WITH JEWISH STUDENTS
Wassim Younis, spokesperson for the Al Qasemi Academic College of Education tells German educators and journalists participating in a GIVAT HAVIVA - INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT seminar
Wassim Younis, Al Qasemi Academic College of Education speaking with a group of visitors from Germany in Israel under the auspices of the German Federal Agency for Education participating in a Givat Haviva seminar
Wassim Younis, the spokesperson for Al Qasemi Academic College of Education in the Wadi Ara city of Baka-al-Gharbiya has dreams.
“We all have dreams and some of them come true and hopefully the dream that Al Qasemi Academic College of Education will become the first university for Arabs in Israel but with open doors to all Jewish or other students who wish to study here,” explained Wassim Younis, the academy’s spokesperson and assistant to dean Dr. Dalia Fadila, told a group of German educators and journalists visiting the facility as part of a day seminar in the Wadi Ara area organized by the International Department of the neighboring Givat Haviva Institute.
Mr. Younis, a resident of Arara in Wadi Ara, spoke of the foundation of the college in 1989 by a group of Sufi Muslims, a tiny minority among Israeli Arabs.
Members of the sect – who concentrate only on the religious way of life and do not dabble in any shape of form in politics as explained by Mr. Younis, sit on an academic committee overall responsible for the running of the college but only a few of the staff or students are Sufi.
Originally intended to teach Sharia and Islamic Studies, Al Qasemi these days embraces those subjects as well as Arabic language and literature, English language and literature, mathematics and computers in the elementary and secondary tracks, Early Childhood Education and Special Education.
“In 2009 the academy received the Yitzhak Rabin Prize for Excellence,” Mr. Younis told the visitors with great pride. “This is a Muslim affiliated completely modern college. There is nothing contradictory of being Muslim and open to the whole world. Islam is the opposite of terror this is the outcome of many Muslims interpreting Islam in a way to meet their negative needs not what the religion teaches.”
Workman and staff were busy preparing the academy for the opening of the new academic year as the German visitors followed Mr. Younis around. They admired the marble pillars, wide staircases, archaeological window displays and spacious classrooms as well as the attractive architectural design of the main buildings from the outside.
The college caters to 1,700 students with a compliment of 200 full and part-time staff.
“Ninety-five percent of the students are women and of the 200 teaching staff, 40 are Jewish,” further explained Mr. Younis who is presently working on his doctorate dealing with Arab-Jewish relations in the State of Israel.
“We are a fine example of how Arabs and Jews can work and study together in harmony. When many Jews in Israel hear that there are Jewish Israelis teaching here in Baka al-Gharbiya they are astonished and always ask if they are not afraid to come here,” said Mr. Younis, smiling broadly and lifting his hands in a ‘what can you do’ type of gesture.
“Jewish members of staff feel very much at home here and we really do hope that in the future we will have Jewish students sharing the learning benches together with Arabs,” he concluded.
Waltraud Arenz of the German Federal Agency for Education listens attentively to a question being put to Wassim Younis during the meeting at Al Qasemi
Photos & text: Lydia Aisenberg
October, 2010
