Schools Visit to Israel

When Eva Lavie, director of external relations at Kol Yisrael Haverim – Alliance in Israel, and Shlomo Butbul, director of educational programs at Alliance Israelite Universelle in France, learned from school principals in France and Geneva about the need to breathe life into the 4th and 5th grade curricula on Judaism , Bible and Hebrew, they decided to create a meaningful experience for the students. "We wanted ," said Eva, " to have a week of experiential learning in Israel. One that would make it possible for students to "learn through their legs" . We wanted to enable them to re-discover the Bible through trips to Biblical sites in Jerusalem and throughout the country. To introduce them to the power of spoken Hebrew by talking to Israeli students."

The joint initiative was warmly welcomed both by the Alliance in Paris and Kol Israel Haverim in Israel, which work together to strengthen Jewish identity among Alliance students in Israel and abroad. And thus, in cooperation with the Jewish National Fund, the program, "Yahdav – Twin Schools", was launched.

Last March, 100 students and staff members from Alliance Israelite Universelle schools in France and Switzerland came to Israel. For a week, they went on trips in the footsteps of the Bible in Jerusalem and took part in Shabbat prayers at the Western Wall and in synagogues in Jerusalem's Old City.

They also learned experientially about Israel's ecology through a visit to the Carasso Science Park in Beer Sheva and the JNF Center in Nitzana. The visit to the Negev was designed to educate the visitors about the importance of sustainable development and to acquaint them with Israel's technological progress that makes development in the area possible.

The highlight of the visit was a series of meetings between the visiting youngsters and Israeli students at the Yuvalim School in Be'er Sheva and the Da'at School on Kibbutz Sa'ad. The Israelis received the visitors at their schools . This was followed by a day of joint activity at Mikveh Israel, hosted by students at the Israeli-French School on the campus. They presented Mikveh Israel's unique historical story - a 150 year milestone in the history of the Alliance in Israel.

Ofer, the coordinator of the visit on behalf of Kol Israel Haverim, spoke about the encounter as a value: "The acquaintanceship between Jewish students from Israel and their peers from the Diaspora strengthens Jewish identity, broadens the circles of belonging and helps maintain the continuity of Jewish existence . The "nationhood" of the Jewish people occupies us as Jewish educators who deal with Jewish-social identity; the Yahdav – Twin Schools program is "nationhood" in action".

According to Eva, the encounter with Israeli students was an important experience. Being together with classmates for a week also contributed to a sense of class solidarity. The emotional, human and social bond between Diaspora Jewish students and Jews in Israel was a central axis that the visit sought to strengthen, she said.

But the big surprise was discovering Israel and its landscapes. "You have to remember that we're talking about students who spend their holidays in Israel in Netanya or in Eilat", she added. "During this visit, they were surprised to discover the fascinating geography and history of the Land of Israel. Places like the Negev, Masada, the Dead Sea, Mitzpe Ramon and Jerusalem with all its wonders. They were left with a good taste and the desire to learn and become more familiar with their Jewish identity and with Israel". The visit also enabled the youngsters to apply the theoretical information that they learned in school.

The success of the program was the result of cooperation between the organizers, the exchange of pedagogical knowledge and the synergetic work between the staffs in Israel and abroad, as well as the efforts of the Israeli-French High School and the staff of Mikveh Israel.

Eva and Shlomo have endless plans of how to further the project, following the successful pilot. They see a visit to Israel becoming a regular part of the curriculum for grades 4 and 5 in the Alliance schools, and hope that it will be extended to other schools in the Alliance network worldwide. They hope that the students will return and meet again in junior high school and high school.

Various ideas and plans have been raised to continue the connection that was created between the students and staffs, such as the joint study of Hebrew and Judaism through conference calls, a virtual project that the students will create together on the Internet and joint activities for the holidays . Eva hopes that on future trips, Israeli students will be able to join in and spend time with their European peers.

Yehudah Mimran, director-general of Kol Israel Haverim, summarizes: "Together with World Alliance, we face the challenge of renewing education for value-laden Jewish identity. It is expressed in schools in Israel and the Diaspora by a variety of educational projects that we run. We consider the Yahdav program an important milestone in the effort to strengthen the connection and enhance the Jewish identity of students in Israel and abroad".

