Introducing the Hand in Hand Schools in Israel - a Pathway to Peace

Lee Gordon is co-founder of Hand in Hand: Center for Jewish-Arab Education in Israel, an Israeli non-profit organization that has created a network of integrated public schools serving Arab and Jewish children. Starting with just 50 students in 1998, Hand in Hand now has six campuses and over 1800 Jewish and Arab students attending, and is making a growing impact in Israel for Jewish-Arab partnership and coexistence. Lee is a native of Portland, Oregon and lived for 20 years in Israel, where he received a Masters Degree in Social Work from Hebrew University and graduated from the prestigious Mandel Institute’s School for Educational Leadership. His years of involvement in the peace movement in Israel as well as Jewish-Arab and Israeli-Palestinian dialogue work propelled him to establish Hand in Hand, and in 1999 to create American Friends of Hand in Hand, a non-profit American organization supporting the organization’s work in Israel, of which Lee serves as executive director. Join the Ithaca Area United Jewish Community and Congregation Tikkun v'Or for an evening of inspiring conversation. Additional co-sponsors are Ithaca College Hillel, Temple Beth El, Area Congregations Together and St. Catherine of Siena Church.