(speaking in foreign language)
- If you live in any place, in any state,
and you don't know the languageof the place, of the area,
of the people who lives there,
it will be difficult tocontinue your life normally.
- This is the communitycenter in Sur Baher,
an Arab neighborhood of Jerusalem.
It offers special Hebrew classes to some
of the 40,000 residents of the area
to help them integrateinto Israeli society.
Center manager Khalad Abu Kafsays there's been an upsurge
in interest to learn Hebrew,especially among women.
- The daily life of thepeople is with the Israeli
community and society.
And they need it all the time in Sur Baher
in the hospitals, in the road, in the bus,
in the train and everywhere.
They need the language.
- And we see there is ahuge demand for Hebrew.
People understand that thesituation is going to be
more or less the same forthe foreseeable future,
and they understandthey need this language.
- [Julie] The other importantaspect is that the class
is sponsored by a Jewish group,
The Institute for Zionist Strategies.
- We care about makingIsrael a better place.
We care about taking careof everybody that lives
under Israel sovereignty.
So it's very important forus to engage this population
and give the best tools for integration.
- [Julie] Project manager,Nicolas Nissim Touboul says
they have been holding separateclasses for men and women
for more than a year.
- We really believe thatengaging this population
is the best way to makeJerusalem better for all.
- [Julie] These women meet once a week
and are nine weeks into a one-year course.
(speaking in foreign language)
- I want to learn Hebrewbecause my children
are learning Hebrew inschool and I want to study
like my children.
(speaking in foreign language)
- I studied Hebrew for myself first,
and also to teach my children at school.
I have a child that is autisticand he doesn't understand
that teachers as he does with me.
So I learn Hebrew to helphim understand better.
- [Julie] Mothers, MaisaQutairy and Hiba Dabash
say it's important forthem to learn Hebrew.
- It's important for our lives.
We are going shopping, to thehospital, everything in life.
- We are living in astate with Jews and Arabs.
We deal a lot with the Jews,so we need the Hebrew language
because we frankly live with each other.
- I live it, there arereally amazing ladies.
They're really enthusiasticand want to learn.
They have a lot of motivation to improve
and know of it more.
I think it helps them intheir daily day lives.
- [Julie] Noa Gottlieb, anIsraeli University student
says the learning goes both ways
and has forced her to popthe bubble she was living in.
- I came here to do this justbecause of the bubble popping.
Just to get out of yourcomfort zone, known zone
to see new things, todiscover the real situation
of this country.
To know that they don't hateme and I don't hate them.
- [Julie] Julie Stahl, CBNNews, Sur Baher, Jerusalem.