Assaf Tsuberi, Coordinator of Piyut

The Tu B'Shvat Seder held this year at the Ben Gurion School in Ofakim was different, indeed unique. The Seder was opened by paytan (composer of Jewish liturgical poetry) Moshe Zagury, the father of a student at the school, who sang, together with the entire school body, the piyut (Jewish liturgical poem): Yom Tu B'Shvat Hanehedar (The wonderful day of Tu B'shvat). The idea of including Moshe, who is an expert in the poetry of Moroccan Jews and the traditional Jerusalemite-Sephardic version, was enthusiastically received by the staff, students and parents who attended the ceremony.

"The piyut recited at the Seder was the culmination of a long process at the school, during which grades 2 to 6 were introduced to the subject of piyut", explains Assaf Tsubery, who coordinates the subject at Maarag-Morasha, Kol Israel Haverim-Alliance. "The process begins with the personal stories of students from a broad spectrum of communities: Azerbaijan, Morocco, Russia and others. The youngsters discover that just as each community has its unique foods, customs and language, it also has its unique music and sounds".

At the next stage they study familiar piyutim: Shalom Aleichem, Ehad Mi Yodea, Lecha Dodi and Bar Yochai. A similar learning process also took place this year at the Tsipori School in Bat Yam, the Multi-Disciplinary School in Ofakim and other schools.

The purpose of the program is to familiarize students from all backgrounds with the subject of piyut, both in terms of content and new activity, in accordance with the needs of the school. As part of the holistic concept of the process, Assaf plays an active part in creating ceremonies for the holidays in the school, with an emphasis on the musical aspects, together with the coordinators and teachers.

Yardena Nachtomy, Director in Maarag Morasha, Kol Israel Haverim-Alliance, considers the study of piyut an important element in shaping youngsters' identity: "The program allows the student to recognize and appreciate his/her family traditions. Realizing that there is a full and rich world of culture and music in your parents' home and their country of origin is a very empowering insight", she says, "especially for students from communities that did not have appropriate cultural expression. Furthermore, piyut is a wonderful way to enrich the student's Jewish - cultural vocabulary".
"Above and beyond the enthusiasm with which the study of piyut was greeted", continues Assaf, "I was happy to see how proud Moshe Zagury's son, a fourth grader, was of the role that his father played in school. The excitement aroused by the students' cultural identity is repeated in the musical encounters at many schools. "

Assaf sees his work as a mission, which is essentially the desire to expose students to the knowledge and values that are inherent in the musical traditions of their parents' homes. "I see piyut as an important alternative to the contemporary music that children are exposed to and the values that they represent. I want to connect the students to the concept that underlies piyut, which focuses specifically on the power of the collective and the connection of the individual to it. I hope to introduce the youngsters to the vast and rich repertoire from which piyut draws, a repertoire that is often inaccessible to entire communities in Israeli society. My goal is bring the piyut to light, to recite it and to make it something living and breathing".

Assaf's mission is not limited to the students; he would also like to introduce piyut to the teachers. In the project, Sh'taltim Nigunim (you planted melodies) that takes place at teachers meetings in several schools, teachers present piyutim from their homes and tell their story. Then they all sing them together. "The main purpose of these meetings," notes Assaf", is to encourage joint singing, to encourage music in school and basically to re-create the role of the 'music teacher' – which was significant in the past, but has diminished".

Assaf also leads other projects. As part of the "Roots" project, seventh grade students at the Multi-Disciplinary School in Ofakim researched piyutim that were preserved in their families. In the Abir Yaakov school in Ofakim, a community hilula celebration in memory of the Baba Sali, Rabbi Yaakov Abu Hatzeira, combined piyutim, songs in Amharic and other musical traditions. Says Assaf, "It is important to me to work with the entire school community and to connect the parents to the experience. If we can mobilize the parents and teachers to preserve and hand down their musical heritage even when I am no longer here, then this will be a true success".

In addition to serving as the coordinator of piyut at Maarag Morasha, Kol Israel Haverim-Alliance, Assaf is a member of the Mima'amakim band, which plays Jewish music. He attests that he is a great believer in the power of music to bridge between different groups and beliefs. "It makes me very happy to see how contemporary Israeli artists are spreading the trend of piyut in Israeli society. You could say that piyut is sacred Hebrew song, which for centuries, dominated the personal poetic and musical creativity of the Jewish people. My vision is for the Jewish cultural tradition exemplified by piyut to become an integral part of all aspects of life in Israel, just as it was in the past".

