New Project Introduces Diverse Dolls to Israeli Kindergartens
Translated & summarized from Haaretz by baba
A "Persona Dolls" project in Israeli kindergartens aims to foster understanding of societal diversity but has faced backlash. In Jerusalem, a doll representing a religious boy was threatened by secular classmates. Another kindergarten reportedly rejected a doll that appeared to violate Shabbat, indicating adult resistance to the initiative.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- A "Persona Dolls" project aims to introduce diverse societal representations to Israeli kindergartens.
- In Jerusalem, secular children threatened a doll representing a religious boy.
- The children mocked the doll's religious attire and threatened physical violence.
- The incident occurred in a neighborhood with rising secular-religious tensions.
- Another kindergarten reportedly refused a doll depicted as violating Shabbat.
A new initiative called "Persona Dolls" aims to introduce children in Israeli kindergartens to the diverse spectrum of Israeli society. However, the project has encountered resistance, highlighting the challenges of bridging societal divides. In one Jerusalem kindergarten, a doll named Noam, representing a religious boy wearing a kippah and tzitzit, was met with hostility from secular classmates. The children mocked Noam's attire and threatened the doll, with one child stating he should leave the kindergarten. This incident occurred in a neighborhood experiencing increasing tensions between secular and religious residents, according to Dr. Tamar Wertheimer-Zahavi, who is involved with the project. The article also mentions another kindergarten where a doll that was depicted as violating Shabbat was reportedly refused entry by the teacher, suggesting broader adult-driven resistance to the dolls' diverse representations.