Junior-high & High Schools

There Is No Single Democracy – Modular Program for Teaching Democracy

This modular program for teaching democracy is based on the Adam Institute’s book There Is No Single Democracy, which serves as its foundation. The book includes seven chapters, each presenting a different approach to democracy currently debated: neutral liberal democracy, value-based liberal democracy, social democracy, socialist democracy, multicultural democracy, national democracy, and feminist democracy.

The program combines the book’s theoretical framework with practical, participatory activities. The book contains around 500 pages of articles and 73 hands-on exercises designed to explore fundamental democratic principles and their application in complex social contexts in Israel and worldwide. Each chapter focuses on a core value or principle—such as equality, rights, or participation—and examines it across the seven approaches to democracy, offering workshops and activities that allow participants to experience the different interpretations of these values.
The modular structure allows the program to be adapted to different educational settings and age groups. It also serves as the basis for training courses in democracy education, providing a broad and nuanced framework for applying democratic and humanistic values in daily life, while encouraging ongoing reflection on their relevance in a changing social reality. This program is suitable for educators in formal and informal settings, public officials, community activists, NGO members, and anyone interested in social and political processes and democratic governance.

In the Path of Dialogue – Networking Schools against Racism

In the Path of Dialogue – is a practical educational program designed to address racism and incitement in Israeli society in general, and in schools in particular. Its goal is to promote the values of shared life, tolerance, multiculturalism, mutual respect, protection of human rights, social responsibility, and a sense of belonging to both the community and Israeli society. In the program, participants explore the principles of democracy, the meaning and impact of racism and incitement—especially toward minorities and foreigners—and ways to actively reduce these phenomena in schools and in the environments where young people engage.

Learning takes place through experiential workshops that combine theoretical study with personal and group-based activities, focusing on key democratic issues essential for understanding racism and incitement. Throughout the program, participants examine everyday incidents involving racism and incitement in light of the values learned, while sharpening the distinction between freedom of expression and its importance to democratic life, and the phenomenon of incitement. The program also deepens understanding of the differences between various forms of discrimination and racism in its different manifestations.

Following this reflective process, students are given the opportunity to take initiative, lead, and become actively involved by designing and implementing a school-based project on the topic, and are provided with the tools to do so.

The program can be implemented in three stages, though not all are required: teacher training to introduce the program and classroom tools; student workshops on democratic values, racism, and incitement; and school-based projects where students apply what they’ve learned. The program also includes joint encounters between Jewish and Arab students, religious and secular, to reflect on the content and foster collaborative projects.

Since 2012, the program has been implemented in dozens of Jewish and Arab schools and has received significant recognition. Between 2015 and 2019, it was carried out in partnership with the Ministry of Education, reaching approximately 21,000 students and teachers. In this framework, encounters were held between students from diverse sectors of Israeli society—including Jewish, Muslim Arab, Christian Arab, Bedouin, and religious Jewish communities—during which participants collaborated to plan and develop 35 joint educational projects addressing racism across different schools throughout the country.

Words Matter: Educating about and for Freedom of Expression

Words Matter: Educating about and for Freedom of Expression is an educational program that explores the vital role of freedom of expression in a democratic society, while fostering the ability to distinguish between legitimate expression, incitement, and racist speech.

The program examines the central importance of free speech to democratic governance and everyday life, including academic and artistic freedom, while addressing the tensions and conflicts that may arise between freedom of expression and both democratic and non-democratic values. It also engages with the challenges of free speech in the digital sphere, including phenomena such as shaming and online talkbacks, and considers freedom of expression within the education system—for both educators and students. A key component of the program is encouraging social engagement among teachers and students to defend freedom of expression while actively confronting incitement to racism.

Combining theoretical foundations with 40 structured lesson plans, the program provides practical tools for discussing current events through the lens of free expression and its limits. The curriculum is organized into seven chapters, each addressing a different dimension of the topic, with the overarching goal of safeguarding freedom of expression from undue restrictions while ensuring it is not misused to promote violence or unethical behavior.

The program is a collaborative initiative of the Adam Institute and the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), developed and implemented jointly with the organization’s Department of Education. It reflects the extensive knowledge accumulated by both organizations, both at the theoretical level and through practical work in civil society and the legal arena. Included in the Ministry of Education’s “Gefen” system, the program has been implemented in 58 Jewish and Arab secondary schools, within which 25 joint school projects on the topic were developed.

Environment and Democracy – Developing Social-Democratic Thinking on Environmental Issues

This program is based on the understanding that environmental issues and conflicts in our local and global context affect all parties involved simultaneously, making each group both “impacted” and “beneficiary” of the situation. Participants are invited to adopt a complex perspective, seeing environmental challenges as shared responsibilities among strong and vulnerable groups alike, and to explore ways of taking mutual responsibility in addressing these issues.

Through the program, participants learn how democratic thinking can enhance understanding of values such as shared responsibility and equality, and how these principles can guide constructive approaches to environmental problems. Collaboration is emphasized as essential for creating fair solutions that consider the needs and interests of diverse groups, both now and for future generations.

