Bridge Over the Wadi

In 2004, Arab and Israeli parents embarked on a joint initiative to establish a bilingual elementary school in Israel’s Wadi Valley. Some fierce debates preceded the opening and although the initiative was idealistic and noble, the reality of it was that parents still had some major hurdles to overcome. The school, which is called Bridge over the Wadi, has room for 50 Jewish and 50 Arab students, but is located in the Arab part of the valley. The film follows students, faculty and parents as they struggle to coexist peacefully during the first exciting year. Teachers spend a lot of time teaching mutual respect, but some parents feel they’ve gone too far when students are asked to participate in each other’s religious festivities. By the end of the year however, they have succeeded in establishing a foundation, however shaky and unpredictable it may be.