House of Hope

Is optimism and hope, in times of occupation, an act of courage or of resistance? In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, in the town of al-Eizariya, there is a Waldorf primary school called the House of Hope, which teaches children tolerance and peace, convincing them that violence is a disastrous solution, no matter how difficult life around them may be. Its founders—a Palestinian woman, Manar, and her husband Milad—offer Palestinian children, often traumatized and stressed, a safe roof over their heads and dignity, yet the situation speaks for itself. Everyday school routine intertwines with political reality. Children sing songs about tolerance and peace while at the same time drawing tanks and soldiers and discussing the arrest of members of their families. In times of a growing wave of violence and oppression, the school teaches that education is not only about gaining knowledge, but also a form of resistance. It teaches the courage to always have hope, regardless of the circumstances.