, it's like you don't care! S – Not everyone's the same… It's totally your right to think whatever you want and I've got no problem with it. But I think that you're dissing something without thinking – and that's not fair.We do know what Shabbat is. Shabbat is different from the rest of the week and is something special for everyone. Shabbat for me is: dinner with the whole family, trips to nice areas, resting, and lots of other stuff. Waiting for a response… R – New question Do you guys think that shops and malls should be shut on Shabbat? I think it depends... If there are religious people in the neighborhood – they should be considered. On the other hand, people who work all week and only have Shabbat free to go shopping should also be considered. What about you guys? S – Jewish state Hey. Even though I don't observe Shabbat I think that there should be no public transport and shops should be shut. We live in a Jewish state, and the laws of the state relate to the laws of Judaism. But wait a minute, the majority of the population is Jewish, but not all of it. So, in some towns and neighborhoods that are mainly Arab – like Nazareth – it's OK to have shops open and transport running on Shabbat. For people who work all week, Shabbat's a great day to enjoy the outdoors, and there's always the evening [when Shabbat officially ends] to go to the mall. Facilitator – Another point of view Hi everyone, why don't we try a different approach: Shabbat is important as a day of rest not only for religious reasons, but also for social ones. Shabbat is defined by law as the day of rest in order to protect the rights of employees in the face of their employers, as well as those of business owners to maintain fair competition. Since Shabbat is the day of rest in Judaism, it seemed the obvious choice, out of consideration for the working religious population. Do you agree? S – I've never thought of it that way I totally agree with you. I have always connected Shabbat to religious people and it can be pretty frustrating. Your explanation showed that though a day of rest could be any day of the week, Shabbat is the easiest option for Israel, since religious people rest then anyways. I think your approach is correct and I'm going to start thinking about Shabbat differently.

14. “Likrat…” Facts and Figures “Likrat…” has been active in Israeli schools for8 years, with the support of Zav Pius organization and the Ministry of Education. 10,400- students from both religious and secular schools have participated in the project so far. 2 – evaluation and assessment reports indicate that “Likrat…” offers a successful model for a meaningful encounter among students from both communities. 95%of the teachers and85%of the students argue that they experienced a meaningful dialogue within the framework of “Likrat…” and would recommend it to other Schools.

15. Thank You! Sharon Ayalon Avital Drori sharonay@cet.ac.il avitald@cet.ac.il CET Centre for Educational Technology Israel