Examination of israeli textbooks in elementary schools

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Examination of Israeli Textbooks In

Elementary Schools of

The State Educational System

April 2004

February, 2004

Summary – Examination of Israeli textbooks in

elementary schools of the State educational system

Contents

A. Introduction 2

B. Expressions of a positive attitude toward tolerance,

pluralism, peace.

4

C. Expressions of a negative attitude toward tolerance,

pluralism, peace.

12

D. The religious, cultural, and national image of Arabs and

Palestinians.

13

E. The Israeli narrative and the Palestinian narrative.

The question of borders and Palestinian national identity.

15

F. Themes and areas in which examples could be added to

express a positive attitude toward pluralism, tolerance,

and peace, and suggestions for improvements.

21

Summary. 23

Compiled by:

Meirav Perlstein

Rona Ben Giat

Yael Ohad-Karni

Reviewed by Mazen

A. Introduction

This report is an examination of textbooks in elementary and junior high schools of

the Israeli State educational system. It is important to point out that this summary

does not constitute a comprehensive examination of the complete official curriculum,

but rather an examination of a relatively limited number of textbooks and workbooks

designed for 1st – 8th grade students.

The choice of the textbooks was random and should thus not be seen as a

representative sample.

All the books were examined according to the following criteria:

• Examples expressing a positive attitude toward tolerance, pluralism, and peace.

• Examples expressing a negative or ambiguous attitude toward tolerance,

pluralism, and peace.

• Themes / areas in which examples could be added to express a positive attitude

toward tolerance, pluralism, and peace, as well as suggestions for improvement

or change.

In addition to the above, we also examined the following issues:

• The religious, cultural, and national image of Palestinians and Arabs.

• The Palestinian national identity, and the geographical and political definition of

Palestine.

• The national Israeli narrative and how it relates to the Palestinian narrative.

The latter three issues were covered mainly by the history textbooks. However, the

history curriculum, whose aim is to structure the past and to create belongingness to

the neighborhood, community, place of residence, country, etc., begins in 1st grade by

focusing on those aspects that are closest to the child. From 6th grade onward the

history of the Jewish People does not deal with the history of the Land of Israel up to

the beginnings of Zionism – this subject is only dealt with in 9th grade. Because we

examined the books that are intended for 1st – 8th grades, the question of the national

Israeli narrative and how it relates to the Palestinian narrative is not particularly

relevant. These issues appear in the textbooks for 1st – 6th grades which deal with

immigration to and settlement in the Land of Israel, and in two history textbooks that

deal with the beginnings of Zionism but which are part of the old curriculum

(“Chapters in the history of the Yishuv [pre-state settlement] in the first villages” and

“The beginnings of Zionism”).

* Our work is based on content analysis and not on quantitative data.

We examined textbooks in the following subjects

The Bible (7 student workbooks)

Literature (6 textbooks)

Written expression and language (4 textbooks and workbooks)

Geography (A textbook and a workbook)

Civics (1 textbook. The subject is only taught in 8th grade)

History (8 textbooks)

All of the text books reviewed were first examined by Mazen Abu Aita who high

lighted problematic sections and sentences from the point of view of a Palestinian

reading the Israeli text books. The books were then reviewed and analyzed by the

IPCRI team. The following are the results of their findings:

B. Examples of a positive attitude to tolerance, pluralism, and peace

Bible studies –

The workbooks in Bible studies designed for elementary-school students in the State

educational system uses an interdisciplinary approach and includes Mishnaic and

Talmudic legends, literature, language development exercises, and discussion of

moral values.

In the discussion of moral values, as well as in the choice of homiletic interpretations,

legends and literary extracts, the emphasis, in general, is on moral values and

universal human feelings.

The Bible stories present the students with stories of the Patriarchs and the religious

and national development of the Jewish People. Despite this, the compilation of the

material in the workbooks we examined often tends to emphasize the common

elements of different peoples and religions, and of men and women.

Thus, for example, the chapter of the Genesis workbook designed for 2nd grade

students that deals with the Creation states: “When we say ‘man knows how to think’

we mean both men and women” (Genesis – Activity booklet for young learners, by

Bina Geller-Talitman and Chana Shalita, p. 8).

Later, in the context of the seventh day of the Creation, the students are asked: “To

whom was the day of rest given? Answer with the help of the clues”. The clues are

presented in drawings that depict people engaged in various tasks – a Chinese, an

Indian, a dark-skinned person, women, etc. (ibid. p. 13).

In contexts in which Ishmael is mentioned or holy places such as the Cave of

Machpelah, the students are presented with information whose content encourages

them to recognize and accept Muslim culture and religion, and emphasizes the

connection between the two religions.

In the context of the birth of Ishmael, it is stated: “The angel said that Ishmael would

create a great people, and Abraham arranged for Ishmael to be circumcised when he

was thirteen years old. The Muslims, who see themselves as descendents of Ishmael,

conduct a circumcision ceremony for boys turning thirteen” (ibid. pp. 68-69).

Concerning Sarah’s death and her burial in the Cave of Machpelah, it is stated: “The

Cave of Machpelah is a holy place for both Jews and Muslims…these days both Jews

and Muslims pray there” (ibid. p. 95, as well as in the workbook “With Joshua – a

workbook for students” by Aviva Tirosh and Bina Geller Talitman, p. 72).

In stories that deal with wars and with conflicts, emphasis is placed on the attempt to

find a peaceful solution to the conflict.

For example, emphasizing the fact that “Abraham solved the quarrel between his

shepherds and Lot’s shepherds peacefully; he suggested that they separate and he

allowed Lot first choice of where to settle”. Taking advantage of this opportunity, the

students are presented with an additional assumption that is raised in one of the stories

of the sages concerning the quarrel between the shepherds. The proposal is presented

to the students by means of a drawing and speech bubbles:

Drawing 1: Abram says: “Why are you leading Lot’s flocks into fields that do not

belong to you?”

Drawing 2: Abram says: “You are entering other people’s fields and you shouldn’t be

doing it”. (Genesis – Workbook for the student, pp. 59-61).

In the context of the story of the feud between Isaac’s shepherds and those of

Abimelech over the wells, the students are invited “to draw up the peace treaty

between Isaac and the King of Gerer”, and the writers add: “these days as well there

are treaties between people and between countries. You can see a picture of the

signing of a peace treaty”. The picture that appears is that of Rabin and Hussein at the

peace-signing ceremony between Israel and Jordan (ibid. p. 111).

In the context of the story of the flood, the dove appears with the olive branch as a

symbol of peace, together with pictures of Israeli stamps from the series “My Peace”

consisting of children’s drawings in which Arab and Jewish figures are shown holding

hands (ibid. p. 30).

In the context of the call of Avner ben-Ner (Saul’s military commander) to Joab

(David’s military commander): “Shall the sword devour for ever?” (2 Samuel 2:26),

an assignment is proposed for the students. “You have set up an organization to

prevent wars. What phrase in the chapter would you choose as a slogan?” (“With

King David – student workbook for the Second Book of Samuel”, by Aviva Tirosh

and Bina Geller Talitman, p. 25).

In all the workbooks, the suggested activities encourage the students to ask questions

and to criticize the behavior of the heroes (God included) from a moral standpoint,

both their attitude to their own people and to other peoples.

The fact is often emphasized that values or norms that were acceptable in Biblical

times are different from currently acceptable values and behavior norms.

For example, in the context of the punishment meted out to the family of the priest Eli

(1 Samuel), it is stated: “All of Eli’s family, including those not yet born, were to be

punished. How does this seem to you today? (Remember that opinions change)”.

(“With Samuel and his generation – student workbook for the First Book of Samuel”,

by Bina Geller Talitman and Aviva Tirosh, p. 25.)

On Saul’s war against the Amalekites (1 Samuel, 15), the students are asked to think

about and discuss the following: “Samuel demanded in God’s name to kill the women

and children of Israel’s historic enemy in addition to the men. What would you think

of an act like this if it were done in our times? – and the writers add, “It is interesting:

Samuel demands that all the Amalekites be killed, including women and children.

Today, killing on such a scale is known as “genocide”, which means “destroying a

nation”. According to a treaty between member states of the United Nations, genocide

is completely forbidden” (ibid. p. 101).

The teaching of the Book of Joshua, which deals almost entirely with the wars to

conquer the Land of Canaan, including the commandment to destroy the seven

Canaanite nations, is problematic from the start, especially for 4th grade students. The

writers of the workbook “With Joshua – student workbook” (Aviva Tirosh and Bina

Geller Talitman) attempt to deal with the moral problems that emerge from the

Biblical text by means of assignments that encourage moral judgment and critical

thinking, and by sharpening the distinction between what was acceptable in Biblical

times and today.

For example, in the context of the Achan episode (Joshua, 7) it is stated: “Why is the

whole Jewish people accused of sin? Is it right that the whole Jewish people should

suffer because one person sinned?…In Biblical times it was acceptable to punish a

whole family when one of its members sinned. In light of what is currently

acceptable, is it justified that Achan’s family was punished? Give reasons.” The

writers add a recommendation to the teacher: “The teacher can initiate a discussion on

society’s responsibility for the behavior of its members” (ibid. pp. 45-46).

With regard to the conquest of Ai (Joshua, 8) the students are asked: “What is your

opinion, as people living here today, of the killing of all the inhabitants of Ai by

Joshua and his army?” For their creative assignments, the students are invited to put

themselves in another person’s shoes – the enemy: “A refugee from Ai flees to

another city and writes a report for the local newspaper there. Write or record”.

Encouraging the students to identify with the suffering of the other is expressed

clearly in the context of the story of the banishment of Hagar and Ishmael (Genesis,

21). The writers invite the children to ask questions about the story or to express an

opinion about one of the characters (Sarah, Abraham, or God). A contemporary Israeli

story is also presented, “My heart is with Ishmael” by Yael Medini. Na’ama, the

speaker in the story, talks about the friendship and the love that existed between her

and Ishmael (and other children), and about the heartbreak, the tears and the pain

when he left. The writer causes the children to be very critical of Abraham and Sarah

(“Genesis – activity booklet fo r young learners”, pp. 85-88). An activity that

encourages the children to feel empathy toward Ishmael can also be found in the story

of Abraham’s death. The suggested activity: “After the funeral, Isaac and Ishmael sat

down to talk. What did they talk about? Perhaps they remembered incidents from their

childhood? Perhaps Ishmael spoke about how he felt when he and his mother were

banished?” (ibid. p. 104).

At various junctures there is emphasis on the idea that social and moral responsibility

is not limited to one’s own people.

For example, in the context of laws designed to assist the poor and the stranger

(Leviticus, 19), “Gilad asks: I don’t understand why the Torah commands us to treat

the stranger well. Sari answers: I think that it’s hard for people to treat strangers well.

Why don’t you join the discussion?” (“Exodus and Leviticus – Activity booklet for

young learners”, by Bina Geller Talitman and Chana Shalita, p. 159.)

The idea that social and moral responsibility is not limited to the People of Israel is

particularly evident in the teaching of the Book of Jonah. For example:

1. “God said to Jonah: ‘Arise, go to Nineveh’ (1:2). From this we learn that God

is responsible for all people and not only for the Jewish people… toward the

end of the story we come across the verse ‘and should not I pity Nineveh, that

great city’ (4:11). What does this teach us about how God relates to human

beings?”

2. In the context of comparing Jonah’s behavior to that of the sailors (who were

not Jews) during the storm at sea, the legend is presented from Pirkei d’Rabbi

Eliezer, who elaborates and emphasizes the many attempts made by the sailors

to avoid throwing Jonah into the sea. In light of the legend, the students are

asked: “How does the legend strengthen and emphasize the human and moral

behavior of the sailors?”

3. The context: The sins of the people of Nineveh and God’s moral demands of

all the nations.

”The following legends are found in the Talmud; read them. Legend A –

While the people of Israel were crossing the sea, the ministering angels asked

them to sing to the Almighty, and the Almighty said to them: you are

drowning because of my actions and you sing to me? Legend B – The

Almighty rejects no one, he accepts everyone, the twenty (gates of repentance)

are always open, and anyone who wishes to enter may do so. Legend C –

Elijah said, “I am sure that the spirit of holiness can be found in everything

that takes place between Israelite and stranger, between man and woman,

between slave and handmaiden.”

Among the questions asked in light of the legends: “How in Legend B is the

idea expressed that all people are equal”, and “it can be said that Legend C

provides an explanation and justification for anyone opposed to racialism and

discrimination. How?”

4. Summary exercise on the Book of Jonah – the students are asked to bring

examples of the major issues they dealt with in studying the Book of Jonah:

”Is there any basis for the belief that people are capable of changing?” “Are

there moral values that the nations of the world hold in common?” “Can

human society exist only with laws or only with compassion?” (Workbook on

the books of the prophets Jonah, and Amos”, by Bina Geller Talitman and

Rachel Nechemkin.)