Assaf's mission is part of a long-standing piyut project initiated by Maarag Morasha, Kol Israel Haverim-Alliance. Within the framework of this project, a series of textbooks, Poetry and Roots – that focus on transmitting the cultural heritage of Jewish communities exemplified by piyut to schoolchildren - was developed and published.

On a Sunday morning in early March, the senior management of Kol Israel Haverim-Alliance boarded a direct flight from Tel Aviv to Paris for a five-day seminar . When we arrived, the sun was shining - a rare occurrence in Europe during March.

From the airport in Paris we drove to Rosay en Brie After arriving at a big iron gate, we entered the house of Marc Eisenberg, president of Alliance Israelite Universelle, who graciously hosted us. After lunch , we moved to a building that formerly served as a stable and servants' quarters, and that today houses a collection of various toys.

The seminar took place against the amusing backdrop of toy planes , trains, revolving carousels and children's posters from the beginning of the last century. Over the next five days, together with staff members of the Alliance Israelite Universelle in Paris, we shared a vision for one organization with a common goal - to create work teams and to get to know each other's work in depth.

First, we became acquainted with each other at unique introductory workshops that used the team building method. We then broke into teams according to common areas of expertise - Beit Midrash, training and schools, media and communications. We studied together, we discussed the treaty between the schools in the European network and we learned about the vision of Marc Eisenberg and Sam Pinto for the Alliance and Kol Israel Haverim-Alliance in Israel and abroad .

Between workshops , getting-to-know-you exercises and joint learning, we heard distinguished visitors like Mr. Roger Cukierman, president of the CRIF, the umbrella organization of Jewish organizations in France, and Mr. Dov Zerah , member of the Alliance board of directors, who spoke about relations between Israel and the Diaspora.

We visited schools in Paris, we met students, we entered classrooms, we spoke with principals and educators from European schools, who came to meet us at the largest Jewish library in Europe. We also shared in the excitement of Eli Alaluf, the strategic advisor of Kol Israel Haverim-Alliance , who discovered in one of the books a picture of his father as a child in an Alliance school in Morocco. A link to the "Media – Tech", the digital branch of the library, will soon be posted on the Kol Israel Haverim-Alliance website.

We were guests at a meeting of the Alliance steering committee, at which the activities of the Darca network of schools were presented, along with challenges facing the Alliance in the near future.

The seminar was fast-paced, time was stretched to the limit and there was an exhilarating sense of common action and shared goals . We reached significant understandings about the vision of the "united organization" and the importance of working together, based on the 153-year history of our important organization, with a view to the future. We succeeded in getting to know the staff in Paris on both personal and professional levels, and to enhance our shared inner workings.

There was a feeling that we created connecting links between France and Israel and between the two cultures. We built personal relationships that will contribute to and promote collaboration in the future.

This month we wish to spotlight the work of a group of students in Afula who are participating in the Netuim program. Within the framework of the two-year program, they work at youth centers in the periphery, study in our Beit Midrash, and run community projects for the benefit of local population.

According to Adi Sapir, group facilitator, "Among the many things that we do, we get together and study textual sources and the learning leads to discussions of issues that are of personal, social and local relevance. Increasingly, this study helps us to understand our place in society, where we belong, and how tremendously important it is for every person to feel a connection to his or her city, people, traditions and homeland. Our students also reflects the multicultural richness of our city – the group includes individuals who are religious, masorti (traditional) and secular, men and women, and sabras, as well as immigrants from Ethiopia and the former Soviet Union. The differences within the group allow for enriching and fascinating dialogue and help in understanding that you can live together in mutual respect while developing personally. Parallel to the learning process, the students are actively involved in the community and lead social projects in conjunction with local partners and various target populations: women, children, parents, and the elderly."

Last year the students organized a photography contest called Afula through my Eyes, which was designed to strengthen the residents' sense of belonging and love for their city by documenting urban and human landscapes and charming pockets of the city.
In addition, students who run an experiential Beit Midrash program for 25 parents and children in the community garden in the Wolfson neighborhood, are operating, for the second straight year, the Netuim Bagina (planted in the garden) project. This successful activity has strengthened inter-generational ties, enhanced the sense of kinship among the residents and strengthened the personal commitment of the residents to their neighborhood by cultivating community gardens and encouraging shared holiday celebrations.

