A Ceremonial Breakthrough: Groundbreaking Ceremony of the Irwin Green Family Early Childhood Center in Nazareth

September 10, 2002

The tension that has marked Nazareth for nearly two years was forgotten as representatives from the three major religions partnered in an effort to help the children of the Galilee region.

The groundbreaking ceremony of the Irwin Green Family Early Childhood Development Center (CDC) was purposely held in the city on September 10, between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur, and against the backdrop of church bells and cries of the muezzin.

The 33rd CDC in a network initiated by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) in 1966, Nazareth's new Center will be the first to serve children of all religions in an Arab city. The Center is to be constructed on land donated by city's Christian French Hospital, Francais Saint Vincent de Paul.

Irwin Green, through the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, is fulfilling his vision of co-existence through this project. The project is also a partnership of international proportions. The Green family joined together with the State of Israel, the Citizens Accord Forum, and Ashalim, itself a partnership between JDC, the government of Israel and UJA-Federation of New York. Ashalim will oversee the Center's development and will provide on-going professional assistance.

This new CDC is being established to provide a diagnostic, therapeutic and community response for children with developmental delays. With a full complement of physicians, nurses, psychologists, occupational, physical and art therapists, the Center will provide a wide range of community and parent-child activities.

The highlight of the groundbreaking came when Green's son, Don, took the podium, and called for the mayors of Arab Nazareth and Jewish Upper Nazareth to shake hands. The resulting unscheduled act of reconciliation brought the two mayors together for the first time since the outbreak of the intifada on Rosh HaShana two years ago, in October 2000, and yielded a pledge from the two leaders to join forces for the good of their communities' children.

"This initiative is a two-tiered approach that goes to the very essence of the future of Israel - early childhood and co-existence," explained Professor Yossi Tamir, Director General of Ashalim. "The commitment of the Green family, and the determination of the local partners, is impressive, especially in such difficult days."

The ceremony included additional symbols of peace and coexistence. Archbishop Butrus Mualem and Sheikh Salach Afifi of Nazareth, together with Rabbi Michael Melchior, Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister, quoted excerpts from their holy books, each passage marking the common theme of children. Rabbi Melchior presented the donor with a shofar, a ram's horn, as a symbol of this call for peace. Together, the partners signed a scroll that was buried where the Center will be built. An olive branch was placed just above, another symbol of hopeful days to come.

But beyond the dramatic symbolism, the main purpose of the gathering was not forgotten: the Center, when complete, will be an invaluable contribution towards the children of Nazareth, Christian, Muslim and Jew.