Pluralism – In the literature, written expression and geography elementary school

textbooks that we examined, the general trend was a positive attitude toward “the

other”.

The trend is to emphasize pluralism in relation to “the other” in various countries:

China, Greece, Japan, Nigeria, as well as through stories from diverse ethnic

communities.

For example, from a story about Martians: “People from different places in the world

are really the same, even on Mars”. (New Israel Anthology, Book F, p. 153.) The

approach to common human characteristics in all places is complex, both regarding

positive characteristics such as wisdom and attentiveness, as well as negative

characteristics such as the herd instinct, a tendency not to offer assistance, etc. For

example, Shofman: “People don’t tend toward pluralism”.

Regarding festivals, only Jewish festivals are considered and not those of other

groups. Also, concerning the Memorial Day for fallen soldiers of the Israel Defense

Forces, it is stated: “All Israel’s citizens remember the fallen and talk about their

bravery” (“Through words, Book B, p. 103). No mention is made of Arab citizens.

The history textbooks we examined reveal a basically pluralistic attitude toward

ethnic, national, and religious groups. The books, texts, and student assignments

recognize the rights of various groups to maintain the lifestyle they are familiar with

and to which they aspire, and to preserve their tradition and uniqueness. However, in

view of the fact that these textbooks are designed for students in Jewish State-

education elementary schools, they deal predominantly with the history of the Jewish

People, with Zionism, and with Jewish settlement in the Land of Israel.

The attitude of the Muslims to the Jews during the period of the Muslim empires is

described as a considerate attitude to Judaism as a religion and as a community. It is

emphasized that Jews obtained recognition as a separate but not humiliated religious-

ethnic group in Muslim society of the Middle Ages and during the Ottoman Period.

For example, the relationship between Jews and Muslims is better than that between

Muslims and Christians. A textbook dealing with the socio-demographic structure of

Jerusalem, includes the different lifestyles found in the city, and relates positively to

the three monotheistic religions. For example, a student assignment encourages the

students to become familiar with the three houses of worship of the different religions

(synagogue, mosque, and church).

1) Page 149 – A whole chapter is devoted to Christianity, including the story of the

life of Jesus, the relationship between Jesus and the Jewish population, quotations

from the New Testament, such as “The Sermon on the Mount”, including sentences

such as: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate

you.”

2) Page 152 – Only in the second half of the twentieth century did the Christian

Church decide to renounce the blame placed on the Jewish People for Jesus’

crucifixion.

3) “The new religion opened its doors to everyone…”, p. 154.

4) Details of the theological characteristics of Christianity, including extensive details

of the texts, the sacraments and the organization of the Church.

The attitude to the Palestinian Arabs in the Land of Israel during the initial

immigrations is rarely described as positive, yet these positive descriptions should be

mentioned.

An infrequent example is the representation of the Palestinian Arab as an intellectual

with an academic profession. A well-known Arab doctor living in Jaffa treats people

who contracted diseases in the Petach Tikva swamps (p. 35).

There are also a few photographs of Palestinian notables, contrary to their image in

most references as simple, uncultured, and poor. For example, a photograph of Arab

notables in traditional dress (p. 50).

In the map on page 31, there are no Jewish settlements, which is evidence of

recognition of the presence of Arabs in the Land of Israel before Zionism, and that the

importance of Arab settlement is not negated.

A further expression of a pluralistic position is that of the pictures on pages 56 and 57

in which children appear with skullcaps, while in other pictures they appear without

skullcaps (see also page 62).

The attitude to gender is part of the pluralistic liberal approach, and should be

considered here.

In the literature the two sexes are dealt with on the basis of equality. A textbook in 2nd

grade shows a man and a women both wearing aprons. Also in a story in which Jews

invite Bedouins to visit them, and the Jewish woman is asked to greet them (Through

words, Book B, p. 142).

Part of the history curriculum deals with the growing status of women from the

beginning of the 20th century, including the Land of Israel and particularly the

agricultural settlements,. The study of European liberal political movements also

confronts the students with the gender issue and is important in formulating the

students’ attitudes. While we would expect some mention of the status of Jewish

women or Arab women in traditional society, this issue is not dealt with. In fact there

also appears to be a certain disregard of the status of women in the history of Zionist

settlement in the Land of Israel, for besides photographs of pioneer women working

in agriculture, not a single female labor leader or Zionist leader is mentioned.

Peace and reconciliation – The literature and written expression curriculums tend to

emphasize the values of peace and reconciliation. Ideas about reconciliation are

diverse:

Viewing events from different viewpoints. Thus, for example, seeing the story of

Little Red Riding Hood or the Three Pigs from the wolf’s viewpoint raises the

possibility of different narratives of the same event. The story appears in the 7th grade

anthology and it also prepares the ground for the possibility of seeing different

narratives of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Dialogue and listening. The statement that “wisdom lies in the children” (An

assortment for 7th grade, p. 155) teaches the idea of listening with an open mind to

everyone, and not only to experts. Or the insightful distinction between permitted

feelings of ha te and envy and forbidden behaviors such as violence, the solution being

a dialogue of speaking and listening. This is what happens in the story of Joseph’s

brothers (Through words, Book 2, p. 28).

Unification as a solution to conflict. In the story of the Galilee Arabs – how the kadi

judged between the warring factions, the Dan, the Hazbani, and the Banias rivers and

made them into one river. That is to say, unification can solve quarrels. The story is

presented as a metaphor of the Days of Awe as days of forgiveness (Through words,

Book E, p. 150).

Doing things together. A 6th grade textbook talks about an encounter between a

Jewish boy, Uri, and an Arab boy, Sami, which begins in an atmosphere of fear, but

afterwards Uri tells Sami that his father was killed in war, and Sami, who was

expelled from his village, covers Uri so that he won’t be cold when he goes to sleep.

In some of the history textbooks it is mentioned that when the Jews started buying

land in the Land of Israel their policy was to be considerate toward the Arabs. For

example, Arthur Ruppin showed consideration to the villagers by not buying land for

Jewish settlement too close to the Arab settlements.

Page 252: “Ruppin did not content himself with establishing Degania. As the person

responsible for Zionist settlement in the country, he took care of buying land that was

put up for sale. He specially tried to buy land located far from Arab settlements,

preferring swamps and sand dunes so as not to incur the envy of the Arab inhabitants.

He also gave the Arabs permission to continue drawing water from the springs in

areas that he bought, and hoped, through this gesture, to maintain good neighborly

relations…”

War and peace. The main message is that wars only lead to pain and disrupt the

continuity of life. The stories about wars are not militant, but rather express sadness.

In the 2nd grade written expression booklet, the message of the story “My father is a

soldier” is that it really isn’t admirable that the father is a soldier…

Or the shocking story in a 7th grade textbook of attempts to survive in the Holocaust,

in which there is no hatred toward the Germans nor even toward the Nazis. This is

also the case with stories dealing with struggle and memory in which there is pain,

sadness and comradeship, but no hatred. In the stories, the person who confronts us as

an enemy is a person who feels and hurts just as we do.

“There are victories and there are defeats, but peace depends on you” (Through

words, Book E, p. 234).

C. Examples expressing an ambiguous or negative attitude to pluralism,

tolerance, and peace.

In general we found few instances of an ambiguous or negative attitude. More

noticeable is the situation where no position is taken.

The Bible

The Bible textbooks contain isolated examples of statements or suggested activities

that express a negative or ambiguous attitude toward tolerance, pluralism and peace

(despite the fact that the Biblical text itself contains not a few examples of this kind,

and as we saw in these cases, the students are encouraged to think about them

critically and to judge them on moral grounds).

The examples that we found appear in the booklet “With King David – a student

workbook on the Second Book of Samuel” by Aviva Tirosh and Bina Geller

Talitman.

1. A song of praise was composed to celebrate David’s conquest of

Jerusalem, written by one of the king’s writers” (p. 43).

2. In the context of Chapter 8, a summary of David’s wars, the workbook

contains a map showing the areas of the kingdom that were conquered.

David’s wars were not wars of liberation, but rather wars of conquest

to expand borders. This distinction is lacking. Furthermore, the

following sentence appears in the summary: “David’s wars brought the

nation peace and security” (pp. 51-52).

Expressions of a negative or ambiguous attitude to tolerance are detailed below in the

various school subjects, and especially history, because the other subjects do not

specifically relate to Palestinians, and in general the attitude to foreigners is liberal.

D. The image of the Palestinian in Israeli textbooks.

In textbooks on the Bible, the Palestinian does not appear – see our comments in the

introduction regarding this understandable absence.

In the textbooks on the Bible, the concept “Arab” or Muslim appears in the religious

and not the Palestinian context. The places holy to Islam appear in the context of the

Cave of Machpelah but not in connection to other places.

In the literature and written expression textbooks we examined, no particular attention

was given to the image of the Palestinian, but rather to those who are different. The

“other” in a social or ethnic context is perceived as being on the border of the exotic,

as in stories about Chinese or Japanese, or has a gender emphasis as a woman, or is a

disabled person, etc.

In the history textbooks we examined, the dominant image of the Palestinian is the

traditional appellation “the Arab”. In general: The image of the Palestinian is that of a

religious person, connected to and closely identified with the holy places in the Land

of Israel.

The central image is that of a farmer, or a fallach in Arabic, as opposed to the Zionist-

Israeli who is described as an agriculturalist.

For example, “Journey to the kibbutz”, p. 12, question 4, the map clarifies who lives

in Nazareth and Jaffa, whether Jews or non-Jews, and the names of the settlements in

which non-Jews live.

The Palestinian knows about and loves working the land, and in certain periods is

described as being more proficient in this work than the Jews who came from Europe.

The Palestinian knows how to handle weapons, and how to ride a horse. On the one

hand this is a positive image, because he is independent and knows how to defend

himself, as opposed to the Diaspora Jew, but on the other hand he sometimes uses this

weapon against his Jewish neighbors, especially in order to steal from them.

It is appropriate in this context to point to the negative implication of the term “Arab

work” which is related to the Arabs – Palestinians – as menial laborers. The

Palestinian was considered as a good worker in the [Jewish] villages in the days of the

First Immigration.

Page 40: Today only Arabs work Israeli land. Work on the land is work for Arabs –

the mother says to the father. Together with this, reservations are expressed about the

fact that Arabs plant trees in Herzl Forest, which detracts from the dignity of the

visionary of the Jewish state.

A distinction is made between “Hebrew” work and “Arab” work, and the following

quotation reveals the intention: “The Jews are struggling to meet [the challenge] of

work and defense, Hebrew hands will build the land and not Arab hands” p. 66. Also

on pages 62-63, the following dialogue appears: “And who is working in the fields?”

“Arabs”, “And what are the Jews doing?” “Managing the work, supervising”, “I am

shocked. Is this how our country will be built? The Jews will provide the work and

the work itself will be done for them by Arabs, and I dreamed of a different Land of

Israel, a land in which Jews work the land and enjoy the fruits of their labors. I won’t

allow foreigners to build my land”. In other words, the Arabs are a foreign element

that should be removed from the labor market.

Physical image – Children are often greatly influenced by the physical image of the

person in question, and their imagination fills in the small and unclear details.

Regarding the Palestinians, some descriptions (isolated ones it should be mentioned),

describe the large physical dimensions of the Arab-Palestinian stevedore (Journey to

the kibbutz). Page 18: “An Arab is selling ‘dates of India’, I was scared they were

poisonous, but the Jew who helped us before said that it was alright – it’s date juice.”

The Palestinian’s appearance is unfamiliar to the Jewish immigrants and he seems

frightening, threatening. Thus the stevedore who lifts the child up and puts him down

on the beach leaves us feeling unsure of his intentions.

The Palestinian stevedores are called “pirates”, which is clearly an expression of fear.

The vociferousness of the Arab stevedores creates apprehension among the Jews.

Some of the textbooks relate positively to the Arabs who lived in the country prior to

the Zionist settlement and in its early years, and these Arabs are described as wearing

tailored clothes and as being upright citizens. Their pleasant and respectable

appearance leaves the reader with a positive impression.

We thus see that the different textbooks do not present a uniform image of the Arab-

Palestinian.

The cultural image of the Palestinian is that of a person and of a group that is

connected to Arab-Muslim Eastern culture and not to Western culture.

The culture of the Palestinians is not described as urban but rather as a culture of

fellachim, pp. 204-205; pastoral scene with photographs of making coffee and playing

traditional musical instruments. There is also the story of Arabs who trespassed on the

lands which Petach Tikva residents used for grazing and for growing corn. It should

be mentioned that most of the country’s Arab residents were rural and not urban

residents.

The Palestinian is considered as not technologically advanced and not interested in

learning the new methods or keeping abreast with modern industrial culture. On the

contrary, the general aspiration is to preserve tradition.

In the books we examined, the Muslim orientation of most of the Palestinian

population is emphasized. Mention is made, however, of the Christian orientation of

part of the population.

Political image. In all the textbooks we examined, no mention is made of the

Palestinians’ political organization. No mention is made of cultural, economic or

political institutions that operate in the Arab-Palestinian public environment.