The curriculum is organized into five chapters, each linking a democratic principle to a current environmental issue through interactive activities, games, and discussions:

Defining Environment and Environmental Quality: Explores why environmental matters are also social questions and introduces basic concepts.
Environmental Quality and Equality: Examines the connection between environmental issues and inequality, particularly in resource distribution.
Rights and the Environment: Investigates the balance between rights—such as the right to information, culture, and health—and environmental protection.
Mechanisms for Fair Participation: Discusses who has the right to engage in environmental decision-making, planning, and influence, and presents tools for reaching equitable agreements among different social groups.
Promoting and Improving the Environment: Focuses on practical actions and conflict resolution strategies related to environmental challenges, including a method developed by the Adam Institute for addressing these issues.

The program encourages participants to see environmental challenges as shared social concerns, fostering democratic thinking, mutual responsibility, and collaborative problem-solving.

Democratic Student Council Program

The program aims to present educators with different models of student councils, reflecting the various forms of democracy practiced in countries around the world. Students learn to choose the model that best suits the character of their community and the environment in which the council operates.

The program is based on two key educational assumptions:

School-based democratic activity is not meant to replicate real-world democratic processes outside the school, but rather to equip students with the tools to create a better reality within and beyond the school walls.
The school’s role is to teach all students to be leaders, not only those who already demonstrate leadership abilities in the existing social context.
The program offers three types of training:

• Training for students elected to the council.
• Training for the entire student body in preparation for council elections and to support its ongoing work.
• Training for teachers on the student council and its role.

Peace Education in Times of War – Educational Program

Peace education is a value-based choice that is not dependent on time or place. Like any meaningful value, it is not abandoned when faced with difficulty; rather, it is pursued in ways that reflect the current time, place, and circumstances. This program was recently developed in response to the ongoing war in Israel, yet the principles it teaches are relevant anywhere in the world.

Since October 7, we have been living through a severe and brutal war on multiple fronts. The intensity of the conflict makes recovery difficult, and some may even feel despair. At the same time, we witness solidarity and commitment to actions that promote peace, grounded in the belief that peace is the ultimate goal worth striving for.

Many educators avoid discussing the current situation and potential short- and long-term solutions with their students. Yet, in the absence of structured educational engagement, students are exposed to bursts of violence and racism that threaten their connection to their own and others’ humanity.

Adam Institute emphasizes that, especially in these times, it is crucial to remind students of the aspiration for peace while fostering rational thinking about possible solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian and Israeli-Arab conflicts. The program identifies several key issues related to peace education that can and should be addressed during wartime, as well as in calmer periods:

Understanding personal, social, physical, psychological, and spiritual forms of power.
Evaluating the effectiveness of using force as a primary means of conflict resolution.
The role of historical context in resolving conflicts.
Imagining peace versus developing realistic solutions.
The “Peace Map” – exploring geographic maps and their contribution to shaping attitudes toward peace and war.
Gender and peace.

This program provides a framework for educators to engage students in reflective, critical, and value-based discussions, encouraging both awareness and active participation in building a culture of peace.

“Democracy in Action” – Building a Democratic Culture and Active Citizenship

Democracy in Action is a hands-on educational program designed to foster a democratic way of life by strengthening social, ethical, and community-oriented values. It encourages dialogue and collaboration among students, teachers, parents, and the wider school community, all based on mutual respect.

The program revolves around three core components: learning, reflecting on social reality through values, and initiating positive social change. Each component helps students develop respect for others, linking democratic theory to everyday life.

Through this process, students explore their personal and social identities, examine their values, and engage with real-life situations. By combining theoretical study with practical application, the program empowers students to analyze their surroundings in light of democratic principles and explore ways to improve their communities. It equips youth to become active, responsible participants in civil society.

Key concepts covered: equality, liberty, rights, acceptance of diversity, community solidarity, social responsibility, multiculturalism, and youth leadership.
Implementation:

Teacher training is recommended to introduce both the program content and methodology, with ongoing support from Adam Institute staff during classroom delivery.
The program includes two main components:

Learning – studying democratic principles and basic conflict resolution methods.
Optional Application – students design and implement a project applying the principles learned. Schools may choose to implement the full program or only the first part.

The program’s content and scope are customized in collaboration with each school to meet its unique needs.

The Democratic Voter – Understanding Elections as a Tool for Freedom and Equality

Freedom and equality are the foundation of democracy, and democratic institutions—including elections—exist to realize these principles. The Democratic Voter program helps students understand elections as a rational and independent process, where participants compare alternatives, reflect on their own views, and consider the perspectives of others.
Through interactive activities, students explore key topics such as:

The difference between democratic values and the procedures that implement them, including the electoral system.
Direct vs. representative democracy.
Active vs. passive participation in elections and civic life.
The equal right to vote and to run for office.
Ethical and practical dilemmas in choosing representatives.
Limits of free expression during elections and in public life.
How majorities and minorities influence decisions and what happens to permanent minority groups.
Responding to election outcomes responsibly.
Critical thinking about legitimate and illegitimate forms of protest, during elections and in everyday democratic life.

The program develops students’ ability to think critically, make informed choices, and participate responsibly in democratic processes.