The initiative has engendered a wonderful and unique connection, particularly between the students and the children, who look forward to their arrival every Thursday. Every week, a different family of children and parents present their family through a song, a story or a meaningful item, creating a special and meaningful neighborhood bonding.

Cracking the Glass Ceiling at the Ben-Gurion University

Few are the meaningful moments one remembers well and are a true turning point in life. Last month, young women from the "Shal'on" School in Kiryat-Gat, who take part in Kol Israel Haverim's program "Cracking the Glass Ceiling" experienced such a happening at the Ben-Gurion University, which will stay with them for a long time.

One of the highlights of the program, which promotes young women to science studies, is the volunteer lineup which is rapidly growing. There are currently around 150 volunteers, 20 of whom are high-tech women entrepreneurs. These impressive and committed entrepreneurs have become a "big sister" community for the young "Sodkot" participants.

As part of the program, young women from the 8th grade nationwide are adopted by these volunteers, and together they build websites dedicated to women scientists in history, on a WIX platform. The website building aspect was developed for the program by Ms. Hamutal Meridor, a high-tech entrepreneur herself, and a member of the program's steering committee.

In the "Shal'on" High School, the volunteering entrepreneur is Ms. Yonat Harel-Price. Yonat is extremely committed to her group, and initiates extra-curricular activities for the participants herself. Last month, she initiated a visit to the Ben-Gurion University in Be'er Sheva. "The visit was exciting, empowering and unusually delightful" Yonat reported. First, the young women spoke to Professor Rivka Karmi, the university president, and with Professor Iris Shay, her advisor for promotion of women in the academy. The conversation, which was about life's challenges and choices, was open and candid. The participants heard the professors' personal stories, and were exposed to the important choices they themselves have made in life. The professors, leading by example, conveyed the message that one must aspire, dream and dare, empowered the young women, and gave them a glimpse of the academic world of self-fulfillment. Following the meeting, the young women presented the website they built with Yonat, which won them first prize in a Facebook competition. "I have no doubt that this project will change the lives of many young, talented women" summarized Professor Karmi.

The young women also met a group of students from various disciplines for an unmediated talk which gave them important information on their options, and showed them that higher education is important and enjoyable. "We mustn't give up" said one of the young women. "We must aim high and achieve what we want".

Cracking the Glass Ceiling Facebook page can be reached in the following link:

www.facebook.com/CrackingTheGlassCeiling

In Israel, the key to success lies in the Bagrut matriculation diploma, which acts as an admission ticket to higher education and opens doors and options. Kol Israel Haverim's program "Gateway to graduation" is a unique program aiming to raise the Bagrut eligibility rate and open doors for children. The program aids schools to become a platform for students for a better future using an unusual work model: In order to promote the student, the work is done together with the school leadership, under the assumption that strengthening the system with better pedagogical and organizational tools will lead to a deep and long-lasting change.

In the month before the Bagrut exams, each school partaking in the "Gateway to Graduation" program holds a special evening for the "golden children" and their parents. The golden children are students who are only missing a few exams in order to qualify for a full matriculation. Parents and children are invited to this evening, which is aimed at raising motivation levels before the Bagrut exams. In "Gateway to Graduation" we believe that in order to reach this goal, a child needs internal motivation for success, an educational support system, goal-focused teachers with the right professional training and a pedagogical management staff with tools for scholastic tracking and follow-up.

The evening starts with everyone gathering to hear words of encouragement from the principal, coordinators, guides and councilors. Following this, the crowed disperses to small groups, where each parent and child have a five minute power talk with the class teacher, who focuses on the child's strong points, and two or three points that if his or her "act is cleaned up" they will most likely pass the exams and qualify. The group talk followed by the private meetings, strengthen the motivation among the students to make a real effort towards the exam season.

In this golden evening personal, heart-warming stories are also heard: A mother of one of the participants told us that she believes in her daughter very much, and an evening like this gives her the hope that her chances are high, as there are others who believe in her as well. Following her, a father explained that he was surprised to hear from the school, and didn't understand why he was being called in. He spoke of himself as a teenager – "when I was a kid, there was no such a thing. No one from school called my parents for something good, only when there were problems. It gives me hope when they call me up because my son is successful".