This is different from what is described in the Jewish sector, although here too the

political aspect is not emphasized in the elementary school textbooks.

E. The Israeli narrative

Countries use curriculums in all areas in order to shape the national super-narrative, in

addition to their primary pedagogical role of promoting education as well as social

and cultural development. The curriculum is a tool for shaping and educating the

coming generations. Some countries have a core program that determines the basic

contents for students throughout the country as an underlying condition for the

existence of a state-run system, while other countries determine guidelines and are not

involved in all the details of the curriculum.

In recent years the national narrative has entered the public discourse in various

countries, especially countries or national groups involved in the process of shaping

and consolidating themselves, or young countries in the process of determining their

borders or which lack existential security. This public discourse brings about, among

others, deep internal dissention concerning the collective identity, and existence of

partial identities such as that of minorities within the country, as well as cultural and

content changes in light of the different public streams.

The Israeli-Palestinian case, in which two nations are simultaneously involved in

formulating their national identity, and are involved in a public discussion about the

conflictual existential situation between them, is a special case which emphasizes the

importance of dealing with the national narrative as part of the elementary school

curriculum where the child’s collective identity is initially shaped.

In the textbooks we examined we found that the Bible textbooks relate in depth to the

religious development and consolidation of the Jewish People as a nation, and to the

its connection with the Land of Israel as a homeland. The relevant period dealt with

thus precedes the Christian era, the consequence being that there is no consideration

of the Palestinian narrative.

Page 10 – A girl and her family are fearful of immigrating to the Land of Israel

because there are very few Jews in the country, and most of the inhabitants are Arabs,

Bedouin and nomads. (It should be pointed out that this is an innovation in the Zionist

discourse, for it is not stated that the Arabs are aggressive and violent. Is this also

evidence of a lack of settlement continuity in the Land of Israel?) It is not pleasant to

live next to strangers.

An example from the table on page 15.

The written expression textbooks consider the Israeli and the Palestinian narrative in a

few places.

The Proclamation of Independence contains a key sentence regarding the Arabs in

Israel: “We appeal to the Arab inhabitants of the State of Israel”. Here the Arab

people are not called “Palestinians”, nor are they spoken of as citizens of the country

but only as inhabitants.

The story of the war of 1948, and its effect on both the Arab population in the Land of

Israel and on the Israeli-Jewish population, tells about wealthy Arabs who sold their

lands to the Zionists before 1948, on which a city was built in which mainly Jews

settled. Another story describes how Arabs left their villages because of armed gangs

who forced them out against their will. From the two stories we understand that the

narrative taught in the Israeli textbooks does not speak about the expulsion of Arabs

by Israeli soldiers, but rather that they left their villages because of dominant and

powerful members of their own people who suggested or urged them with promises to

leave their homes.

Concerning the reasons for the outbreak of the 1948 war, it is explained to the

students that the Arabs who left Beit She’an fled, and according to the Jewish

inhabitants, “we didn’t want this war”. “They started it”, a Jewish child says, and the

narrator, an adult, remains silent and does not react. Silence as admission. “A stone

tells.”

Other verbal expression textbooks teach that the Jews who lived alongside Arabs in

Beit She’an or in Jerusalem maintained good neighborly relations, and the Jews

promised the Arabs that they would look after their property after they fled, and

“when quiet returns to the country, you can return”, and a Jew promises an Arab “I

will take care of the apartment”.

Page 15 – Shaul Tchernichovsky’s poem “I believe”. This poem conveys a lack of

consideration for and a disregard of the other side, especially as the poet’s wish is

“then my people as well will return and flourish, and a generation will arise in the

land, the iron chains will be removed, the light will be seen clearly”. In other words,

the wish is for a lively and fruitful future, without relating to the “other” living in the

country.

The fear is expressed that the Jews will leave the country, while at the same time the

presence of others who live in this country is negated: “The emissary told us that the

situation in the Jewish villages is precarious. Arab workers are working in them and if

we don’t go and work in them, the Jews will leave the villages and we will lose the

land.

The attitude in the book toward the Arabs is ethnocentric and patronizing. The

demand is made to only employ Jews. That is to say, in this case there is also

delegitimization and negation of the Arabs, especially in the area of work, and an

attempt to evict them from the labor market. When the work supervisor in the story

fires the Arab workers, this is perceived as an achievement (pp. 100-101).

This trend continues on page 144: “You recall that my friends from Ben Shemen, who

came with me to the Galilee, moved to the Kinneret farm. They continued to live

cooperatively, worked the land, and enjoyed the good life the Galilee provided them.

Everything went well until one day the work supervisor hired Arabs to work on the

farm. My friends objected and spoke to the manager of the farm, but when this didn’t

help they declared a strike and left the farm in protest…”.

On page 261, the book gives a good example of the methods of “redeeming the land”:

“They even bought their working tools with their own money and didn’t wait for the

institutions to give them money. They knew that if they didn’t hurry to settle the

place, the Arabs living in the vicinity were liable to start cultivating the land, which

would make it very difficult to remove them.

The Jewish National Fund also bought land which then belonged to it in most legal

way possible. Does this sound strange? It was the law in those days and that is how

one had to behave.”

2. The Question of National Identity

The books we examined, designed in the main for elementary and junior high school

students, do not deal specifically with Palestinian national identity, that is to say, an

identity having the status of a recognized nation, with territorial ownership, and the

wish for an independent country.

Clearly, these conflictual issues will arise later in the upper high school classes when

the curriculum deals in depth with the twentieth century, and especially the history of

the Land of Israel and the relationship between the two nations.

One issue that is inextricably linked to the question of national identity in the Israeli-

Palestinian conflict is the question of the borders. Our findings show that despite its

importance, the question is not presented directly as a subject of study, but is rather

dealt with indirectly.

The question of the borders of the Land of Israel arises directly, or in the main

indirectly, in a number of subjects, among other reasons because students only start

studying the geography of the Land of Israel in junior high school. However, in the

Israel Studies textbooks in elementary school there are maps and texts that describe

various places in the Land of Israel. In the main, the maps do not relate to the political

borders, but are presented mainly in the context of the new Zionist settlement in the

Land of Israel.

Against this background, we need to examine the attitude to the Palestinian

settlements that existed prior to the definition of Israel’s political borders after the war

of 1948. The appearance of these settlements by name or not by name could attest to a

positive approach to the Palestinian people; on the other hand, not mentioning the

Arab settlements would attest to the negation and the conscious disregard of their

existence.

It should be mentioned that in the past the definition of the borders of the Land of

Israel was always a geographical and not a political issue. Only after the publication

of the First White Paper in 1922 and the Mandate document of 1922 did the question

of the political borders arise, borders that were defined in relation to the French

Mandate in Lebanon and Syria, and the British Mandate in Jordan.

The maps that appear in the history textbooks that we examined do not indicate Arab

settlements that existed in the Land of Israel prior to 1881 – the beginning of Zionist

settlement. (The beginnings of Zionism, Published by T.L., pp. 87, 108, 121.)

The conclusion that emerges from these textbooks is that the borders of “Arab

Palestine” are not dealt with in the historical maps.

The geographical textbooks dealing with the characteristics of the coastal plain do not

mention any Arab settlements in the region, except for Jaffa – the Arab city that was

the main port for the Land of Israel, and Acre.

On the other hand, in the maps of the Land of Israel in the written expression

textbooks that were examined, there is no demarcation of political borders, including

a lack of demarcation of the borders of the State of Israel before 1967. That is to say,

the Land of Israel implies the State of Israel, and there is no reference to Arab

settlements or political borders between the Jordan River and the sea.

The textbooks we examined do not deal with the issue of Palestinian national identity,

the reason being that they do not cover the relevant period.

There is no reference to Palestinian political organization in the history textbooks.

F. Themes and areas in which examples could be added to express a positive

attitude toward pluralism, tolerance, and peace, and suggestions for

improvement or change

Bible

Despite the fact that we found many cases in which value and moral issues arising

from the Biblical text are dealt with, there are places where this is lacking. For

example:

1. In the workbook on the Book of Genesis, in the context of God’s words to

Abraham in the Covenant between the Parts (Genesis, 15) – the main ideas are

presented: “God made a covenant with Abram. According to the covenant, Abram’s

people would believe in God and listen to him, and God would help his people. God

told Abram that his people would be slaves in Egypt. God promised that after four

hundred years he would take them out of Egypt and return them to Canaan” (p. 68).

The workbook does not relate to the reasoning why they would only return to Canaan

after four hundred years – “for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete” (that

the sins of the people of Canaan have not yet reached the level that would justify their

expulsion from the land). This reasoning could provide an opportunity for a critical

discussion on taking the land from the people living on it, as well as the possibility

that a corrupt society will ultimately destroy itself.

However, these issues are sometimes even difficult for high school students in the

upper grades to grasp, especially because we are dealing with “God’s promise”. Thus,

taking into account the young age of the students in this case (2nd grade), the writers

are probably correct in their assessment.

2. In the booklet “Exodus and Leviticus – Activity booklet for young learners”, by

Bina Geller Talitman and Chana Shalita:

a. In Exodus, Chapter1, the women are the heroes. Yocheved, Miriam

and Pharaoh’s daughter are the ones who reveal compassion and

courage in dealing with the order to kill the babies. In our view the

possibility is not sufficiently stressed that the midwives who saved the

Israelite children were Egyptians (besides Pharaoh’s daughter, of

course). The story stresses that there were also good people among the

Egyptians, and that feelings of compassion and courage do not reside

in any particular people. Examples and stories could have been

brought from other periods and from the “here and now”.

b. There is room to expand the discussion on the subject of slavery and

of taking away a person’s freedom.

3. In the workbook “With King David – student workbook for the Second Book of

Samuel”, by Aviva Tirosh and Bina Geller Talitman:

a. In the context of the sin of David and Bathsheba, while the writers do

relate to the subject of “illegal orders”, there is room to emphasize that

these orders are also relevant with regard to an enemy, and examples

could and should be brought from our reality, including the story of

Kfar Kassem which led to the coining of the term “a manifestly illegal

order”.

4. In the workbook “With Samuel and his generation – student workbook for the

First Book of Samuel”, by Bina Geller Talitman and Aviva Tirosh:

In the context of Chapter 13, the background to Saul’s war against the Philistines, it is

stated in the workbook: “The Philistines ruled Israel. This affected the daily life of the

people and its military strength. Jonathan attacked the Philistine garrison and by so

doing declared a revolt against the Philistines. Was it important and justified to revolt

against the Philistines?” (pp. 85-89). These statements constitute an attempt to

understand the people’s distress at being ruled by the Philistines and their motivation

to revolt. The discussion could be expanded to include the distress of any people ruled

by another, at any place and at any time, including the present.

(Possibly there is an expectation that the teacher will do this, for this is a student

workbook designed to be used as a basis for a guided discussion by the teacher in the

classroom).

History

In our opinion, the textbooks published before the 1990s should be examined and

updated with regard to the Israeli narrative and the attitude to the Palestinians.

The approach to Palestinian activities and organizational methods in the Land of

Israel in the 1920s and 1930s following the British conquest of 1917, should be

updated. The British conquest profoundly affected the two peoples, economically,

politically, and socially. Ignoring these developments makes it impossible to adopt a

balanced approach to the Arab minority in the State of Israel.

Summary

An examination of the elementary school textbooks in various subjects in the State

educational system leads to the following conclusions:

• The trend in most school subjects is to maintain a balanced and positive attitude

toward tolerance, peace and pluralism. In literature, written expression, and even

Bible studies, a positive and accepting attitude to the “other” is emphasized.

• In a subject such as history which is concerned with the modern collective

narrative, as opposed to Bible studies in which the ancient narrative is less

binding and controversial, there is a clear emphasis on the Israeli-Zionist story.

This narrative emphasizes the role played by the Jews in building the country up

to the establishment of the state, and their close attachment to and love of the

land as agricultural workers, no less than its Arab inhabitants. On the other hand,

a clear attempt is made to preserve a balance and not to ignore the presence of

the non-Jewish inhabitants of the Land of Israel prior to Zionism, and during the

period of settling the national home, and setting up the state.

• Most of the textbooks do not deal directly with the political aspects of the

country, but rather with its social, ethnic, cultural and religious aspects. This

might be due to the wish to avoid a political discussion which the younger

children would find intolerable.

• We feel that it is appropriate to draw attention to the fact that most of the

textbooks and the workbooks have been adapted to children of elementary

school age. For this reason, the political aspects, including the national narrative,

are not emphasized, even though they are referred to in the story of the history of

Zionist settlement in the Land of Israel.

Our hope is that the balance will continue, that the injustices requiring correction will

be corrected as well as the contents of the books, and that the factual aspects will be

more emphasized than the mythological aspects.

APPENDICES

Textbooks examined in this survey.

