Heightened Security Situation Drains Israel?s Budget?
Over Two Million Israeli School Children Without English Books
The Books for Israel Project Launched to Help
ROCKVILLE, MD, October 11, 2002 ? This Saturday, October 12th, First Lady Laura Bush will lead the United States in celebrating National Book Day. In November, Jewish community organizations will celebrate Jewish Book Month. But for Israel?s public school children?Jews, Christians and Muslims alike?this is a year without the money needed to buy English books for their libraries and language programs. Volunteers in the Greater Washington DC area hope to help ease this crisis and build a bridge of learning between America and Israel.
Although English is taught as a second language in the Israeli school system, the drain on Israel?s budget caused by the threat of terror attacks has forced the government to make a choice between more security fences and guards for the country?s school children and buying books.
The Books for Israel project was jointly inspired by Israeli and American educators. Rena Cohen, organizer of the Magen David Sephardic Congregation Israel Action Committee, which is sponsoring the Greater Washington DC Books for Israel Project, explains, ?We plan to collect donated ?beloved books? (good quality literature) and the money needed to ship them for distribution to Israel?s schools. Meanwhile, educators on in both countries are working on a parallel effort to promote love of learning and increased communication between our school children through a web-based educational book sharing project.? Ari Sherris, Research Associate with The Center for Applied Linguistics in Washington, DC, adds, ?The Israel Book Project is a celebration of freedom, and an important symbol of our shared sense of human rights and dignity.?
Synagogues, community centers, churches, and mosques are asked and encouraged to contribute good quality books to this campaign, selected for their educational value, special meaning or fine quality. Schools and teachers who are interested will be encouraged to join in web-based book exchange discussions and other educational projects. Jade Bar-Shalom, Lecturer at Israel?s Haifa University, says, ?It is anticipated that other regional Books for Israel campaigns will be launched in the U.S. and possibly other countries as well. As long as the Israeli government is forced to choose between books and security, we hope to minimize the harm to the education of Israel?s children by providing books. We hope that the need for the crisis intervention aspect of the project will be short lived, but that the educational bridges we can build through this effort will enrich the experience of students in every country where The Books for Israel Project flourishes for years to come.?
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For further information contact:
Rena Cohen
MDSC Israel Action Committee Organizer (202) 255-5959, IsraelActionMDSC@hotmail.com
Over Two Million Israeli School Children Without English Books
The Books for Israel Project Launched to Help
ROCKVILLE, MD, October 11, 2002 ? This Saturday, October 12th, First Lady Laura Bush will lead the United States in celebrating National Book Day. In November, Jewish community organizations will celebrate Jewish Book Month. But for Israel?s public school children?Jews, Christians and Muslims alike?this is a year without the money needed to buy English books for their libraries and language programs. Volunteers in the Greater Washington DC area hope to help ease this crisis and build a bridge of learning between America and Israel.
Although English is taught as a second language in the Israeli school system, the drain on Israel?s budget caused by the threat of terror attacks has forced the government to make a choice between more security fences and guards for the country?s school children and buying books.
The Books for Israel project was jointly inspired by Israeli and American educators. Rena Cohen, organizer of the Magen David Sephardic Congregation Israel Action Committee, which is sponsoring the Greater Washington DC Books for Israel Project, explains, ?We plan to collect donated ?beloved books? (good quality literature) and the money needed to ship them for distribution to Israel?s schools. Meanwhile, educators on in both countries are working on a parallel effort to promote love of learning and increased communication between our school children through a web-based educational book sharing project.? Ari Sherris, Research Associate with The Center for Applied Linguistics in Washington, DC, adds, ?The Israel Book Project is a celebration of freedom, and an important symbol of our shared sense of human rights and dignity.?
Synagogues, community centers, churches, and mosques are asked and encouraged to contribute good quality books to this campaign, selected for their educational value, special meaning or fine quality. Schools and teachers who are interested will be encouraged to join in web-based book exchange discussions and other educational projects. Jade Bar-Shalom, Lecturer at Israel?s Haifa University, says, ?It is anticipated that other regional Books for Israel campaigns will be launched in the U.S. and possibly other countries as well. As long as the Israeli government is forced to choose between books and security, we hope to minimize the harm to the education of Israel?s children by providing books. We hope that the need for the crisis intervention aspect of the project will be short lived, but that the educational bridges we can build through this effort will enrich the experience of students in every country where The Books for Israel Project flourishes for years to come.?
-------------------------------------------------------------
For further information contact:
Rena Cohen
MDSC Israel Action Committee Organizer (202) 255-5959, IsraelActionMDSC@hotmail.com