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Our work with the Israeli-Arab community began in 1970, and targets all Arabic speakers in Israel. We work with schools, kindergartens, local authorities, youth groups, and various communities within the adult population, to help the Israeli-Arab community connect with nature as well as their community’s human heritage both locally and across Israel. We also teach communities about the importance of protecting nature and open spaces.
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We believe in creating partnerships with local education authorities and communities to develop continuing education programs that promote quality of life, the environment, and society both today and for generations to come. We aim to cultivate young Israeli-Arab community leaders, who understand the importance of protecting nature, the environment, and society. We promote sustainability and help people within the Israeli-Arab community live sustainable lives.
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Community Group Hiking
We currently run eight community hiking groups, each with 40 adult hikers and ramblers. The monthly hikes are tailored to each group and led by experienced SPNI guides who have in-depth knowledge about the natural sites they visit and the flora and fauna, geography, and history of the places they visit.
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Environmental Education
SPNI’s Children Leading Change environmental education program operates in about 800 elementary school classrooms throughout Israel, teaching children about sustainability and the importance of protecting nature and the environment. The children learn about their local environment and habitats, and are inspired to effect change and promote social and environmental values within their communities.
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Hiking Groups
For over 30 years, SPNI’s hiking groups have been learning and teaching others about Israel through hiking, orienteering, and sleeping in the great outdoors. Our hiking groups foster responsibility, independence, environmental leadership, the ability to cope with adversity, knowledge of the land, and a love of hiking. The young people who take part in our hiking groups across Israel learn important field skills, including navigation and how to use natural resources. SPNI currently runs around 80 courses for seventh-grade students.
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Community Events
In 2019, we organized Urban Nature Week events in four Israeli-Arab towns—Beit Jann, Yanuh-Jat, Bir al-Maksur, and Jisr az-Zarqa. The events took place on the weekend and attracted hundreds of people who visited our information booths and enjoyed experiential training. Visitors learned about the rich biological diversity that exists in our cities, and about the dangers looming over some of Israel’s nature sites. This year, we held our very first River’s Event within the Israeli-Arab community, on the Tsipori river. The aims of the event were to make a national call on the government to take responsibility for protecting and rehabilitating rivers and to encourage local collaboration with Drainage Authorities to establish a group of river allies. Hundreds of people of all ages attended the event, and we plan to hold similar events each year in a number of Arab-Israeli towns.
Educational Journeys
This year, some 1,630 ninth grade students from 13 Israeli-Arab towns took part in educational journeys designed to inspire them with ideas about nature conservation, as part of their Leadership and Citizenship Education courses. Lasting several days, the journeys have a strong social and environmental focus and aim to strengthen the children’s sense of belonging and pride in Israel. The journeys are unique in that they are an ongoing process, and not just a one-off experience or encounter. They focus on conversation, discussion, and empowering students and teachers to actively participate and experience a meaningful journey.
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Educational Hiking
In 2019, we organized approximately 600 days of nature trips within the Israeli-Arab community, as part of a service provided to schools. The students were accompanied by our professional guides on various trails, where they enjoyed experiential learning and learning through exploration.
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Religion, Identity, and Environmental Tours for the Druze Community
This program for Druze students began two years ago. Its goal is to raise awareness of nature, Druze identity, and the Druze religion. The program consists of school trips for ninth through eleventh grade students from 16 Druze villages, including tours of sites that have significance in the Druze religion. The eleventh-grade students listen to a lecture at Jethro’s Tomb, while the ninth-grade students enjoy guided tours on age-appropriate topics and workshops about Druze identity at the Jethro’s Tomb. The guided tours are conducted by professional guides and Druze religious leaders who have undergone training in leading workshops and lecturing on these subjects. Around 3,000 students take part in the program each year.
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Equal Environment
Our “Equal Environment” initiative operates in three towns in the north of Israel—Rameh, Deir al-Asad, and Kafr Kanna—and consists of a community training program to deepen public knowledge on various environmental topics, in particular the issue of waste. The initiative appeals to a number of target communities including women, religious leaders, businesspeople, young people, schools, teachers, and community workers. The program provides participants with key knowledge and tools via tours, environmental activism workshops, experiences, and wildlife surveys. At the end of the training program, participants create their own independent environmental projects.
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Social Engagement Classes
Our social engagement classes target young people who have a strong affinity for nature and a strong desire to contribute to the community. Comprising a variety of youth and social activities, the classes address environmental, social, and cultural issues, and develop personal and collective responsibility, commitment to the environment, and love for Israel. The classes are held every week and include a diverse range of topics and activities including leadership, village tours, field cooking, hikes, cleanups, and work on various projects. In 2019, we ran eight youth classes in different villages, collaborating with local high schools.
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River Guardians
SPNI’s River Guardians project is a joint venture with the Kinneret Drainage Authority, the Western Galilee Drainage Authority, and the Ministry of Environmental Protection. The project is run in four schools in Ein al-Asad, Maghar, and Acre. Fourth- and fifth-grade students adopt a local river, and learn about the water crisis, nature’s right to water, and water habitats, while also discovering more about “their” river and conducting activities like cleanups, raising public awareness, and trail marking.