Name of Book: Literature Selections – Rina Tzedakah

Examples of an ambiguous or

negative approach toward

pluralism / tolerance / peace

pp. 10-11: Problematic attitude toward gender –

Women are presented as if their major occupation is

hobbies (piano, guitar) or other pastimes such as

preparing salads. Men and women are

disproportionately represented, and even though one

of the exercises has a female manager, this is the

only serious occupation.

pp. 33-35: In the story “Mahmoud Abu Gandil’s

donkey”, Mahmoud the Arab is portrayed as a sly

merchant who cheats the Jewish boy who brings him

ten pairs of shoes and expects to obtain a donkey in

return, but the merchant disappears.

p. 59: In the story with the Persian, there is a

sentence “until the clever Jewish doctor arrives” – a

sentence that displays a jarring superiority when told

by a Jew.

Examples of a positive

approach toward pluralism /

tolerance / peace

The book is pluralistic in that its sources include

many places: China, Greece, and Japan, as well as

stories of different communities. On the one hand a

story deals with a Pole who is involved with a

woman who is worse than the Angel of Death, but

there is also a story of a woman who prays quickly

and who displays positive assertive characteristics.

Themes / areas in which

examples could be added to

express a positive attitude

toward pluralism / tolerance /

and peace.

Suggestions for improvement

/ change

The book is very diverse in its allegorical content as

well as its use of stories from many places, such as

China, Greece, and Japan. Arab authors could of

course be added and/or Arab folk tales. The literature

is original and shouldn’t be changed, although it

could be diversified.

Name of Book: People in different places – The geography of the world’s

population




p. 107: The Proclamation of Independence is

mentioned with particular emphasis on the aspect of

the Jewish national home. While this chapter is

concerned with immigration, it does not deal with

the problematic aspect of a “national home” for the

non-Jewish population. Even when the non-Jewish

population is mentioned, no attention is given to the

problematic nature of its national identity. For

example, on p. 109 it is stated that “the only source

of growth of the non-Jewish population in Israel in

natural growth, while immigration plays no part in

its growth” – without explaining the reason for this.



tolerance / peace

The conception is pluralistic. Examples are drawn

from all over the world, and attention is devoted to a

range of worldwide problems – family size,

increasing birthrate, divorce, social welfare,

education, housing, and development. The book

includes in-depth case studies of three places:

Nigeria, Sweden, and Israel. With regard to the non-

Jewish population in the Israeli case study, the book

describes in text and in pictures the transition from a

traditional lifestyle to modernity (p. 110). The

concept of the village would, in the past, be

attributed to an Arab village, while here it refers to a

Jewish village. (p. 160)





and peace.

The Israeli example describes the Russian

immigration. The Ethiopian immigration is neither

mentioned in the text nor in the pictures.


/ change

Name of Book: People in different places – An activity booklet




p. 43: The settlement of the coastal plain. Very little

attention is given to the Arab population who lived

in the area, and the book only deals with the

purchase of land from people who agreed to sell. No

mention is made of removal of the Arabs. With

regard to the impact of immigration on the state of

Israel, on page 112 the students are asked to find

common elements that have been created in the

country. An example is given of the Day of

Remembrance for the fallen in Israel’s wars and

Holocaust day, examples that are so problematic for

Arab citizens, but whose implications are not

considered.



tolerance / peace

Assignments for expanding knowledge – p. 94:

“Interview an Israeli citizen who does not belong to

the group to which you belong…” This is an

admirable assignment; the question is whether it is

implemented.

The book is empathic to the problems faced by

immigrants, including people moving within the

country. A section on pages 115 and 116 considers

the pros and cons of unrestricted immigration, and

considers the moral aspects of tolerance toward

strangers.





and peace.


/ change

Activities should be added that stress the complexity

and the difficulty of living in a country with a

population of different nationalities, emphasizing the

difficulties experienced by minorities. Ways should

be found to foster tolerance. This book invites

students to deal with these issues in depth, and this

should be exploited.

Name of Book: On the tip of my tongue, Vol. 2




p. 21: A map without the borders of the West Bank

and the Gaza Strip. Also, only the cities of Haifa, Tel

Aviv, Jerusalem, Be’er Sheva and Eilat are included.

Shfrar’am, Gaza, etc. are not indicated.

pp. 22-23: Mention is only made of male

professionals.



tolerance / peace

p. 40: Both sexes are dealt with equally, and there is

even a picture of both a man and a woman wearing

aprons.




In general, universal human actions are considered,

including delinquent behavior – stealing (p. 100).

Lacking on page 40 is any consideration of others


and peace.

who are different, e.g. religious people, Arabs, and

Ethiopians.


/ change

Name of Book: Reading isn’t everything – A booklet of comprehension exercises

– Part A




p. 65: The map of Israel does not show the borders of

the West Bank and the Gaza Strip – annexation.



tolerance / peace

pp. 76-77: People from different cultures are

mentioned – the Bedouin. The approach is mainly

descriptive and traditional.





and peace.

p. 76: The Bedouin are dealt with in terms of

traditional characteristics. Some modern aspects

should be added, e.g. children going to school

dressed in jeans and playing computer games, in

order to show a more complex picture.


/ change

Name of Book: New Israeli readings – Vol. F






tolerance / peace

p. 153: Martians – people from different places in the

world are actually the same, including Martians.

p. 38: I believe – “I also believe in people and that

the time will come when there is peace between

nations”.

p. 47: Shofman – The Two. Relates to the herd

instinct in people. People don’t tend to offer

assistance, but there will always be two who are

different and who will provide help to others.

p. 67: The inner boundaries – on the war and the

convoy of Arab refugees leaving Beit She’an for

Jordan. Initially there was a border of foreignness,

and now an actual border. On p. 67 Gad says: “We

didn’t want this war – they started it and I kept

quiet.” This silence raises doubts about the

statement. Is it as simple as saying that they started it

and that they thus deserve the consequences?

p. 71: Uri and Sami – an encounter between a Jewish

and an Arab child that begins in fear and ends with

the Jewish child telling the Arab child that his father

was killed in the war, and Sami, who was expelled

from his village, covering Uri so that he won’t be

cold when he goes to sleep.





and peace.


/ change

p. 78: Brotherhood in Ramle – only one Jew at that

time [who did not have a good relationship with the

Arab population] and he “was an Ashkenazi who

didn’t understand the Arab concept of hospitality”.

(In the end he too was hospitable.)

What is lacking is any consideration of the presence

of the pre-state Arab population that was removed.

The description of the refugees who left is too brief.

By 6th grade the children should be capable of

understanding the complexity of coexistence

between the two nationalities in Israel.

Name of Book: Through words – Vol. E






tolerance / peace

pp. 25-27: A situation of the strong versus the weak

in which both have a place.

On family togetherness – tolerance toward families

that are different: a child who is embarrassed by his

wagoner father, a child growing up in a foster

family, girls living in poverty. On the issue of

participating in society – stories about attempts to

join in with others that arouse empathy toward

people who are different – from different countries,

exceptional or disabled children.

p. 108: Children’s rights – emphasizing that all

children have rights, irrespective of religion, race,

sex, or national origin.

p. 109: A joke about the difference between a battle

and a massacre that raises many important questions.

p. 115: Story about a wonderful Arab Bedouin

hunter.

p. 128: Story about an Arab landlord, Muhammad,

and his Jewish tenant in Jerusalem. The Partition

Resolution and the riots created fear which led

Muhammad to leave to Jordan. The end is optimistic:

“I’ll look after the apartment” the Jew tells the Arab,

“and when the country is quiet, you can return”.

p. 150: The story told by the Galilee Arabs about the

creation of the Jordan river. How the kadi judged

between the warring factions, the Dan, Hatzbani, and

Banias rivers, and made them one – that is to say,

unification solves quarrels. This book refers to the

message of the Days of Awe as being that of

forgiveness.

p. 220: The choice offered in the Proclamation of

Independence, “Call on the Arab nation…”

p. 226: New immigrants talk – stories of strangers

from many countries.

p. 232: Anti-militaristic message – war is bad.

p. 234: There are victories and there are defeats, but

peace depends on you.

p. 236: On peace in the United Nations Charter.

p. 294: A story about the wisdom of a Bedouin sheik.





and peace.


/ change

Name of Book: Diversity – For 7th Grade






tolerance / peace

p. 52: Photographs from an elementary school –

tolerance toward people of different nationalities.

p. 124: The story of Little Red Riding Hood and the

Three Pigs from the viewpoint of the wolf – raises

the possibility of different narratives around a single

event.

p. 155: Wisdom actually resides in the children. This

encourages the students to listen to everyone.

p. 287: It comes back to me – A shocking story about

attempts to survive in the Holocaust in which there is

no hatred toward the Germans or even toward the

Nazis. Also the stories dealing with struggles and

with memory that are replete with pain, sadness, and

comradeship, yet no hate. The stories attest to the

fact that even though my adversary is considered as

the enemy, he or she is still a person like me.





and peace.

The book is filled with drawings that add layers of

interpretation to the stories and provide another view

of the same idea. This strengthens the idea of

different narratives of the same event.


/ change

What is lacking is a view of the “enemy” as a person,

and a tendency to ignore his existence.

Name of Book: Friends: Part A and B – Activity workbook






tolerance / peace

Part A, p. 21: “My father is a soldier” – The

message: there is nothing particularly admirable in

the fact that the father is a soldier..

The workbook attempts to identify my feelings and

those of others, as well as a continuum of reactions

of what precedes what. These are important

assignments in creating empathy toward and

understanding of others’ feelings.





and peace.

Feelings are identified in day-to-day events.


/ change

Name of Book: Through words – Vol. D




p. 258: A stone in the wall speaks about how the

homes were built on land purchased from the Arabs,

and how we gave baksheesh to the Turks to look the

other way.

p. 75: A complex story that includes tolerance and

love of humanity, but which also offers a single

explanation of why the Arabs left their villages,

namely, because Arab “gangs” called on them to do

so.



tolerance / peace

p. 15: A story about accepting strangers, the

difficulties involved in accepting strangers and the

guilt feelings aroused by not accepting strangers.

p. 75: The almond tree on the border – a sad story

about the border that runs between two good friends,

“Jews and Arabs” which turns them into enemies,

accompanied by the words of Abu Salach, “war is

not good”.

p. 107: Herzl’s exhortation: “Build your homes so

that foreigners will feel good in your midst”.

p. 143: From the Proclamation of Independence – the

call to the Arab inhabitants to participate in the

country on the basis of equal citizenship.

p. 146: Eulogy for Goni who fell in war: “He wasn’t

killed because we hate Arabs”.

The whole chapter on the Day of Remembrance and

the Day of Independence emphasizes peace,

including a Chinese story whose message is peace.

p. 150: A free nation – trusts its borders and trusts its

neighbors.

p. 162: A song of peace.

p. 166-7: Good neighborly relations between a

Jewish girl and an Arab boy whose wish to do good

for each other is ended sadly by the war.

In the chapter of stories about different places, there

is a story on p. 236 of a meeting between a Jew and

an Arab and the sadness of separation.

p. 252: The wisdom of a sheik who ensures that

justice is done between Bedouin.

Stories of tolerance toward strangers, the poor, and

the elderly. pp. 96, 111-115, 282, 284-288. Also, the

stories about war are not militaristic.





and peace.


/ change

Name of Book: Through words – Vol. B




p. 97: A strange choice from the Proclamation of

Independence – “We call upon the Arab inhabitants

of the State of Israel to preserve peace”. No

clarification is provided that they are citizens like

any others.

p. 98: Justifying the establishment of the State of

Israel on the basis of hatred for the Jews.

p. 103: All Israel’s citizens remember the fallen and

talk about their bravery. No mention is made of Arab

citizens.

pp. 110-111: Jerusalem – Mosques and churches are

conspicuous in the photograph, yet the text only

relates to the Jewish Quarter and the Western Wall.

At no point is it mentioned that Jerusalem is holy to

other religions.

Regarding festivals – only Jewish festivals are

mentioned.



tolerance / peace

p. 8: Tolerance toward the unfamiliar stranger, the

difficult process of absorption, and finally the person

becomes like everyone else “quarrels and makes up,

loves and hates”.

p. 15: A respectful attitude to the poor.

p. 28: Joseph’s brothers – An insightful distinction

between permitted feelings of hate and envy and

forbidden violent behavior, the solution being

dialogue.

p. 89: Elijah the Prophet has a white beard like

grandfather Abraham, and wears a large Arab

traditional garment. This creates closeness between

the characters.

p. 142-143: Jews host Bedouin and the Bedouin ask

a woman to greet their hosts.





Festivals of other nationalities and religions should

be included.

Mention should be made of the Muslim and

Christian holy places in Jerusalem.

and peace.


/ change

Name of Book: Workshop in Bible studies for elementary school students in the

State educational system, by Bina Geller Talitman and Chana Shalita.

