First Lesson in Peace
Director: Yoram Honig
Israel 2005 56mins
Language: Hebrew and Arabic with English subtitles
Israel 2005 56mins
Language: Hebrew and Arabic with English subtitles
When Michal, a 6 year old girl, is about to start school, Yoram Honig, her father,
decides to write her a letter. This letter however is in film form and is much
more than a personal gesture. Michal is starting her formal education in Neveh-Shalom/Wahaht al Salam School, a bilingual Arabic/Hebrew school for Jewish and Palestinian children – the first of its kind in Israel. The decision to send her to this school is not simple and as the little girl has her first encounters with Palestinian kids and Arabic as a common language, her parents and extended family face their own challenges. In a society of great political tensions and an ongoing national conflict, every personal decision is made political and the disputes never stray too far from home. The grandfather is an ultra Zionist and their devoted uncle is overtly right wing so even their personal environment is hostile to the parents’choice.
decides to write her a letter. This letter however is in film form and is much
more than a personal gesture. Michal is starting her formal education in Neveh-Shalom/Wahaht al Salam School, a bilingual Arabic/Hebrew school for Jewish and Palestinian children – the first of its kind in Israel. The decision to send her to this school is not simple and as the little girl has her first encounters with Palestinian kids and Arabic as a common language, her parents and extended family face their own challenges. In a society of great political tensions and an ongoing national conflict, every personal decision is made political and the disputes never stray too far from home. The grandfather is an ultra Zionist and their devoted uncle is overtly right wing so even their personal environment is hostile to the parents’choice.
Sponsored by New Israel Fund Visit Website
Israeli director Yoram Honig will join Manal Massalha, a Palestinian citizen of Israel, a leftist and human rights activist; and Mary Roulston, principal of Millennium Integrated Primary School in Northern Ireland, to discuss their own experiences and views about education as a route for conflict resolution. This is a unique opportunity to hear from the people who live, work and struggle in areas where there are long-lasting conflicts. The audience will be invited to ask questions, make comments and engage in a public discussion.