ICEJ SUPPORT IS ‘Music to the Ears’ OF ISRAELI DRUZE SCHOOL

BY ICEJ STAFF WRITERS

An ICEJ delegation led by Nicole Yoder, Vice President for AID and Aliyah, recently visited the Druze village of Kfar Kisra in northern Israel, where they saw how music can lift spirits.

The ICEJ team was welcomed at the local grade school by teachers and Druze community leaders alongside children with huge smiles waving Israeli flags, and offering flowers and balloons! A sense of excitement filled the school on this very special day when its firstever music room would officially be opened.

Once the ribbon on the new music room was cut, everyone took their seats for the dedication speeches. Yasser Gadban, the regional council head, first thanked the Christian Embassy for sponsoring this and many other school projects in the Druze community over recent decades.

School principal Sakar Shakur then shared his vision for the music room, saying: “Our hope is to help our children to develop good music, to believe in themselves, to become leaders and innovators, and to realise their dreams. Music helps us to deal with life’s challenges and express our emotions. Learning music will help our children develop new skills and interact socially.”

“Thank you for your generosity and good heart”, he continued. “You’ve put a lot of light and love into your gift which brings real change.”

Looking around the room, it was full of new instruments, sounds systems, storage cabinets, tables and chairs. The classroom was just beckoning students to show their creativity. The music teacher gave a wonderful piano performance, while two schoolgirls accompanied with a love ballad in Arabic. Meanwhile, a shy little second-grader mustered up the courage to give an amazing performance on an electric keyboard while his teacher accompanied him in song. It was such a delight to watch his small fingers dance across the keys!

Nicole Yoder was then asked to share and introduced the ICEJ delegates, which included representatives from Denmark, the Philippines, South Africa, Slovakia, Honduras, and the USA.

“Just as the Druze seek to protect their country and seek her good, so also do we, and that includes all the people groups that make up Israeli society”, said Nicole to great applause, adding: “This music room should be an enriching place for the children where they can develop their creativity and confidence, have fun and learn to innovate… and may it be a place from which music and gifted musicians will come out to bless families, the Druze community, and Israel.”

The grade school sits on a hilltop overlooking a lush valley, and has 351 students coming from diverse backgrounds. Some classrooms are for children with special needs, and many students come from low-income families who would not have the opportunity to learn music outside of a school setting. Touring the rest of the school later, it was evident how deeply the principal cares for the school and students. From the scrupulously clean hallways right down to the security needs and emotions of the children, nothing escapes his sight.

“This music room is a place that will bring much light and joy to the school children, and in turn, this will overflow into our tight-knit community”, he said.

As we wrapped up our visit, the regional council head noted with a smile, “There is only one problem that I’m now presented with. What to do about the other two schools down the road who would also like to have a music room to help their children learn and grow?!!”

Thanks to the generous support of our Christian donors, the ICEJ is making a difference in the lives of these children in Israel. They now have an opportunity for their hidden talents to shine as they learn and develop their musical skills. Perhaps we will be able to help with more music rooms soon.

Through your giving, the ICEJ is able to give a future and hope to all sectors of Israeli society.

Please continue to support the work and witness of the ICEJ by giving at: give.icej.org/givinghope