In charge of this evening are the dedicated pedagogical coordinators of the program. Well done on this blessed and vital work and lots luck to everyone sitting their exams!

Painting Together

On March 11 2014, staff members of the Bank Hapoalim Rehavia branch showed up at the Kol Israel Haverim School for the Deaf in Jerusalem. Together with the students, they painted the school walls, as part of Israel "Good Deeds Day".

The project was initiated and organized by Orit Shulman, Director of Resource Development and Partnerships at Kol Israel Haverim. Good Deeds Day was launched by Shari Arison to promote social action and create positive change.

The students, who suffer from hearing impairment and other disabilities, eagerly awaited the arrival of the bank workers. They came wearing Good Deeds Day shirts, full of energy, good will and eagerness to contribute to the community, and were received with warmth and love. They spoke with the students, gave them gifts and learned from them how to say their names in sign language. .

Working together with the youngsters , the bank employees painted the walls of the area that will be used by the older children at recess. Everyone enjoyed the shared experience and the feeling of doing something useful and making a meaningful contribution to the community. "We came to give and greatly enjoyed the experience", says Keren Levy , director of the Bank Hapoalim Rehavia branch .

After painting, the group gathered in the office of Gila Tatar, the school principal. Mrs. Tatar told them about the school, and showed a video depicting the diverse school's activities . She also told them about Taha, a school graduate, who suffers from a syndrome that eventually causes blindness . Gila showed a short humorous pantomime video produced by Taha, and told the group about the new communication opportunities for the hearing impaired in Israel, made possible by the social networks.

The encounter was moving for all those present . "We thought we were coming to give, but we received a lot more", summarized one of the bank employees. Everyone looks forward to a continued connection and cooperation between the two institutions, for the benefit of the students .

בתחילת חודש מרץ, ביום ראשון לפנות בוקר, יצאנו, חברי ההנהלה של 'כל ישראל חברים', מתל אביב בטיסה לפריז לסמינר בן חמישה ימים. השמש האירה לנו פנים, דבר נדיר למדי בחודש מרץ באירופה.
משדה התעופה בפריז נסענו ל'רוזאי אונ-ברי' הגענו לשער ברזל גדול ונכנסנו לביתו של מארק אייזנברג, נשיא 'אליאנס' העולמי, שאירח אותנו במאור פנים. לאחר ארוחת צהריים, עברנו למבנה שהיה פעם אורווה ומגורי משרתים, והיום יש בו אוסף של צעצועים שונים ומגוונים.

הסמינר החל בתפאורה קצת משעשעת של מטוסי צעצוע, רכבות, קרוסלות מסתובבות ופוסטרים לילדים מתחילת המאה הקודמת. בסמינר השתתפו צוות של 'אליאנס' פריז ואנחנו, הצוות הבכיר של 'כל ישראל חברים'. במהלך חמישה ימים חלקנו חזון לארגון אחד ומטרה משותפת - ליצור צוותי עבודה ולהכיר זה את עשייתו של זה בצורה מעמיקה.

תחילה הכרנו זה את זה בסדנאות היכרות ייחודיות בשיטת TEAM BUILDING . אחר כך עבדנו בצוותים לפי נושאי התמחות משותפים - בית מדרש, הכשרות ובתי ספר, מדיה ותקשורת. חווינו לימוד משותף, שוחחנו על האמנה של בתי הספר ברשת האירופאית והקשבנו לחזון של מארק אייזנברג נשיא אליאנס העולמי וסם פינטו יו"ר כל ישראל חברים לגבי 'אליאנס' ו'כל ישראל חברים' בפעילותם בעולם ובארץ.

בין הסדנאות, תרגילי ההיכרות והלימוד המשותף הקשבנו לאורחים מכובדים כמו מר רוג'ה קוקרמן, נשיא ארגון 'קריף' – ארגון-הגג של הארגונים היהודיים בצרפת, ומר דב זרח, חבר במועצת המנהלים של אליאנס בנושא היחסים בין ישראל לתפוצות.
ביקרנו בבתי ספר בפריז, פגשנו תלמידים, נכנסנו לשיעורים, שוחחנו עם מנהלים ומחנכים מבתי הספר באירופה שהגיעו לפגוש אותנו בספרייה היהודית הגדולה באירופה והתרגשנו עם אלי אללוף, היועץ האסטרטגי של 'כל ישראל חברים', אשר גילה באחד הספרים את תמונת אביו כילד בבית ספר של אליאנס במרוקו. (קישור למדיה-טק – השלוחה הדיגיטלית של הספרייה – יעלה בקרוב באתר של 'כל ישראל חברים').
התארחנו בישיבת הוועד המנהל של 'אליאנס', בה הוצגה פעילות רשת בתי הספר 'דרכא' והאתגרים של 'אליאנס' לעתיד הקרוב.

