EXCEL RETURNS TO CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY

JPB’s advanced teacher-training program, EXCEL III, returned to Cambridge University for the third year in early July. Seventeen Israeli Arab and Jewish high school educators participated in an intensive week-long training at the historic St. Catharine’s College. They focused on accepting the painful divisions within Israel, exploring models of transformational leadership, teaching creative writing, and designing inter-school learning days. The program is operated in partnership with Retorika for Multiculturalism and led by Fr. Nicholas and Dr. Elias Farah. Along with dialogue and design work, the group punted on the Cam River, explored the medieval town, and met with British teachers through a UK partner organization, Solutions Not Sides.

EXCEL is a three-stage program, accredited by the Israeli Ministry of Education. Once the participating Arab and Jewish high school educators complete their inter-school learning days, they earn mandatory professional development credits and a small pay-raise. The US Embassy in Israel recently recognized EXCEL’s impact and excellence with a substantial grant.