First Israeli Arab woman appointed full professor at Tel Aviv University
Fadia Nasser-Abu Alhija is a 54-year-old education expert who began teaching 30 years ago in Tira.
By Or Kashti Tags: Israeli Arab Israel newsA 54-year-old education expert at Tel Aviv University has become the first Israeli Arab woman in the country to be appointed a full professor.
"It's a real breakthrough," Fadia Nasser-Abu Alhija said of her appointment yesterday. "First of all, I am proud of myself for this personal accomplishment. But I believe I won't be the last - more and more Arab women are entering the higher education system in a variety of fields."
As of 2007, there were 33 Arab full professors employed in Israeli research universities - all of them men, according to a master's thesis written by former Open University of Israel graduate student Iris Zarini.
Nasser-Abu Alhija, who heads the department of curriculum planning and instruction at Tel Aviv University's School of Education, was informed of the appointment last month, about 30 years after she began her teaching career at a high school in the Israeli Arab town of Tira.
She completed a doctorate in research, evaluation, measurement and statistical methods in 1997, earning her Ph.D. from the University of Georgia in the United States.
"I see female Arab students leading the way in school," said Nasser-Abu Alhija. "And that process is not only taking place in bachelor's degree programs. There are several reasons for this - Arab families are changing, and attributing more importance to educating their girls. Also, the students themselves have become exposed to successful women who now serve as role models. Economically, people are discovering that having one salary per family isn't enough."
Still, she said, schools in Arab areas suffer from a serious lack of government investment.
"We have to improve Arab public schools," she said.
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The ignorance on some of these posts is pathetic. First, there are roughly 1.5 million Arab citizens of the State of Israel, not 600,000 as EL claims. Second, does Brad really want Iran or the other Islamic states to be the model for how Israeli society functions, or the standard by which we measure ourselves? You'd better think that through all the way. Finally to Aaron C in London -- "true Israelis"? "Arab influence over our children?". What utter and racist chutzpah. Anyway, may the coming Passover holiday inspire you to clean the 'hametz' out of your hearts and souls, just as we clean it out of our homes. Chag sameach.
"This allows Arab thinking and culture to influence true Israelis, particularly in such a sensitive position as education." What is a true Israeli to you? Are you a true Englishman? "We don`t really need an Arab influence over our children." We're talking about a university, Sir, not kindergarten! Are you OK with British teachers, who might be Christian, teaching your children? You make it sound as if you live in your own London bubble. Get a life!
Congratulations,she deserve it
We are yet to learn what progress, what achievements, has the UTV reached while courting the Palestinains. For the right UTV is a serious menace, for the extreme right they are the nest for traitors among Jews. Thats obviously for the difference in opinion, idiology, and politics among these groups. Can UTV show that they were able to convert Palestians from extremist to peace loving, and if yes why we don't read about them.
This allows Arab thinking and culture to influence true Israelis, particularly in such a sensitive position as education. We don't really need an Arab influence over our children. What makes it worse, as has been pointed out before, is that most Arab countries do not have senior Jewish educators.
the "apartheid" word as it relates to Israel seems to be focused on the difference between Israeli settlers and Palestinians living in the WEst Bank - not on Israel proper. I don't agree with it - but it is easy to understand why people without a full sense of history or what goes on in Israel/Palestine use it. And Sol: your comparison to Iran's situation is ludicrous.....
Were any of the Jews that were persecuted a few years ago in Iran Profs? Never mind the Jews living there, most Iranians are oppressed, so say the Iranian U students in my home town. Those that can, in that country, seem to send their kids abroad for University. Most don't return. It may be that the Jews of Iran are no more oppressed than much of that population. And, incidentally, how free are those Jewish women directors to do a documentary that is critical of the government, the religious establishment, the holocaust or a film supportive of the state of Israel. You know, "Waltzing with Netenyahu"?
60 years of Israel's existence? And among over 600,000 Arab-Israeli citizens in the glorious country of Israel? So, will the next female Arab-Israeli appointee wait, let's see, 50 years? OK, 40 years, tops.
You would have to go ask amongst the 30000 or so Jews living in Iran, where they have a Minister for Jewish affairs in parliament and more female film directors than any other country on Earth.
How many Jews are full professors, heck associate professors, heck assistant professors at Universities in Islamic states, you know the one's that accuse Israel of being an "apartheid" state?