The approach – As described in the body of the report, “this activity booklet uses an

interdisciplinary approach to facilitate the understanding of young learners, in

addition to a rich variety of activities connected to the Book of Genesis. The booklet

contains Mishnaic and Talmudic legends, literature, songs, and sources of

information. The activities include language development, discussion of moral values,

multi-directional cognitive development, and creativity”.

General assessment – In the discussion of moral values as well as the homiletic

interpretations, the legends and the literary extracts that are chosen to enrich the

Biblical text, the emphasis is on moral values and universal human feelings. The

proposed activities encourage the children to ask questions, to criticize the behavior of

the heroes on moral grounds, to express feelings, and to hypothesize what the

characters thought and felt.

Examples of an

ambiguous or negative

approach toward

pluralism / tolerance /

peace

The subject: The promise of the land to Abraham’s

descendents –

1. In the Torah portion Lech Lecha, no reference is made to

the fact that the Bible notes the presence of other people in

the land (“and the Canaanite was already in the land”), p. 54.

2. The main ideas of the Covenant between the Parts are

presented in the booklet: “God made a covenant with

Abram. According to the covenant, Abram’s people would

believe in God and listen to him, and God would help his

people. God told Avram that his people would be slaves in

Egypt. God promised that after four hundred years he would

take them out of Egypt and return them to Canaan” (p. 68).

The workbook does not relate to the reasoning why they

would only return to Canaan after four hundred years – “for

the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete” (that the

sins of the people of Canaan have not yet reached the level

that would justify their expulsion from the land). This

reasoning could provide an opportunity for a critical

discussion on taking the land from the people living on it, as

well as the possibility that a corrupt society will ultimately

destroy itself.

However, these issues are even sometimes difficult for high

school students in the upper grades to grasp, especially

because we are dealing with “God’s promise”. Thus, taking

into account the young age of the students in this case (2nd

grade), the writers are probably correct in their assessment.


approach toward


peace

1. In the introduction to the students: “The Book of Genesis

is …the book concerns people in general …and Jews in

particular for every generation and at any time. The

characters and the stories…serve as examples of human

behavior to this day.”

2. On the commandment to Adam after the Creation – the

interpretation emphasizes the positive and constructive

meaning (and not the belligerent meaning that could be

implied by the text). “Fill the earth and subdue it; have

dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air,

and over every living thing…” The accompanying pictures

are of working the land, building a home, and milking a cow

(p. 6).

3. Emphasizing equality between the sexes. The context –

the creation of man. “When we say ‘man’ we mean

something different each time: Sometimes we mean the first

man, sometimes it is someone’s name, sometimes we mean

both man and woman. For example, when we say ‘man can

think’, we mean both men and women” (p. 8).

4. The context – The seventh day of Creation – the Sabbath.

The question put to the students: “To whom was the day of

rest given? Answer with the help of the clues.” The clues are

presented in a drawing with images of people working in

different occupations – a Chinese, an Indian, a dark-skinned

person, women, etc. (p. 13).

5. The context – The Flood – The dove with an olive branch

as a symbol of peace. Pictures of Israeli stamps from the

series “My Peace” consisting of children’s drawings in

which the dove appears, as well as Arab and Jewish figures

holding hands (p. 38).

6. The context – The Tower of Babel – A homiletic

interpretation demonstrating the idea of the building of the

Tower of Babel as the worship of materialism and power, at

the expense of human behavior and social sensitivity (p. 47).

7. The context – The quarrel between Abram’s shepherds

and Lot’s shepherds. Abram solved the quarrel peacefully.

He suggested that they separate and allowed Lot first choice

of where to settle. The children are told that in one of the

stories of the sages there is a further hypothesis of why the

shepherds quarreled. The hypothesis is presented to the

children by means of a drawing:

Drawing 1: Abram says: “Why are you leading Lot’s flocks

into fields that do not belong to you?”

Drawing 2: Abram says: “You are entering other people’s

fields and you shouldn’t be doing it” (pp. 59-61).

8. The context – Sodom and Gomorrah – “It was important

to Abraham that God would punish justly and that not all the

people in Sodom would be punished…” Activity: “You are

invited to write a letter to God with thoughts you have about

all kinds of unfair things that are happening in the world”

(pp. 75-77).

9. The context – The banishment of Hagar and Ishmael and

the covenant.

- The children are invited to ask a question about the story or

to express their opinion about one of the characters (Sarah,

Abraham, God).

- A contemporary story is presented, called “My heart is

with Ishmael (by Yael Medini). Na’ama talks about the

friendship and love that existed between her and Ishmael

(and other children), and about the heartbreak, the tears and

the pain when he left. The writer causes the children to be

very critical of Abraham and Sarah (pp. 85-88).

“The angel said that Ishmael would create a great people,

and Abraham arranged for Ishmael to be circumcised when

he was thirteen years old. The Muslims, who see themselves

as descendents of Ishmael, conduct a circumcision ceremony

for boys turning thirteen.”

The children are also encouraged to feel empathic toward

Ishmael in the context of Abraham’s death. The suggested

activity: “After the funeral, Isaac and Ishmael sat down to

talk. What did they talk about? Perhaps they remembered

incidents from their childhood? Perhaps Ishmael spoke

about how he felt when he and his mother were banished?”

(p. 104)

10. The context – Sarah’s death in the Cave of Machpela.

“The Cave of Machpela is a holy place for both Jews and

Muslims…Both groups pray there today (p. 95).

11. The context – The feud between Isaac’s shepherds and

those of Abimelech over the wells. “You are invited to draw

up the peace treaty between Isaac and the King of Gerer”

(p. 111). “These days as well there are treaties between

people and between countries. You can see a picture of the

signing of a peace treaty”. The picture that appears is that of

Rabin and Hussein at the peace-signing ceremony between

Israel and Jordan.

12. The context – The meeting of Esau and Jacob. From the

stories of our sages: “Why was Jacob afraid? Jacob said…I

neither want to kill nor to be killed. Jacob’s fear is that

might kill Esau.” (p. 136)

13. The context – The selling of Joseph. “If I were Joseph’s

brother” – “It’s a pity that this family…didn’t talk about the

situation…Perhaps, had they spoken, things would not have

deteriorated so much…” (p. 144)

Name of Book: Exodus and Leviticus – Activity booklet for young readers, by

Bina Geller Talitman and Chana Shalita.

As stated on the cover, the booklet offers activities dealing with language

development, values, multi-dimensional cognitive development, and creativity.


approach toward


peace

1. On Exodus, 2 – “Gilad says: ‘In my opinion, Moses was

rash, he was too quick to kill the Egyptian’. How would you

answer Gilad? Moses intervened on behalf of the weak (It

would be beneficial to emphasize that his intervention on

behalf of the weak included the assistance he gave to the

daughters of Jethro, who were not of his people). If you are

familiar with stories of people who intervened for the

benefit of weaker people, bring these stories to the class.”

(p. 19).

2. On Exodus, 14 – “The Egyptians drown in the sea. From

the stories of our sages: ‘One of the sages asks himself: The

Egyptians have already been severely punished. Why did

God not find a way to save the Children of Israel without

drowning the Egyptians?’ The legend says that God

consulted with the angels and some were opposed to

drowning the Egyptians. The angel Gabriel tipped the scales

by bringing a brick with an Israelite child’s bones sunk into

it, a child who the Egyptians had buried. The end of the

story: ‘The angels were pleased and sang when the

Egyptians drowned, while God in his sadness said: The

work of my hands is drowning and you are singing before

me?’” (p. 82)

3. On Leviticus, 15. The context – Laws intended to serve

the poor and the stranger. “Gilad asks: I don’t understand

why the Torah commands us to treat the stranger well. Sari

answers: I think that it’s hard for people to treat strangers

well. Why don’t you join the discussion?” (p. 159)

Themes / areas in

which examples could

be added to express a

positive attitude

toward pluralism /

tolerance / and peace.

1. In Exodus, 1, the women are the heroes. Yocheved,

Miriam, and Pharaoh’s daughter are the ones who reveal

compassion and courage in dealing with the order to kill the

babies. In our view the possibility is not sufficiently stressed

that the midwives who saved the Israelite babies were

(apparently) Egyptians. The story stresses that there were

good people among the Egyptians, and that feelings of

compassion and courage do not reside in any particular

people. Examples and stories could have been brought from

other periods and from the present time.

2. There is room to expand the discussion on the subject of

slavery and of taking away a person’s freedom.

3. There is also room to raise the dilemma of the ten plagues

in general, and the killing of the firstborn in particular.

Name of Book: Series with the Bible – With Joshua – Workbook for students by

Aviva Tirosh and Bina Geller Talitman

The teaching of the Book of Joshua, which deals almost entirely with the wars to

conquer the Land of Canaan, including the commandment to destroy the seven

Canaanite nations, is problematic from the start, especially for 4th grade students. It

would, however, be incorrect to ignore the book. The book cover states: “The method

of working assists the student to become familiar with the people of the world of that

time. The workbook contains assignments that develop comprehension of the Biblical

text, moral judgment, critical and creative thinking.” One of the ways in which the

writers attempt to deal with the moral problems that emerge from the Biblical text, is

by sharpening the distinction between what was acceptable in Biblical times and what

is acceptable today.

Examples of an


approach toward


peace


approach toward


peace

1. Chapter 7, the Achan episode – “Why is the whole Jewish

people accused of sin? Is it right that the whole Jewish

people should suffer because one person sinned?”.

“In Biblical times it was acceptable to punish a whole family

when one of its members sinned. In light of what is currently

acceptable, is it justified that Achan’s family was punished.

What can this chapter teach us today?” (pp. 44-46). There is

room to ask whether in certain cases we, the state of Israel

for example, would behave in this way. Is it acceptable?

2. Chapter 8, the conquest of Ai – “What is your opinion, as

people living here today, of the killing of the inhabitants of

Ai by Joshua and his army?” “Joshua allowed the people of

Israel to take loot. On the other hand, the IDF strictly forbids

the taking of loot. Why do you think that Joshua permitted

the taking of loot? And why does the IDF prohibit it?” For

their creative assignments, the students are invited to put

themselves in another person’s shoes: “A refugee from Ai

flees to another city and writes a report for the local

newspaper there. Write or record”.

3. Chapter 14. “It is interesting that the Cave of Machpelah

is holy not only to Jews but also to Muslims and to

Christians. The structure known as the Cave of Machpelah

houses a mosque and a synagogue” (p. 72).

Themes / areas in



positive attitude

toward pluralism /


Instances in which there is no attempt to deal with value

issues and moral problems arising from the Biblical text:

1. Chapter 3. Reference is made to the fact that Verse 10

mentions the different nations living in the land, and the

students are asked to name them, but no attempt is made to

deal with value issues around the fact that many nations

lived in this land.

2. The conquest of Jericho. There is no specific reference to

the destruction of the people of Jericho. Rather, the

workbook deals with the different meanings of the word

“cherem” [boycott, excommunicate]. However, the value

issue is dealt with in the context of the conquest of Ai.

The way the workbook relates to the connection between

the Bible and the national Israeli narrative:

pp. 68-69: “Some of the place names that we use today are

connected to the history of the people of Israel. They are

ancient-new names. Interestingly, Binyamin Ze’ev Herzl,

the visionary of the Jewish state, called one of his books

‘Altneuland’ which means ancient-new land. In the name he

chose he wished to express the idea that the Jews from the

Diaspora would return to an ancient land and build a new

state.” There is here an emphasis on the historical

connection to the country. The way the book is written does

not imply exclusivity, nor does it negate the contact that

others have to this land.

Suggestions for

improvement / change

Name of Book: Series with the Bible – With and without Judges – Workbook for

students on the Book of Judges and the Book of Ruth, by Aviva Tirosh and Bina

Geller Talitman

In the main, the Book of Judges deals with stories of war. In this case, the wars are

not those of conquest, but rather wars of liberation. Many activities in the booklet

encourage value judgments on the part of the students.

Examples of an


approach toward


peace


approach toward


peace

1. Chapter 4: Yael and Sisera. “What is your opinion about

what Yael, wife of Heber the Kennite did? Bear in mind that

the concept of hospitality was important in the ancient

world”. (p. 30)

2. Chapter 8, Gideon: “Why in your opinion did the people

of Succoth and Penuel refuse Gideon? Bear in mind where

these cities are located”. (Is this an attempt to understand the

problems faced by the people of Succoth? And of Penuel?

(p. 58)

3. Chapter 10, Yiftach’s war against the people of Ammon.

“Yiftach did not immediately declare war but tried to

conduct negotiations with the king of the people of Ammon”

(p. 75). (A suggestion for elaboration: The students could

examine possible alternatives facing Yiftach after the failure

of the initial negotiations, and could suggest a way of

solving the conflict peacefully.)