קצב הסמינר היה מהיר, הזמן נמתח עד הקצה, הייתה תחושה מרוממת של עשייה ושל מטרות משותפות, הגענו להבנות מהותיות לגבי חזון 'הארגון המשותף', החשיבות של העבודה ביחד תוך הישענות על 153 השנים של הארגון החשוב הזה, עם מבט קדימה לעתיד. הצלחנו להכיר באופן אישי ומקצועי את הצוות של פריז וגם להעמיק את העבודה המשותפת הפנימית שלנו.

הייתה תחושה שטווינו חוטים מקשרים בין צרפת לישראל ובין שתי התרבויות, בנינו יחסים אישיים תורמים ומקדמים למען עבודה משותפת בהמשך.

מעטים הרגעים המשמעותיים שאותם זוכרים היטב ושהם מהווים נקודות מפנה והכוונה בחיים. בחודש שעבר זכו נערות מבית-הספר 'שלאון' בקרית-גת המשתתפות בתכנית 'סודקות את תקרת הזכוכית' לחוויה מכוננת כזו באוניברסיטת בן-גוריון, שתישאר חקוקה בהן לזמן רב.

אחד ממוקדי הגאווה הגדולים בתכנית של עמותת 'כל ישראל חברים', המקדמת נערות למדעים, הוא מערך ההתנדבות הצומח במהירות שיא. כיום, לתכנית כ-150 מתנדבים, אשר 20 מתוכם הן יזמות היי-טק. יזמות אלו, הפכו לקהילת אחיות 'סודקות' גדולות המלוות את המשתתפות הצעירות בהתלהבות.

במסגרת התכנית נערות מכיתות ח' ברחבי הארץ מאומצות על-ידי המתנדבות, ויחד אִתן הן בונות אתר אינטרנט על פלטפורמת WIX המוקדש למדעניות מהעבר. רעיון בניית האתרים בהנחיית היזמות פותח על-ידי חמוטל מרידור, יזמת היי-טק בעצמה וחברה בוועדת ההיגוי של התכנית.

בבית-הספר 'שלאון', היזמת המתנדבת היא הגברת יונת הראל-פרייס. יונת עושה מעל ומעבר למצופה ומגיעה לבית-הספר לעבוד עם הנערות ללא התחשבות בשעות המוגדרות, ואף יוזמת פעילויות נוספות עבור הנערות.

בחודש שעבר יזמה יונת ביקור באוניברסיטת בן-גוריון בבאר-שבע. "הביקור היה מרגש, מעצים ומהנה באופן בלתי רגיל" סיפרה. תחילה הנערות שוחחו עם פרופסור רבקה כרמי, נשיאת האוניברסיטה, ועם פרופסור איריס שי, יועצת נשיאת האוניברסיטה לקידום נשים באקדמיה. השיחה הייתה כנה ופתוחה והיא נסבה על אתגרי החיים והבחירות שעומדות ויעמדו בפני הנערות. הן זכו לשמוע את סיפורן האישי של שתי הנשים ונחשפו לבחירות החשובות שהן עצמן עשו בחייהן. פרופ' כרמי ופרופ' שי המחישו הלכה למעשה את המסר, שצריך לשאוף, לחלום ולהעז, נתנו כוחות ופתחו לנערות צוהר לעולם האקדמיה והמימוש העצמי. לאחר השיחה הציגו הנערות את אתר האינטרנט שבנו, אשר זיכה אותן במקום הראשון בתחרות 'חביב הקהל' בעמוד הפייסבוק של התכנית. "אין לי ספק שהפרויקט הזה ישנה את מהלך החיים של לא מעט נשים צעירות ומוכשרות", סיכמה פרופ' כרמי.

