Fifth and sixth graders in all 52 Haifa elementary schools will take Arabic-language classes as well as study Arab and Islamic history, as part of their regular curriculum. The project will be funded by the Ministry of Education and the Haifa Municipality.

Two years ago, Haifa municipality and the Abraham Fund Initiatives began a pilot project in 12 elementary schools called "Language as a Cultural Bridge." A year later the number of participating institutions doubled.

The aim of the project, beyond teaching spoken and literary Arabic, is to "link Jewish pupils to the Arab population which is the second-largest [community] in the country," said Rachel Metuki, educational director at the municipality.