4. Chapter 14, Samson. “Samson wished to take his revenge

on the Philistines who had insulted his wife and his family,

and he burned many of the Philistines’ fields. What do you

think about this?” (p. 103) On Samson’s exploitation of the

foxes: “If a newspaper had been published at the time with

an announcement from the SPCA, what would have been

written in the announcement?” “The tribe of Dan issued a

newspaper at the time expressing various opinions about

Samson. What do you think about the way Samson chose to

die?” (p. 105, 113)

Themes / areas in



positive attitude

toward pluralism /


Suggestions for


The book contains pictures designed to demonstrate the

agricultural work (using old methods) mentioned in the

stories (plowing with oxen, threshing wheat, sheep shearing

etc.). These pictures are generally of Arab villages. On the

one hand, they reflect the inhabitants’ contact to the land,

which is a positive message. On the other hand, they could

strengthen the stereotype of the Arab as primitive. Pictures

could be included, for example, of an Arab plowing with a

tractor, or a Jew shearing sheep.

Name of Book: Series with the Bible – With Samuel and his generation –

Workbook for students on the First Book of Samuel, by Bina Geller Talitman

and Aviva Tirosh

Examples of an


approach toward


peace


approach toward


peace

1. The Eli family punishment – “All of Eli’s family,

including those not yet born, were to be punished. How does

this seem to you today? (Remember that opinions change)”

(p. 25).

2. “Ilana asks: How can we condemn Eli’s family for not

obeying their father? After all, it is written ‘Because God

desired to kill them’ (Verse 25). That is to say, God did not

allow them to choose how to behave. Was he correct in

punishing them?”

3. Chapter 7, Samuel as a leader. “We have seen that Samuel

fulfilled many roles (spiritual leader, priest, and judge). Do

you think it is appropriate for a single leader to have so

many dut ies? Give your reasons. In a democratic system (in

which the people choose the leaders) it is not acceptable for

one person to hold so many positions. Can you think why?”

(pp. 49-50)

4. Chapter 9, Saul is chosen to be king. “It is said of Saul

that he was modest, and that he related to his slave in the

same way that he related to himself, ‘lest my father cease

caring about the donkeys and become worried about us’. Is

humility an important characteristic for a leader? Give your

reasons. How in modern times are the people involved in

choosing leaders in democratic society? Does the law

currently regard someone who is opposed to the regime as

corrupt?” (p. 68).

5. Chapter 15, Saul’s war against the Amalakites. “Think

about and discuss: Samuel demanded in God’s name to kill

the women and children of Israel’s historic enemy. What

would you think of an act like this if it were done in our

times? Samuel’s demand that all the Amalekites be killed,

including women and children, is interesting. Today, killing

on such a scale is known as ‘genocide’, which means

‘destroying a nation’. According to a treaty between member

states of the United Nations, genocide is completely

forbidden.” (p. 101)

6. Chapter 22, Saul kills the priests of Nob. “The major

question to be discussed in teaching the chapter is: What is

your opinion of Saul’s behavior toward the priests of Nob?”

(p. 123)

7. Chapter 31, the death of Saul and his sons and their

burial. “It is interesting that IDF soldiers are explicitly

instructed not to leave fallen soldiers on the battlefield…also

IDF soldiers are instructed to respectfully bury fallen enemy

soldiers.” (p. 144)

Themes / areas in



positive attitude

toward pluralism /


Suggestions for


Chapter 13, the background to Saul’s war against the

Philistines. The workbook deals with this subject: “The

Philistines ruled Israel. This affected the daily life of the

people and its military strength. Jonathan attacked the

Philistine garrison and by so doing declared a revolt against

the Philistines. Was it important and justified to revolt

against the Philistines?” (pp. 85-89). These statements

constitute an attempt to understand the people’s distress at

being ruled by the Philistines and their motivation to revolt.

The discussion could be expanded to include the distress of

any people ruled by another, at any place and at any time,

including the present.

(Possibly there is an expectation that the teacher will do this,

for this is a student workbook designed to be used as a basis

for a guided discussion by the teacher in the classroom).

Name of Book: Series with the Bible – With King David – Workbook for students

on the Second Book of Samuel, by Aviva Tirosh and Bina Geller Talitman

Examples of an


approach toward


peace

1. “A song of praise was composed to celebrate David’s

conquest of Jerusalem, written by one of the king’s writers.”

(p. 43)

2. Chapter 8, a summary of David’s wars. The workbook

contains a map showing the areas of the kingdom that were

conquered. David’s wars were not wars of liberation, but

rather wars of conquest to expand borders. This distinction

is lacking. Furthermore, the following sentence appears in

the summary: “David’s wars brought the nation peace and

security”. (pp. 51-52)


approach toward


peace

1. Chapter 1, David mourns Saul’s death. “Was David

correct when he ordered the Amalakite boy to be killed?”. A

writing assignment: “One of David’s young followers spoke

to his family…he felt that the Amalakite boy should not

have been killed. What did he say? How did his family

respond?” (p. 8).

2. Chapter 2:26, Avner’s call to Joab: “Shall the sword

devour for ever?” “A language assignment: You have set up

an organization to prevent wars. What phrase in the chapter

would you choose as a slogan?” (p. 25)

3. In the context of the conquest of Jerusalem (Jebus) by

King David. An aerial photograph of “the south-eastern

corner of the Old City with the mosque of the Dome of the

Rock”. The photograph indicates the area of the City of

David as well as the names of other sites, including the

mosque (p. 37).

4. In the context of David’s sin with Bathsheba, “David is

guilty of Uria’s death. Joab is also guilty of Uria’s death,

because he carried out David’s orders. It is interesting that

according to the laws of the state of Israel, it is forbidden for

a soldier to carry out a clearly illegal order. Let us assume

that a soldier today receives an order like the one Joab

received. How should he react?” (pp. 54-58)

Themes / areas in



positive attitude

toward pluralism /


Suggestions for


1. Chapter 2, “Sha ll the sword devour for ever”. There is

room to expand the discussion on the value of peace.

2. David’s conquest of Jerusalem. Under the heading “it is

interesting to know”, there is a review of the history of

Jerusalem from the Canaanite period and the period of

David. The review concludes: “When the State of Israel was

established, Jerusalem was declared as the country’s

capital”. There is room to relate here to the fact that

Jerusalem is also holy to Muslims and Christians (as was

stated with regard to the Cave of Machpelah in other

workbooks).

3. In the context of David’s sin with Bathsheba, when

dealing with illegal orders, there is room to emphasize that

these orders are also relevant to those you are fighting

against, and examples could and should be brought from our

reality, including the story of Kfar Kassem which led to the

coining of the term “a manifestly illegal order”. (It should,

however, be borne in mind that this is a student workbook

which serves as the basis for a class discussion. In any

event, it is the teacher’s task to expand the discussion. It is

preferable that an example such as Kfar Kassem be brought

by the teacher.

4. Chapter 12, the parable of the “poor man’s lamb”. On

page 66, it is stated: “The story of the poor man’s lamb has

become a symbol of a story with a moral”. Real life

examples can be presented.

Name of Book: Workbook on the prophets Jonah and Amos, by Bina Geller

Talitman and Rachel Nechemkin - for junior-high-school students

Examples of an


approach toward


peace


approach toward


peace

The Book of Jonah:

1. “God said to Jonah: ‘Arise, go to Nineveh’ (1:2). From

this we learn that God is responsible for all people and not

only for the Jewish people. Toward the end of the story we

come across the verse ‘and should not I pity Nineveh, that

great city’ (4:11). What does this teach us about how God

relates to human beings?”

2. In the context of comparing Jonah’s behavior to that of

the sailors (who were not Jews) during the storm at sea, the

workbook quotes the legend from Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer,

who elaborates and emphasizes the many attempts made by

the sailors to avoid throwing Jonah into the sea. In light of

the legend, the students are asked: “How does the legend

strengthen and emphasize the human and moral behavior of

the sailors?”

3. The context: The sins of the people of Nineveh and God’s

moral demands of all the nations.

“The following legends are found in the Talmud; read them.

Legend A – While the people of Israel were crossing the sea,

the ministering angels asked them to sing to the Almighty,

and the Almighty said to them: you are drowning because of

my actions and you sing to me? Legend B – The Almighty

rejects no one, he accepts everyone, the twenty (gates of

repentance) are always open, and anyone who wishes to

enter may do so. Legend C – Elijah said, ‘I am sure that the

spirit of holiness can be found in everything that takes place

between Israelite and stranger, between man and woman,

between slave and handmaiden.’”

Among the questions asked in light of the legends: “How in

Legend B is the idea expressed that all people are equal”,

and “it can be said that Legend C provides an explanation

and justification for anyone opposed to racialism and

discrimination. How?” (p. 39)

4. Summary exercise on the Book of Jonah – the students

are asked to bring examples of the major issues they dealt

with in studying the Book of Jonah:

”Is there any basis for the belief that people are capable of

changing?” “Are there moral values that the nations of the

world hold in common?” “Can human society exist with

laws alone or with compassion alone?” (p. 39)

The Book of Amos:

Amos’s prophecies deal mainly with criticism of moral and

social behavior in the kingdom of Israel. The activities

suggested in the workbook also encourage the students to

examine what is happening in our society today.

Examples:

1. “If Amos were living today, what social phenomena

would he prophesy as being harmful?”

“Do Amos’s admonitions remind you of incidents that

happened in our society (country)? (p. 79)

2. “Amos accuses the Samarian women of stealing and

exploiting. Imagine how contemporary feminists would

view Amos’s accusations? “Do you think that social

corruption and social gaps could weaken a country and a

society?” (p. 93)

3. “The prophet interprets current events in God’s

name…Amos and the people disagree strongly about the

interpretation of the events that happened then. a) Do similar

arguments still exist today about the interpretation of

events? b) Can you give contemporary examples of how a

social or political phenomenon is interpreted in different

ways?

Themes / areas in



positive attitude

toward pluralism /


Suggestions for


In Chapter 3:2, Amos says “You only have I known of all

the families of the earth; Therefore I will punish you for all

your iniquities." The workbook relates to the fact that the

connection between God and Israel is dependent on the

people’s behavior. There is room to emphasize that being

the “Chosen People” does not give the people of Israel

special rights nor any position of superiority, but rather that

it demands moral behavior from the people. For this reason,

says Amos, the kingdom of Israel will be punished heavily

for its moral and social sins.

Name of Book: The first agricultural settlements – Chapters in the history of the

Yishuv (pre-state settlement), T. L. Publishers, Jerusalem, 1992

Examples of an


approach toward


peace

1. p. 10: A girl and her family are fearful of immigrating to

the Land of Israel because there are very few Jews in the

country, and most of the inhabitants are Arabs, Bedouin and

nomads. (It should be pointed out that this is an innovation

in the Zionist discourse, for it is not stated that the Arabs are

aggressive and violent. Is this also evidence of a lack of

settlement continuity in the Land of Israel?) It is not pleasant

to live next to strangers.

2. p. 14: “The Arab porters” in Jaffa port.

3. The Turkish clerk frightened the daughter and apparently

the father as well. The Turk takes baksheesh in order to

allow entry into the country. “This is how it is in our

country” (p. 15).

4. p. 40: Today only Arabs work Israeli land. Work on the

land is for Arabs, the mother says to the father.

5. p. 12: Question 4 – The map clarifies who lives in

Nazareth and Jaffa, whether Jews or non-Jews, and the

names of the settlements in which non-Jews live.

6. p. 18: An Arab is selling “dates of India”, I was scared

they were poisonous, but the Jew who helped us before said

that it was alright – it’s date juice.

7. p. 31: There are no Jewish settlements on the map.

8. p. 35: A well-known Arab doctor living in Jaffa treats

people who contracted diseases in the Petach Tikva swamps.

9. p. 50: A photograph of Arab notables in traditional dress.

10. p. 49: A Jew working the land with a plow and a horse.

11. pp. 204-205: Pastoral scene with photographs of making

coffee and playing traditional musical instruments. There is

also the story of Arabs who trespassed on lands which

Petach Tikva residents used for grazing and for growing

corn.


approach toward


peace

Themes / areas in



positive attitude

toward pluralism /


Suggestions for


Name of Book: The 19th century – Yesterday’s world, Center for Educational

Technology

Examples of an


approach toward


peace

1) p. 104: The Ottomans cruelly suppressed a revolt in the

Balkans, including the use of murder and robbery in addition

to military force.

2) Most of the inhabitants, traditional Muslims, opposed the

amendments and the granting of equal status to non-

Muslims.

3) p. 114: Hatred toward Israel in Algeria. Outbreaks during

the Dreyfus case in 1892 as well as anti-Semitic cartoons.

4) p. 193: It is unclear what happened to the Arabs of the

Land of Israel during the first world war.


approach toward


peace

1) Western winds of change penetrate the government of the

Ottoman Empire (p. 109). The equality accomplishments did

not, however, match the declarations.

2) The Ottoman authorities treated the Jews of the Empire

with tolerance, despite the fact that their legal status was

defined as being under guardianship (p. 110).

3) p. 111: The attitude to Jews is based on Christian anti-

Semitism, and some Jews preferred to flee to areas under

Ottoman control in order to benefit from the more tolerant

attitude toward them.

