Tekoa "Achi" School

A joint school for secular and religious pupils is not a common occurrence. Although there are several similar schools in Israel, Rabbi Malchior the Director General of the Educational Committee in the Knesset is spearheading a new movement to promote this program on a national level.

The Achi School was founded in 1988 to meet the needs of the communities of Tekoa and Nokdim, both located on the eastern side of Gush Etzion. The school was created to extend the ideology of the communities of not only living together but having their children study together. The philosophy of successful coexistence was put into practice.

The school has approximately 150 students, 65% of whom come from torah-observant homes and 35% from secular homes. The school population is increasing annually similar to the growing populations of Tekoa and Nokdim now numbering 650 families.

The question of morning prayers is a constant discussion at all teachers meetings, and the staff, together with the parents are always checking the arrangement that works best. In past years there were two possibilities open to all either to pray and for those who did not participate at the same time a different activity with Jewish content- for example discussing the content of what the prayers say a chesed project etc.

The school is under the supervision of the Ministry of Education’s Religious Sector, which sets the curriculum guidelines. However, there is creativity and flexibility in building the curriculum in order to adapt it to the school’s ideology.

In Tanach and Halacha classes the stress is on a wide range of various resource materials so that those students identified as secular may identify and commit themselves to their Jewish roots. Therefore the school has expanded its religious study classes to be integrated with other subjects such as Jewish history, geography, nature, agriculture, computers, art, sports, music, science, and literature and community involvement. All the students regardless of their religious affiliation study the same curriculum.

An open learning atmosphere where each and every pupil learns at his own pace and fulfills his potential is a basic tenet of the school’s philosophy. Educating Jewish Israeli children to have a deep commitment to their Jewish tradition, heritage, history and people is carried out by exposing and connecting them simultaneously to Jewish and secular resources. A detailed document about the school’s ideology including the complete curriculum is available in Hebrew.

The Ministry of Education through the Regional Council of Gush Etzion funds the annual budget and pays for the salaries of most of the teachers. The parents pay an annual education fee that is divided into 10 monthly payments which cover items such as equipment, salaries for extra hours, and outings. In order to develop additional programs the school is in need of extra funding.

Due to the recent increase in families joining the community the Ministry of Education is now in the process of adding two classrooms for every grade and an additional two kindergartens to the already existing three.

Budget

Science Lab
Equipment, furniture, tools, etc -	$25,000
Music Room
Musical instruments, equipment, furniture	$15,000
Afternoon educational center - today there is a room where students in need receive a hot meal and extra help with their studies. The program is in need of additional equipment and teachers hours.	$15,000
Animal corner – maintenance of animals and food supply	$2,500