Fri*, October 19i 1984 47 .
THE DETROIT. JEWISH NEWS
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NEWS
\mai vocational schools help Israelis
mprove their quality of life
Dress Shop
HELENA FLUSFEDER
In Hebrew, the word aural
eans work of labor, while in
abic it means hope. Today, 50
ars after the founding of the
st Amal vocational schools in
rael, more than 27,000 students
ork to realize the hope of a better
si3Oon in life as they study
urses from computers and car-
try to electronics and office
lls.
This network of 70 Histadrut-
hated schools began in 1929
en the U.S. Jewish leader Max
ne, who believes in the Amal
eal, contributed to the first
mal school in Tel Aviv. Today,
re are two main educational
ends in Israel: ordinary high
hOol or gymnasia (where stu-
nts study up to matriculation
vel, which can be followed by
o _years of vocational training)
the purely vocational education
14-18 year olds who can work
d study their trade at the same
e.
Uri Agami, director of the Amal
hools explained: We don't
ink it is enough to just study a
f2ssion. We want to prepare
udents for life." The idea in the
al system is, therefore, to try
integrate the different levels of
dents: those who have corn-
eted the bagrut (matriculatio)
d those who have had to work
om a young age."
The Amal network includes
hools on all different "aca-
Mk" levels: from the highest,
ere students study 42 hours a
ek in preparation for bagrut
ese include the comprehensive
hools), through the "vocational"
vel where only 20 percent of the
udents study full time, to the the
*rt-I "practical" level, where stu-
nts work five days a week and
dy one day.
-
or many graduates
)f the project, not only
s there promise of
etter jobs but they
in a new status in
eir own eyes and in
ociety.
We look at a sample of three
:1-fools on different levels to get a
earer picture. The first is the
haver Comprehensive High
chool in the development town of
ett Shernesh in the Judean
ills. Its principal, .Arieh Rogel,
ed that the academic standard
the school is comparable with
her high schools, with the ad-
ntage that these students have
so a chance to acquire a profes-
He added that 40 percent of
le school take the bagrut exam-
He tries to organize the mixed-
' 'ity students in such a way
at the best teachers are shared
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Engine repair is among the many skills taught to students who attend
the Amal vocational schools.
tention given to the weaker stu-
dents. The school also offers
courses in accounting, aeronauti-
cal- mechanics and secretarial
studies. In order to ensure more
jobs for students, a connection has
been established between the
school and a local factory which
needs this type of skilled labor.
Secondly, in the comprehensive
schools, there are two separate
levels of study: the regular cur-
riculum and purely vocational
study. Agami emphasized that
Amal wants to attract students
from nearby kibbutzim and
moshavim (agricultural settle-
ments) and even from Jerusalem,
to come to these schools for the
study of professions which are just
not available elsewhere (spe-
cialized vocational training).
Some of the settlements are using
Amal's facilities and experience.
Another school in this category
is the vocational-technical school
in Ramie which has 700 students
from 15-18 (and two additional
classes for students over 18 train-
ing to be technicians and
engineers). Courses in Ramie in-
clude computer programming,
data processing, electronics, elec-
trical engineering, general
mechanics and office skills.
In contrast to this high level
vocational school is the third
school, a small building in a poor
Arab district of old Jaffa, near Tel
Aviv. There are about 90 full-time
students and 150 others who
study one day a week while work-
ing the other five days. Courses
include carpentry, Hebrew, ac-
counting, engineering, welding,
cosmetics.
While most of the above courses
are supervised by the Ministry of
Education, some school systems
are organized by the Ministry of
Labor. These cater to working
groups from deprived areas (who
are often taken to army camps to
be given a basic knowledge of sub-
jects such as mechanics) and the
system at the school in Jaffa,
mentioned above.
In most cases, therefore, the
Amal schools are of the same
standard as regular high schools,
but have the advantage of being
able to offer technical subjects.
This is especially useful for stu-
dents who don't pass beyond the
matriculation level to university
but can find appropriate work be-
• Another scheme, organized by
the Jewish Agency and the Minis-
try of Labor, is for individuals
from 15 to 60, from 21 under-
privileged Project Renewal areas
all over the country. Project Re-
newal, financed by world Jewry,
has undertaken to "rehabilitate"
people as well as places, to rebuild
underprivileged areas and at the
same time to give a new chance in
life to citizens lacking the skills to
find decent jobs.
This scheme accordingly offers
a framework for those without
professions to learn skills includ-
ing electronics, accounts and
graphics etc., and to find suitable
work in their new professions. For
many graduates of the project, not
only is there promise of better jobs
but they gain a new status in their
own eyes and in society.
The scheme begins with adver-
tisements in the papers to attract '
initial attention. Unlike the Amal
schools network (which extends to
the age of 18 and where students
come of their own free will to learn
vocational skills), these Project
Renewal candidates come from
difficult social and financial situ-
ations. Mau actually have often
to be persuaded to participate in
the scheme. Those who do take
advantage bear witness to the
change in their lives. In undertak-
ing this project, the Amal schools
are maintaining their tradition,
now a half a century old, of seeing
regular education, skilled labor
and working professions as vital
for Israel's economy and as a firm
basis for improving the quality of
life of Israel's citizens.
Agami explained that 95 per-
cent of the finances for the whole
Amal network comes from the
government and the Education
Ministry, with five percent from
the Histadrut. These cover 18
vocational and comprehensive
high schools, 28 schools for ap-
prenticeship, five industrial
schools, 13 schools in kibbutzim
and moshavim and 15 vocational
adult educational centers.
With the network stretching all
over the country, new educational
options are available to students
of all academic levels. From corn-
puters and electrical engineering
to similar evening courses offered
to adults, Amal offers new hope
and higher standards for Israelis
from all walks of life.
U,
"
Oct. 21, 1984
MY DEARLY BELOVED WIFE, JESSIE
How precious is your loving kindness. You made my dreams
come true!
I think I'm one of the most fortunate persons in the world — as if
providence had bestowed special favors on me. 'But it's more
than fate. I've been blessed with an extremely happy life all these
50 years I have been married to you!
The greatest pleasure of my life is my love for you. Loving you
makes everything worthwhile. Life at its best means always
having you by my side. You are the best thing that ever hap-
pened to me!
Happy are we. How goodly is our portion and how pleasant is our
lot. And how beautiful is our marriage!!
From the man who will always Love, Adore and Appreciate You
for the rest of my life.
SOLLY ABELS I
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