4) p. 143: A section dealing with the demography of the

Arabs of the Land of Israel prior to the First Immigration,

according to which 150-300 thousand Arabs live in the

country.

5) p. 144: A 1914 quote from a Jerusalem [Arab]

intellectual, Halil Sachanini – “The conquest of Palestine by

Zionism is the conquest of the soul of the Arab people…”

6) A map on page 147 denotes settlements with a mixed

population.

7) p. 161: The cover photograph of a memorial book of the

Hashomer [guards] Association. The rider on his horse is

wearing a keffiya (Arab head covering), holding his gun and

looking very brave. The text mentions that the Hashomer

guards replaced the Arab and Circassian guards, and that

this was part of the Jewish national liberation.

Themes / areas in



positive attitude

toward pluralism /


Suggestions for


Name of Book: The beginnings of Zionism, T. L. Publications

Examples of an


approach toward


peace

1) Much attention is devoted to anti-Semitism (Chapters 1,

2, and 3), including the Dreyfus case and the Russian

pogroms.

2) p. 178: A section is called “The beginnings of the

decline”, claiming that from the Ottoman conquest the

country started to decline.

3) The map on p. 108 does not indicate Arab settlements, as

if they disappeared from the map on p. 78. (See also the map

on p. 121 which does not indicate Arab settlements).

4) pp. 139-141: An imaginary discussion describing the

purchase of land by the Zionists and the ostensibly willing

sale by wealthy Arabs to further their economic interests.

5) p. 167: The struggle of Hebrew labor against “the Jewish

farmer who supervises the Arab worker”, in which “the

Arab worker doesn’t know who we are and why we came”.

p. 169: “A tiresome struggle between the Arab worker and

the untrusting farmer…”

6) p. 180: “The Arab guards did not do their work

properly…the non-Jewish guards would be paid (by the

farmers) and would participate (with their friends) in

stealing and pilfering…”

7) pp. 183-184: The struggle over guarding and over the

ownership of land between the outsiders and the Arabs.

8) The Jews were known by the Arabs as “people who

should surely die”.

9) The description of Jaffa is harsh and one-sided,

mentioning only the filth and the stench, etc. From the story

on p. 195, it appears that Tel Aviv was established for the

simple reason that the Arab landlords raised the rent [in

Jaffa], in addition to the other daily difficulties the Jews

experienced.

- No attention is given to the status of the Arabs and to their

situation in relation to the stratification of Hebrew work, nor

to the question of the guarding of the new Jewish

settlements.


approach toward


peace

1) Map on p. 87: Arab settlements are indicated on a map of

the Land of Israel prior to 1881, and there are clearly more

Arab settlements than Jewish. In the text, however, the Arab

settlements are not mentioned, neither is the nature of Arab

settlement at the time.

Themes / areas in



positive attitude

toward pluralism /


Suggestions for


Name of Book: Each man and his home – Published by Educational Programs

Examples of an


approach toward


peace

1) p. 8: “I don’t think that all the homes are buildings. For

example Bedouin live in tents and that’s their home. Also,

Chana, my mother’s friend, lives in a hut…”

2) p. 25: A drawing of a Bedouin desert encampment,

including camels and sheep. It is stated that there are people

in the desert who live in tents. No mention is made of the

fact that there are buildings in the Saudi Arabian desert.


approach toward


peace

1) p. 41: The Children of Israel in the desert are dressed like

Bedouin, ride on camels, and the tent is similar to a succah.

2) In some photographs (pp. 56-57) the children are wearing

skullcaps, while in other photographs they are not wearing

skullcaps (also see p. 62).

Themes / areas in



positive attitude

toward pluralism /


In the chapter dealing with apartments, a photograph and

text could be added on Arabs living in apartments in cities

and towns (p. 35), or a photograph of the Bedouin town of

Rahat.

Suggestions for


Photographs could be added of buildings in Arab villages or

cities in which Arabs live, as well as their characteristic

Eastern furniture.

Name of Book: “Our city of Jerusalem” – Workbook published by Am Oved,

1993

The book is tendentious and unbalanced. Sometimes the three religions are

mentioned, but there is no balance between them, and the tendency is to favor

Judaism and the Jews in Jerusalem. The pluralistic aspect of the city is ignored, while

its Jewish character is emphasized. No attention is devoted to the status of the Arabs

in the city nor to their historical and religious attachment to it. Lacking as well are the

elements of cooperation, a shared destiny, and an egalitarian and tolerant attitude.

Examples of an


approach toward


peace

1) p. 77, Section 5: “The holy places for us the Jews in the

Old City.”

Section 10: The proposed activity for the children –

“Prepare an album in the class of the Jewish holy places in

Jerusalem.”

2) The book does not deal with the Old City; there is only a

birds-eye view and no tour. The children are told not to walk

alone in the western city center (CBD), and not to go to the

Old City at all. Also on p. 27, reference is made to “places

on the map of Jerusalem” – none of the Arab neighborhoods

are mentioned.

3) Most of the examples point to the Jewish People’s deep

connection to the city, while ignoring the Arabs’ attachment

to the city, thereby furthering their delegitimization.

4) The book opens with the question of who is a

Jerusalemite. The three children answering are “Yaron,

Yael, and Rami” [Jewish names]. There is no mention of a

Palestinian child’s name.

5) p. 23: “…all those years Jews couldn’t visit the Western

Wall. Since the liberation of the Old City and the

reunification of Jerusalem in the six day war…” Use of the

words “liberation” and “reunification” are quite jarring.

6) p. 41: Map of The City of David and Mount Moriah.

Nowhere on this map is mention made of El-Kuds or of the

places holy to Arabs or to Islam.

7) p. 78: A section refers to “respect for others” with a quote

from the mayor that “the lifestyle in Jerusalem…the

Jerusalem municipality enables minorities to maintain their

own lifestyle”. The students are then asked: “Which

minorities was the mayor referring to?”. This appellation is

unacceptable. Why are the Arabs/Christians not referred to

as such, instead of the euphemism minorities.

8) p. 132: The children are asked to write a story: “I was a

child in the Jewish Quarter in the War of Independence”.

The assignment refers only to Jewish children. No mention

is made of the fact that there were also Arab children at that

time.

9) Chapter 8 deals with the capital of Israel and the city of

holy places. The chapter presents the Jerusalem Basic Law

uncritically and without any discussion on the implications

of a law of this kind. In Section C, the authors go even

further and write about “the eternal city of the Jewish

People”. Again, without critical examination of the

significance of “eternal” and of the place of the Arabs in this

“eternity”


approach toward


peace

1) p. 70: A chapter dealing with Jerusalem divided between

Israel and Jordan does not stress the unity, but rather

highlights the division.

2) With regard to Jerusalem neighborhoods, a differentiation

is made between neighborhoods built up to 1920, those built

between 1921 and 1948, between 1948 and 1967, and after

1967.

3) Some of the maps include Arab neighborhoods.

4) p. 16, question 4: “Examine what happened to Aelia

Capitolina, Jerusalem, and El Kuds. What do these names

mean, and which of them is still used today?”

5) A short section dealing with “a comparison of

neighborhoods”. The question is raised of what a mixed city

is, the explanation given is that “Jerusalem is a city in which

various ethnic, religious, and national groups live. Each

population group has its own beliefs, opinions, and

lifestyle”.

Themes / areas in



positive attitude

toward pluralism /


Maps could be included showing:

- Arab neighborhoods.

- Jerusalem during the Ottoman Turkish period.

Suggestions for


Name of Book: A journey into the past – Greece, Rome, and Jerusalem,

Published by the Center for Educational Technology, 6th grade textbook.

Examples of an


approach toward


peace

1) p. 151: Jesus’ remarks about the behavior of the priests

aroused anger in Jerusalem. The high priest decides to hand

Jesus over to the Roman prefect on charges of rebellion

against Roman rule (this is the traditional story).

2) Since then, according to Christian belief, the Jewish

people is guilty of having crucified Jesus the Messiah, an

accusation that has passed from generation to generation and

has served as the basis of hatred of the Jews by the

Christians (p. 152).

3) pp. 161-162: Jerusalem as the center of world Jewry, a

destination for pilgrims, and a religious and economic center

for Diaspora Jewry.


approach toward


peace

1) p. 149: A complete chapter on Christianity, including the

story of Jesus’ life, the relationship between Jesus and the

Jewish community, quotations from the New Testament

such as “The Sermon on the Mount”: “Love your enemies,

bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you.”

2) p. 152: Only in the second half of the 20th century did the

Christian Church decide to renounce the blame placed on the

Jewish People for Jesus’ crucifixion.

3) “The new religion opened its doors to everyone…” p.154.

4) Details of the theological characteristics of Christianity,

including extensive details of the texts, the sacraments and

the organization of the Church.

Themes / areas in



positive attitude

toward pluralism /


Suggestions for


The book does not deal with the Muslim Period and does not

mention Arab culture, because it did not exist before the 7th

century. Regarding Jerusalem – No one disputes the fact that

Jerusalem was the center for the Jewish people in the first

and third centuries BCE. The lack of reference to other

religions is thus legitimate.

Name of Book: A journey into Israeli democracy – Civics textbook,

T. L. Publications

Examples of an


approach toward


peace

1) p. 55: The illustration describes the Israeli-Palestinian in a

naïve, ambiguous manner, with a traditional head covering,

pondering whether to be loyal to “Israel or to the Arab

states”.

2) pp. 67-77: Discussion on the weighty questions

concerning the areas over the Green Line.

3) Map of the Land of Israel connects the Book of Joshua to

the State of Israel today.

4) p. 70: The war of 1948 is called the War of Independence

and the fate of the Palestinian population is not mentioned.

What is mentioned is that Jordan annexed the West Bank

between 1948-1967 and did not establish an independent

state for Israeli Arabs.

5) Concerning the citizens’ obligations, the exemption from

army service given to Yeshiva students and Arabs is

mentioned, without indicating the reason for the exemption.

6) p. 26: Deals with the status of residents who do not have

citizenship – Palestinians in the occupied territories are not

mentioned.

7) p. 54: Attitudes of Israeli men and women who speak of

the difficulty of being loyal to the country and of their

contacts with the Palestinian people and the Arab world.

8) p. 65: The State of Israel, the Jewish national home.

National minorities are not mentioned as part of the

definition of the state.

9) p. 149: Question 10: “An Arab throws a stone…and a Jew

throws a stone…who will be punished more severely? The

question aims to clarify the concept of equality, but the

example is tendentious.

10) p. 19: In the section dealing with the creation of new

countries, Palestine is not mentioned, even as a footnote.

Israel too is not mentioned.

11) The use of the term “Judea, Samaria and the Gaza

Region” pp. 78-80 confers legitimacy on these areas.

12) p. 88: Activity No. 4. “The Citizenship Law”. The

problematic nature of this right should be clarified. No

attention is given to the ramifications of this law for the

Arab minority.

13) p. 91: “The country’s Arab citizens are entitled to the

full civil rights granted to Jewish Israeli citizens, but in

certain areas this is not the case”. These areas should be

discussed.

14) p. 105: Discussion on the Proclamation of

Independence: “The State of Israel will be a Jewish and

democratic state based on the principles of freedom,

equality, and justice for all its Jewish and Arab inhabitants”.

There is no in-depth discussion on the gap between the

vision and the reality.

15) p. 113: The students undertake an activity on the subject

of “living with dignity”. The examples presented are from

Sierra Leone or Indonesia, and none from our region.

16) p. 129: An in-depth discussion on the question: “When

is it necessary to infringe on a citizen’s rights in order to

protect other citizens.” Again the examples are from abroad,

or more specifically from the United States. There seems to

be a fear of dealing with local examples.

17) p. 238: A chapter that deals with “the media and the

rights of the individual”. There are no examples from the

Israeli media connected to freedom of speech for the Arab

minority in the country.


approach toward


peace

1) p. 156, question 11: A university inaugurated a

department of aeronautical engineering. It was proposed that

Druze and Arabs not be permitted to study in the

department. The issue is one of discrimination – social

equality and the prohibition against discrimination.

2) p. 288: The passing of the Human Dignity and Liberty

Law is mentioned.

3) pp. 78-80: Discussion on the future of the occupied

territories.

Themes / areas in



positive attitude

toward pluralism /


Suggestions for


Name of Book: The history of Israel and the nations – Part 2 – For State

education schools – T. L. Publications

Examples of an


approach toward


peace

1) p. 286, Section 47: On the attitude of the Christian

Church to the Jews, and the humiliation the Jews were

exposed to. It should be mentioned that there is much

evidence that this was in fact the Church’s attitude, and the

textbook thus cannot be accused of being exceptionally

biased.

2) Chapter X – Violent hatred of Israel during the Crusades

(p. 341).

Section 58 – Disturbances and expulsion – p. 354, the

expulsion of Jews from England.

Section 59 – The Expulsion from Spain.


approach toward


peace

The book devotes a number of chapters to familiarizing the

students with the principles of the two great religions, and

the history of their development as a religion and as a

worldwide organization.