הנערות סיירו בקמפוס ופגשו קבוצת סטודנטיות מתחומי לימוד שונים לשיחה בלתי-אמצעית, אשר סיפקה להן מידע חשוב לגבי האפשרויות שלהן, והראתה להן שלימודים גבוהים הם חשובים ומהנים. "אסור לנו לוותר" אמרה אחת הנערות. "אנחנו צריכות לשאוף גבוה ולהשיג את מה שאנחנו רוצות".

את עמוד הפייסבוק של 'סודקות את תקרת הזכוכית' ניתן למצוא בלינק הבא:
www.facebook.com/CrackingTheGlassCeiling

בישראל הדרך להצלחה נמצאת בתעודת הבגרות, המשמשת כרטיס כניסה ללימודים גבוהים ופותחת דלתות ואפשרויות. התכנית 'שערים לבגרות' של 'אליאנס-כל ישראל חברים' היא תכנית ייחודית שמטרתה להעלות את אחוזי הזכאות לבגרות ולפתוח דלתות עבור ילדים. התכנית מסייעת לבתי-ספר להיות מעין מקפצה עבור תלמידים לעתיד טוב יותר תוך שימוש במודל עבודה ייחודי: כדי לקדם את התלמיד, העבודה מתבצעת יחד עם המנהיגות הבית-ספרית. כל זאת מתוך אמונה שחיזוק המערכת והקניית כלים להתנהלות נכונה ולהתייעלות פדגוגית וארגונית יובילו לשינוי עמוק ובר-קיימא.

בחודש שלפני בחינות הבגרות, כל בית-ספר המשתתף בתכנית 'שערים לבגרות' עורך ערב מיוחד ל'ילדי הזהב' ולהוריהם (בסגנון ערב שילוב מעגלים של אומ"ץ). 'ילדי הזהב' הם תלמידים שחסרות להם רק מספר בחינות בגרות כדי להגיע לתעודת בגרות מלאה. לערב מוזמנים ההורים והילדים במטרה לייצר ולהגביר את המוטיבציה שלהם לפני בחינות הבגרות. ב'שערים לבגרות' מאמינים כי כדי להגיע לתעודת בגרות מלאה, התלמיד צריך מוטיבציה פנימית ללמידה ולהצלחה; מעטפת חינוכית, רגשית ולימודית; מורים מכווני מטרה, בעלי ידע והכשרה מקצועית לליווי תלמידים מאתגרים וצוות ניהולי ופדגוגי של מורים בעלי כלים לטיוב תהליכים בית-ספריים ולמעקב אפקטיבי.

הערב מתחיל במליאה, בה שומעים דברי עידוד מפי מנהל/ת בית הספר, הרכז/ת הפדגוגית, מנחי התכנית, יועץ\ת בית הספר וכד'. לאחר מכן, הנוכחים מתפזרים לקבוצות על-פי הכיתות. כל הורה ובנו או בתו יושבים לשיחה של חמש דקות עם מחנך הכיתה, אשר ממקד את נקודות החוזק של הילד, ושתיים-שלוש נקודות בהן אם הילד "ייקח עצמו בידיים" הוא כנראה יעבור את הבחינות הקרובות. השיח הקבוצתי, ולאחריו השיח הפרטני, מחזקים אצל התלמידים את המוטיבציה להמשיך ולהתאמץ עוד קצת עד למועד בחינות הבגרות.

בערב שכולו זהב עולים גם סיפורים אישיים מאוד מרגשים: אמה של אחת המשתתפות בתכנית סיפרה כי היא מאוד מאמינה בבתה, וערב כזה נותן לה את התקווה שהסיכויים שלה גדלים, כי יש עוד מישהו שמאמין בה. לצִדה עמד הורה אחר שהיה מופתע לשמוע מבית-הספר, ולא הבין למה הזמינו אותו. הוא סיפר על עצמו כמתבגר – "כשאני הייתי ילד, לא היה דבר כזה. אף אחד מבית-הספר לא קרא להורים שלי בשביל משהו טוב, רק כשהיו בעיות. זה נותן תקווה כשקוראים לי כי הבן שלי מוצלח".

על כל ההתארגנות וההכנות לערב אמונים הרכזים הפדגוגיים המסורים של התכנית. יישר כוח על העשייה הברוכה, והרבה הצלחה לתלמידים הניגשים לבחינות הבגרות!