Core Programs
Nursery School for Arab Israeli Children
Our OPEN HOUSE nursery school provides full-time day care, six days a week for 32 toddlers, aged 1½ to 3 years old. Four nursery school teachers provide a high-quality educational program in Arabic. Sliding scale parents' fees cover 48% of nursery school expenses. Donations cover the other 52%.
It is a "head start" program that provides a solid educational foundation and aids Arab mothers in their career development. Jewish, Christian and Muslim holidays provide opportunities for nursery school and other participant families to gather together with the staff. Over the years, such social interaction has fostered a profound practical knowledge of how intergroup coexistence and reconciliation can be achieved.
Through programs like this, along with public advocacy, OPEN HOUSE serves as a community voice promoting equality of services and opportunities for the Arab population in Ramle and in Israel as a whole.
Summer Peace Camp
Approximately 70 to 80 children, ages 8 to 12, half Arab and half Jewish, participate in OPEN HOUSE's annual three-week summer day camp. Recreational activities, including field trips, are supplemented by educational programs designed to enhance mutual understanding and friendship. Since Jewish and Arab children in Israel attend separate schools, initiatives like our Peace Camps are essential to bridge the gaps of ignorance and prejudice.
The older children continue to meet during the school year to work on art projects and deepen their friendships. Some of them end up going abroad as part of a youth delegation. Parents' fees cover half the summer camp expenses. Foundation grants and other donations cover the balance.