Chapter IV, p. 143: On Christianity, including comments on

the missionary attitude adopted to anyone who was different

from them.

Section 28, p. 176: On the Arabs before Mohammed.

Section 30, p. 186: The foundations of Islam, the Five

Commandments, architectural and artistic characteristics,

etc. On the Koran: the explanation is not particularly

detailed but it is neutral. The pilgrimage to Mecca is also

explained.

Section 31, p. 197: On the Islamic conquest and the spread

of Islam.

Chapter VI: Deals entirely with the period of Ottoman rule

and the attitude of the rulers to the Jews in Babylon, Spain,

and throughout the Empire.

p. 220: The Jewish inhabitants were considered as inferior,

but the authorities did not interfere in their internal life.

Section 38, p. 237: On the Jewish cultural flourishing in

Spain and the positive encounter between Jews and

Muslims.

Chapter VII – Christian Europe in the Middle Ages. The

chapter deals with the papacy, the principles of Christianity,

the organization of the Christian Church, the role of the

priest, etc.

Themes / areas in



positive attitude

toward pluralism /


Suggestions for


Name of Book: Language tells the culture – “Ela Vesitra”, Books A, B, and C

The books teach Arabic and the culture most connected to it, i.e. Islam. In general, the

contents of the booklets are adequate and comprehensive, and there is an attempt to

familiarize the students with the components and contents of modern Arab culture and

the sources of the Islamic religion. The material relates positively to the Dome of the

Rock and its status in the eyes of the Muslim population. In its current form, the series

contributes to pluralism and inter-cultural tolerance.

Examples of an


approach toward


peace


approach toward


peace

1) Throughout the booklets the close comparison between

Arabic and Hebrew clearly conveys a message of equality,

similarity, and linguistic and cultural affinity. The language

differences are clear but not emphasized. An attempt is also

made to teach the students the rudiments of Arabic language

and writing (p. 110).

2) Children’s names or the names of places in which Arabs

lived before 1948, and the situation after 1967 are not

hidden, yet they do not have a political connotation. The

emphasis is far more on the cultural aspect.

Book A:

1) The maps on pages 61 and 71 present an intelligent and

sophisticated question: “Which is the smallest country?”.

This leads every Israeli student to the conclusion the

Lebanon is the smallest country in the Middle East and not

Israel as is usually thought.

2) p. 71: A description of the three monotheistic religions in

Jerusalem.

3) p. 82: Examples and photographs are presented from all

the places that are holy to the three religions. This attests to

a pluralistic approach and of mutual respect between the

different groups. Also on p. 83 there is an explanation of the

words El Kuds, an alternative name for Jerusalem that was

created in the 10th century and is still used today. The name

is derived from the Arabic source meaning “the holy of

holies”.

4) p. 86: The explanation of the word “Arab” – both the

question and the answer are objective, to the point, and

balanced.

Book C:

1) p. 89: An Arabic literary extract is presented, which

points to a positive attitude toward modern Arabic.

2) Many activities direct the students to the Koran. p. 149:

“Find details in the following extract from the Koran that do

not appear on the identity card…” This creates a positive

attitude to the Koran, as well as enriching the students’

knowledge about the Koran. Also on pp. 150-155, the

students are presented with examples from the first chapter

of the Koran.

3) p. 100: A full section on the importance of the Dome of

the Rock for Muslims. The elaboration of the importance is

not, however, limited to Muslims, for it is stated: “The area

under the Temple Mount where the Dome of the Rock is

located is holy to Jews and to Muslims. Jerusalem thus

constitutes the core of the conflict between Israel and the

Arab world in general, and between Israel and the

Palestinians in particular.”

4) p. 101: A section details the Muslim festivals.

5) p. 110: A complete section on “the beginnings of the

Arab language and writing”, which is an attempt to

familiarize the students with how Arabic evolved.

Booklet A:

p. 130: The students are invited to discuss the following

issues: “The Middle East is a region in which there have

always been conflicts between nations; Israel should allow

Arabs from neighboring countries to pass through its

territory; Arab countries are very interested in signing a

peace treaty with Israel; the holy places should be an area

under United Nations control; the region’s borders should be

open to all the region’s inhabitants; the countries in the

region should issue a joint currency, similar to the Euro,

which all the countries in the region will trade in.”

Themes / areas in



positive attitude

toward pluralism /


Suggestions for


Name of Book: Getting to know the Bedouin in the desert / Readings

The book presents the Bedouin encampment and the Bedouins’ current occupations in

the city by means of photographs and drawings.

Examples of an


approach toward


peace


approach toward


peace

pp. 4-5: The children experience certain aspects of Bedouin

life such as building a tent, an activity which creates affinity

between the two people/cultures.

- An extended discussion on the nature of the desert, which

does not dwell on the fixed and stigmatic connection

between the Bedouin and the desert, a connection that many

Bedouin and non-Bedouin Arabs feel creates socio-

economic discrimination (Chapter 1).

- p. 22: The Bedouin tent seems ramshackle, but the students

are provided with explanations about the types of tents, the

types of materials, how the tent is built, and life inside the

tent.

p. 88: A positive message emerges from the story about

Bedouin customs of hospitality – “Bedouins like coffee, like

to grind it, and like to host guests..”

- No negative attitudes toward Jews or other nationalities are

attributed to the Bedouin. They are considered as good and

honest hosts.

- Current Jewish settlement in the desert is not presented,

nor the modern version of “making the desert bloom”.

Themes / areas in



positive attitude

toward pluralism /


Suggestions for


Name of Book: Our homeland – Published by the Educational Television

The book maintains a balanced and tolerant attitude toward the other side.

Examples of an


approach toward


peace

- The description of the country as an unpopulated

wilderness conveys a false image with highly negative

implications for the children and the local inhabitants.

pp. 8-9: While the word “wilderness” is used, the

photographs attest to the existence of settlements and of life

within them. There is a contradiction but not an unequivocal

statement that this is a wilderness. Possibly the Hebrew

word “desolate” captures the ambiguity.

p. 87: There are statements that accuse the Arabs of

attacking small settlements established by the Jews, but the

language used is not particularly violent. The feeling is not

that of an armed confrontation, and certainly not a national,

but rather a local struggle . “…the Arabs attacked the

agricultural settlements from time to time, but were repulsed

by the guards. Guards, farmers, and workers were killed, but

the important idea was the fact…”

- The major emphasis was on building and developing the

new Jewish settlements. Examples on pp. 106-107, and

p. 134.

- Map on p. 65: “Map of the Land of Israel at the beginning

of the 19th century”. Not a single Arab settlement is

indicated.

p. 54: “The wagon was harnessed to a camel, and sometimes

two, which the Arabs found quite astonishing” – that is to

say, the Jews appear as more developed and cultured than

the Arabs.

p. 95: “The Hashomer organization attributed particular

importance to peaceful relations with the Arab

environment”. The relationship between Hashomer and the

local Arab population was ambivalent and problematic. In

order to present a balanced objective picture, the relationship

between the two sides needs to be understood.

- No attention is devoted to the status of the Arabs in the

country.


approach toward


peace

p. 14: Mentions that there are places in the country that are

holy to the three religions. “Do you think there are cities that

are holy to the three religions?” Also, “What are the houses

of worship of the three most common religions in the

country called?”. From the above, there seems to be a

positive attitude toward pluralism.

Themes / areas in



positive attitude

toward pluralism /


Suggestions for


- There is a lack of consideration of the situation of the local

Arab population during this period, especially in light of the

policy of purchasing land and of expanding Jewish

settlement in the country.

- The pattern of relationships between Jews and Arabs

during the early years of Jewish settlement could be

elaborated (beyond what is dealt with on p. 45).

Name of Book: Journey to the kibbutz – Readings on the history of pre -state

settlement

The strong general trend in the book is to emphasize the Zionist enterprise, the

Jewishness of the new settlers, and the connection between the Land of Israel and the

Zionist Movement. The book encourages intolerance and a lack of pluralism, and does

little to further partnership, coexistence, or mutual respect.

Examples of an


approach toward


peace

1) A highly negative, tendentious stereotypical and even

monstrous description of the Arabs (p. 38). “A group of

Arabs appearing suddenly on the deck, put an end to our joy.

They were truly terrifying: their upper bodies were naked,

they wore wide trousers and wide red belts on their hips. On

their heads they wore small skullcaps. From the moment

they appeared, they didn’t stop shouting. They ran like

madmen on the deck, grabbed the suitcases and piled them

up. They behaved with terrible rowdiness and I was sure that

they were pirates…” And on the same page: “And then a

giant Arab passed by, a real Samson, holding a child’s hand,

who out of fear managed to shout. In his other hand he held

a large box and on his back he carried a heavy package…he

took my white hand in his black hand and growled a few

times hada hada.”

2) Map on p. 47: No Arab villages are indicated in the

mountain region.

3) p. 53: Historical facts about the Jewish minority that can

be interpreted in various ways.

4) A distinction is made between “Hebrew” work and

“Arab” work, and the following quotation reveals the

intention: “The Jews are struggling to meet [the challenge]

of work and defense, Hebrew hands will build the land and

not Arab hands” p. 66. Also on pages 62-63, the following

dialogue appears: “And who is working in the fields?”

“Arabs”, “And what are the Jews doing?” “Managing the

work, supervising”, “I am shocked. Is this how our country

will be built? The Jews will provide the work and the work

itself will be done for them by Arabs, and I dreamed of a

different Land of Israel, a land in which Jews work the land

and enjoy the fruits of their labors. I won’t allow foreigners

to build my land”. In other words, the Arabs are a foreign

element that should be removed from the labor market.

Page 15 – Shaul Tchernichovsky’s poem “I believe”. This

poem conveys a lack of consideration for and a disregard of

the other side, especially as the poet’s wish is “then my

people as well will return and flourish, and a generation will

arise in the land, the iron chains will be removed, the light

will be seen clearly”. In other words, the wish is for a lively

and fruitful future, without relating to the “other” living in

the country.

6) The fear is expressed that the Jews will leave the country,

while simultaneously the presence of others who live in this

country is negated: “The emissary told us that the situation

in the Jewish villages is precarious. Arab workers are

working in them and if we don’t go and work in them, the

Jews will leave the villages and we will lose the land. I was

happy to finally find a person who would clarify for me

what I have to do in life…”

7) The description of Jaffa, the bustling Arab city, is

couched in negative terms: “Jaffa, with its Eastern look, did

not make a good impression on me…its streets are narrow

and dirty, the peddlers are boisterous, the camels walk

slowly on the street, and the signs are in Arabic – all these

left me with the feeling that I wasn’t in the Land of Israel.

Arabic and Arabs and where are the Jews? Arabs and Arabic

– and where is Hebrew?

8) The predominant attitude in the book toward the Arabs is

ethnocentric and patronizing: “I don’t want you to dirty your

hands and to humiliate yourself by working. I won’t give

you work because I am protecting your dignity…” (p. 64)

9) Arabs planting a forest in memory of Herzl is described

as a shock: “And we learned that in Ben Shemen adjacent to

the city of Lod, Arab workers are employed to plant a forest

in Herzl’s memory. We were shocked. How is it possible? A

forest to the memory of the great leader on the nation’s land

planted with Arab work. We saw this as a desecration of

Herzl’s memory. We demanded the work supervisor to

employ only Jews.” That is to say, in this case there is also

delegitimization and negation of the Arabs, especially in the

area of work, and an attempt to evict them from the labor

market. When the work supervisor in this story fires the

Arab workers, this is perceived as an achievement (pp. 100-

101).

10) This trend continues on page 144: “You recall that my

friends from Ben Shemen, who came with me to the Galilee,

moved to the Kinneret farm. They continued to live

cooperatively, worked the land, and enjoyed the good life

the Galilee provided them. Everything went well until one

day the work supervisor hired Arabs to work on the farm.

My friends objected and spoke to the manager of the farm,

but when this didn’t help they declared a strike and left the

farm in protest…”.

11) p. 261: The book gives a good example of the methods

of “redeeming the land”: “They even bought their working

tools with their own money and didn’t wait for the

institutions to give them money. They knew that if they

didn’t hurry to settle the place, the Arabs living in the

vicinity were liable to start cultivating the land, which would

make it very difficult to remove them.

The Jewish National Fund also bought land which then

belonged to it in most legal way possible. Does this sound

strange? It was the law in those days and that is how one had

to behave.”


approach toward


peace

1) p. 252: Ruppin did not content himself with establishing

Degania. As the person responsible for Zionist settlement in

the country, he took care of buying land that was put up for

sale. He specially tried to buy land located far from Arab

settlements, preferring swamps and sand dunes so as not to

incur the envy of the Arab inhabitants. He also gave the

Arabs permission to continue drawing water from the

springs in areas that he bought, and hoped, through this

gesture, to maintain good neighborly relations…”

Themes / areas in



positive attitude

toward pluralism /


Suggestions for


Documents

Examination of israeli textbooks in elementary schools