The first Arab youth village in Israel – the Sindiana Arab Youth Village for Young Leadership consisting of a junior high, a senior high and a residence — started classes on September 5th in Givat Haviva.

The Village is an initiative of the Society for Advancement of Education, Jerusalem (SAE) and a group of local social entrepreneurs and educators from the Arab public in partnership with Givat Haviva and the Menashe Regional Council.

The school, which will grow in stages over the years, opened with 180 students in the seventh, ninth and tenth grades. 25 students reside in the boarding school and the rest travel each day from surrounding communities.

“We thank all those,” said SAE CEO Eitan Moran on the first day, “who helped create and help promote this pioneering project.”

In addition to a focus on educational excellence, the school emphasizes informal education, social activity and involvement, and cultural identity.

Educator Mrs. Endira Biadse, who has proven educational and managerial experience, is Principal of the Youth Village and the School and Mr. Na’el Awad who is an educator and a senior football referee, is director of the residential campus.

In this first year Sindiana is renting space from Givat Haviva. Plans call for the construction of permanent school buildings and boarding facilities in the near future.