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The High-School Leadership Program for Jewish-Arab Israeli Coexistence

In 2017, Bar-Ilan University's Center for Jewish and Democratic Law opened the High School Education & Leadership program. The initial cohort included 130 students from religious and secular high schools across the country who participated in campus visits for joint study, learning, and discussion of topical legal issues. As a result of the program’s success, last year the Center opened a similar program for Jewish-Arab Israeli students: The High-School Leadership Program for Jewish-Arab Israeli Coexistence, which focused on the joint legal, ethical, and social issues affecting both populations.

Project summary

Status:

completed

Students:

Elad Caplan, PhD​

Mentorship:

Prof. Shahar Lifshitz and Dr. Ori Aharonson, Faculty of Law​

Impact Fund investment:

NIS 140,800​

Ripple effect:

400 Jewish and Arab high school students foster connection, build bridges, and engender harmony​.

Student entrepreneur

Elad Caplan has a LLB (Hons) in Law and Political Science and a MA (Hons) in Science, Technology, and Society from Bar-Ilan University. He is the Director of the Menomadin Center for Jewish and Democratic Law at Bar-Ilan University. Elad has extensive experience working with marginalised communities, decision makers, and various partners to promote inclusivity and solve individual and systemic problems in Israeli society.

End of year summary

  • While we could not have predicted the circumstances that would make running the program this year so challenging, with perseverance and preparation, we still made it work. Over 300 Jewish secular and religious and Israeli-Arab high-school students spent 8 days on the Bar-Ilan University campus exploring Israeli identity and citizenship with leading professors, scholars, and social activists.
  • Group discussions were led by 40 outstanding Israeli-Arab and Jewish law students, secular and religious, from BIU’s Faculty of Law, in both Hebrew and Arabic.
  • The semester-long program culminated in an an inspiring graduation event that featured a panel, speakers, and break-away discussion groups.
  • We are still analyzing the feedback, but the responses to the program are so exceptional. The schools, students, and the guides left with a positive sense of meaning and partnership, and expressed their satisfaction.
  • In light of the events of October 7th 2023 and the ensuing war, this program’s ability to increase understanding and build bridges between Jewish and Arab-Israeli communities can truly change the reality “on the ground“ and gives us all hope for a better future. We look forward to continuing it.