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EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIP EXPANDS WITH RUSSIAN JEWISH CONGRESS The Knesset Aliyah and Absorption Committee conducted a special session this week to discuss expanding cooperation between the Russian Jewish Congress and Israeli organizations to strengthen Jewish education in Russia. Committee Chairman MK Zvi Hendel emphasized the importance of penetrating Zionism and love of Israel in the Jewish education system in the former Soviet Union, and asked representatives of the Liaison Bureau, the Jewish Agency and the Ministry of Education, who participated in the discussions, to report on whether educational institutions operating in the FSU place an emphasis on these values. The head of the Liaison Bureau 'Nativ', Zvi Magen, spoke about activities in the FSU of the Israeli school system, run by the Ministry of Education and the Liaison Bureau. Forty-four Israeli day schools are operated in the framework of the system, with an Israeli faculty in cooperation with local personnel. Moreover, the Liaison Bureau also operates a system of Sunday schools. According to Magen, some of the schools operate according to the guidelines of the Israeli State school system, and others according to those of the Israeli religious school system. The Director-General of the Department for the Former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe of the Jewish Agency Amos Lahat reported on the scope of informal educational activities organized by the Jewish Agency. Some 100,000 youth participate in these activities annually, including Jewish youth clubs and seminars in various fields. Some 50,000 pupils study at ulpanim for Hebrew language and Jewish identity annually. Approximately 30,000 youngsters and adults per year participate in a special educational project enhancing Jewish identity, in the framework of which they take 100 academic hours of classes on subjects pertaining to Israeli history and Jewish heritage. Some 18,000 youth and students take part in workshop days at summer camps run by the Jewish Agency in cooperation with youth movement leaders from Israel and abroad. Over the past six months, the Jewish Agency has brought about 1,200 Jewish youth to Israel from the former Soviet Union for educational visits. Lahat expressed the hope that some 1,000 will arrive by the end of the year. Lahat said that in his last few meetings with the leadership of the Russian Jewish Congress, it was agreed to establish a joint steering committee between the Russian Jewish Congress and the Jewish Agency, to develop joint Jewish education programs that will emphasis the strengthening of Jewish identity. Until now, Jewish Agency contact with the Congress has been sporadic, without any organized program. It is now possible to speak of joint working plans, which will integrate with the Jewish Agency's overall work in the FSU in the year 2002. |
