Expanding the Circle of Compassion

	Photo: Avi Hirschfield

By Hala Halaby

Karmel Portal

Translated from Hebrew

The educational project "Expanding the Circle of Compassion," of the organization Hakol Chai, began earlier this month. This unique program is being taught in selected schools and seeks to instill in students the values of humane education.

Following the seminar, which was given by Hakol Chai to 70 teachers and principals from primary schools in Shefaram and Kfar Yasif during this last Passover, the humane education program "Expanding the Circle of Compassion" was successfully taught to children in several schools.

The project, conducted for the first time, is being taught in the fourth grades in these areas, and it exposes the students to exciting animal issues, activities, and movies. The 11-lessons curriculum is built in a way that is thought-provoking and pushes the students to ask questions about their behavior toward all living beings. The main objective of the program is to develop critical thinking with regard to the attitude to animals on the one hand and the reduction of violence on the other hand, being the assimilating of the values of respect, compassion, responsibility, and tolerance.

During the activity, which was held recently at the Albasalia School in Shefaram, students learned about the concept of compassion, analyzed its significance, and noted whom they include in their own circle of compassion.

The students, who did not hide their enthusiasm, demonstrated curiosity and interest in the animals’ world and said that the fear of animals that they felt, due to lack of familiarity with them, had been changed to a will to help them and approach them. In addition, students decorated the class walls with content and pictures related to the animals’ world and noted that they suddenly realize that, contrary to what they thought to date, animals are intelligent creatures with sophisticated behaviors and outstanding features.

The school principal, Mrs. Yasmin H’ader, told Hakol Chai that the curriculum is fully compatible with the values that the school promotes - the values of acceptance and respect toward others (those who are not like us).

The Hakol Chai management states: "We welcome the cooperation of the schools and the students in implementing this important subject. Adopting humane values, such as compassion for animals and for those around us, is the cornerstone of creating tolerance in an environmentally aware society. We are preparing for the coming years in which we will increase the number of schools who wish to take part in the program."

Background:

The education program "Expanding the Circle of Compassion" is an initiative of the nonprofit organization Hakol Chai, which promotes education and action for animals. The program was written by professional, international humane education experts whose lessons are taught today throughout the world (in the U.S., South America, and Europe). Hakol Chai is accompanying the teachers, transferring the curriculum that was written especially for them, and which they will assimilate throughout the school year. This program is added to the number of projects initiated by the organization, including a conference on preventing violence through humane education, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. In addition, the organization works actively for the eradication of animal abuse and reducing suffering, while fostering empathy, respect, and responsibility towards all living beings.