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Integrating social workers, graduates of Arab universities, into social services in the State of Israel Social workers are an essential resource for underserved communities in Israel’s periphery. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Bedouin towns and villages, the poorest communities in the country. Qualified Israeli professionals, however, are in short supply. A pioneering initiative at the Sapir College School of Social Work seeks to change the equation – using a very unconventional approach. Many of Israel’s Arab citizens study social work at universities in the Palestinian Authority.

July 13-29, 2021 Curator Smadar Levy The year is not yet over, but looking back, we can safely say it has been uniquely challenging. As last year, in 2021, we once again experienced lockdowns and social distancing due to COVID-19.  For good measure, we also spent time sheltering from the recent hostilities and rocket fire from the nearby Gaza Strip.  Life, it seems, has receded to the threshold of our safe rooms. On July 13, 2021, the Art School opened the annual Graduates’ Exhibition.

New Children's Book: In the Forest, by Dr. Idit Raz Kalisher All too often, economics gets a bad rap. Think of grey suited wonks discussing interest rates or bond yields. In fact, economics is much more basic to the way we – and our children – live our daily lives. Now, Dr. Idit Kalisher has authored In the Forest, a marvelously accessible anthology of children’s’ stories illustrating how we face rational, economic decisions in almost everything we do. Human beings learn early on that resources are finite. Time, money, attention span, cookies – everything has its limits.

Sapir's School of Audio and Visual Arts congratulates alumnus Omer Daida who won on July 8, 2021 First Place in Docaviv's Student Film Competition, for her film, "Herd"! For the past three years, Sapir's students have won First Place at Docaviv's Student Competition Award! Omer joins Smadar Plagi, with her film "Home" in 2020 and Shir Hori with her film "Shira Tama" in 2019. Docaviv is Israel's leading annual international documentary film festival. "Herd" is a documentary about ten-year-old Na'ama and her father Itamar who owns a farm raising cattle for meat.

“An artist has no home in Europe,” said Nietzsche, “except in Paris.” Sapir College’s Daniel Maurer and Omer Stavi, third year Communications students, were awarded a prestigious honor by that city’s Ecole Nationale Superieure Louis-Lumiere.

It was a poignant moment when Meir and Anna Weksler met Eden Samuel at the graduation ceremony of the Communication’s Department at Sapir College. This year’s commencement exercise, held on June 8th, had added significance, as the Wekslers presented Samuel with the college’s first, annual scholarship for outstanding academic achievement, in memory of their son, Yoav.

After a most challenging year that included Covid-19, remote studies and social distancing, followed by the recent rocket attacks, we were overjoyed to finally celebrate in-person Graduation Ceremonies! Outfitted for the first time in caps and gowns, our 1,115 graduates celebrated over two consecutive evening events (June 7 and 8) with their families.   Each evening's main event kicked off by recognizing outstanding students−a total of 41−who received Sapir's Honors Certificate from their Department Chairs, followed by speeches celebrating this year's graduates given by: Gilead Sher, C