Madrasa - Learning to Communicate

Madrasa is a technological and social initiative for learning colloquial Arabic, for free. Madrasa aspires to promote better communication between Israeli society's different communities. To date, tens of thousands of students have learned Arabic through Madrasa.

The most basic element in the formation of a shared society is communication; the most basic component of communication is language. The ability to understand each other contributes greatly to reducing tension and hostility between different groups. On the other hand, lack of understanding of the other’s language intensifies and perpetuates fears. Language and communication can serve as a living bridge for the creation of a shared society. The fact that many Jewish Israelis do not speak Arabic exacerbates and perpetuates prejudices towards Arab society in Israel. Therefore, by making the Arabic language accessible to the Israeli Jewish public, one can plant the seeds for open encounter, partnership, and communication between Jews and Arabs in Israel.

The Madrasa initiative was established by a group of young students in Jerusalem, all of whom were Arabic-enthusiasts with technological knowledge. Their goal was to make Arabic accessible to the Israeli public in an inviting manner, with the hope of leveraging the language as a tool for initiating change in the way Jewish and Arab societies in Israel interact. Together, they have formulated a model that includes a professional, online colloquial Arabic course which combines a deep understanding of the language and a technology that makes this knowledge accessible to everyone, free-of-charge.

*On November 2018 we launched a new website (www.madrasafree.com) with a brand new online interactive course for beginners. The website serves as a home for all the Arabic students in Israel, as it connects them through social media and practice meet-ups around Israel.