For the first time since the liberation of the Temple Mount in the Six Day War, the Education Committee recommended that the Ministry of Education include the Temple Mount as a mandatory tour of schools.
In addition, the committee recommended incorporating a compulsory study unit on the Temple Mount in history classes in schools.
So far, the subject has only appeared as a sub-subject in various disciplines, such as the Bible, geography and history, and mainly as an optional material.
The recommendations were accepted by a committee that convened last week, but were published yesterday, a few days before Hanukkah, where we will mark the re-lighting of the menorah on the Temple Mount.
The discussion on the subject was initiated by the committee's chairman, MK Sharan Hashakel, and the Bydinu organization, headed by Tom Nissani and Ofir Dayan.
Prior to the hearing, "In our hands" forwarded to the committee a preliminary position paper on the issue.
MK Sharan Hashakel, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon
As stated, the committee determined that "the history of the mountain and its significance in Jewish culture and history are not properly studied," and called on the Ministry of Education to "introduce the Temple Mount and Temple theme into matriculation exams, emphasize Temple Mount heritage studies in the curriculum, and encourage and increase student visits."
The committee also asked the Ministry of Education to hold a discussion and report to it within eight weeks on the intended conclusions and actions.
She also asked the Ministry of Homeland Security to provide data on student visits to the mountain in the past ten years within two weeks.
Representatives of the police participated in the committee, making it clear that for them there is no impediment to student visits on the mountain, but according to the guidelines, the security guards who accompany students are not allowed to enter the Temple Mount with their weapons.
That is why it is the police who will secure the students.
The committee found that in the past two years no school had approached the police to coordinate a tour of students on the mountain.
In seven weeks, the committee will convene for another discussion on the issue.
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