So why the name Hagar?
“Hagar is a biblical figure that encompasses the complexity as well as the positive potential of a shared society between Arabs and Jews. Hagar was the slave of Abraham, our joint father, and the mother of Ishmael. Isaac and Ishmael are representatives of the Jewish and Arab peoples that came from Abraham. Hagar is also very much part of the region where we operate in the south in Israel in Be’er Sheva and the desert area. This embodies our attempt to create something more meaningful and promising for Arab-Jewish relations, without escaping reality on the ground.”
Uri added, “We are coping with the challenges of what it actually means to live in a shared society. Coping with the need to find solutions that provide a way of life in an educational setting that would translate ideas into actions that both communities can be supportive of, with special emphasis on bilingualism.”
He said that while some ways of operation are clearer and more easily acceptable, others require constant thinking and reassessment. They have people that come from a religious background and others who do not. The Hagar Association tries to create a space for people from diverse backgrounds and ways of life to feel comfortable raising their children together.
The reality outside of the Hagar community is asymmetric.
DAVIDS STAR MAGAZINE
Hagar Association
Founded in 2006, the Hagar Association started as a parent-driven initiative in the area of Be’er Sheva. Located in southern Israel, Be’er Sheva is the place where Abraham made a covenant with Abimilech with seven ewes for the usage of the wells in the area. One of many covenants Abraham made while in the land of Canaan later to become Israel. He was a just and peaceful man of God that tried to live in harmony with those around him while first being loyal to his God. So what about the fruit of Abraham’s loins? Thousands of years later and in the midst of another Gaza war, is there any hope for these blessed children of Isaac and Ishmael?
The Hagar Association is living proof there is. David’s Star spoke with Uri Gopher, executive director of the Hagar Association, where his organization located in Be’er Sheva is one of the regions in Israel under the most rocket fire.
The vision for the Hagar Association is to create something different than the segregated reality between Arabs and Jews. The people are segregated in their locality and in their schooling system. Right from the start the interests were mutual, but the motivations were different for Arab and Jewish families to participate.The association was started from a pre-K class of ages 4-5. Since then they have been expanding each year to both higher and lower age groups and adding additional classes. Today they a have full educational system for ages 1 to 12. Their educational program had their first graduating class this summer. In the past year they had 236 students in their educational system, along with the families and communities that have been built around Hagar.
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