"Shamelessly influence"? On the contrary - it's simply to add information that is apparently not being taught, if you are evidence of the NYC school system's efforts. Anyway, for those who are unaware NYC's school system has traditionally had a very large percentage of Jewish teachers. The reason there are "Jewish Holidays" on the school calendar is because they all go on vacation for them, and the school system cannot operate - so they close the system down. It's not because they are dissing non-Jewish holidays. And as you probably know, Vman, many Jewish holidays like Hanuka and Passover are also folded into the various "breaks" without mention as well. Find something productive to do with your anger.

.... this is a course for teachers, not students. The people who are in the course are adults, and if they have any opinions about Israel one way or the other, they will be able to bring them up in the class and debate the issues, for an against, whatever is bothering them. Any 4th grade kid should already have learned how to parse the newspapers for truth, opinion, and exaggeration - how much more so should it be so with adult teachers. If all that's being taught is propaganda, then the curriculum would be useless - it will be seen immediately and nobody will take it seriously. If on the other hand the curriculum is as they describe it, then the teachers will be open minded and properly skeptical. I think you're all making a tempest in a teapot. You probably are also unaware of how Saudi Financing of Islamic studies and Polisci professorships in the US have shaped perspectives of influential Americans against israel - compared to that, this move is a zit on a camel's butt.

I just can't stand it when people spout nonsense. Regarding the consitution - England doesn't have a constitution either, similar to what goes on in most of Europe, not to mention the Arab states, yet they teach Islam curricula in plenty of schools across the US. And of the 3 billion dollars, do you know that over 2.5 billlion of those dollars are ear marked to buy american goods and if not, Israel won't see a penny. This is true of most of the aid that American gives worldwide. IAnd by the way, srael recognizes all marriages., but in Israel , Jews must marry according to Jewish law. Do you know that everyone in Israel even a visitor is eligible for free hospital and health care and do you know that in the US more than half its residents do not have access to health care at all. Do you know that when measuring quality of life, the the highest rank American city - Boston - comes in under 30 (I think 34) and Israel is in the top 20.

Thank you for your comments. I can now see the connection between the lack of a constitution in England and Israel. Israel was essentially set up through England as a result of the Balfour Declaration. The UN Resolutions of which I am referring involve the construction of illegal settlements in the West Bank, funded by US taxpayers. Remember Rachel Corrie? Killed by a Catapillar Bulldozer- made in the USA and bought by Israel with US aid. I guess that is the earmarked money you mean #63?

Now they want to indoctrinate our children with their false history and their anti-Palestinian propaganda. Palestine has always been inhabited by Arabs. They have been there much longer than the vast majority of Israelis. They have the right to fight for the return of their land and property that was taken by force from them.

"Any 4th grade kid should already have learned how to parse the newspapers for truth, opinion, and exaggeration" My dear friend, there are even adults in this world who can't identify opinions and exagerations, hence the media's and government's constant attempts at using them. In case you didn't know, most people don't even start paying attention to the news untill high school at the earliest, let alone learn to "parse" it for truth.

Sir: Why don't you also have a course about the history of Palestine and the true problems of the Arabs in Israel and the occupied territories. Teach the true message of Islam and show the history of the problems among the religions of the world. Also include the information about the Christians in Israel and the occupied territories. You cannot do justice to truth without including all truth in your prosentations. Otherwise, your course will be just more Jewish propaganda. We Americans have enough of that. We can come to our own conclusions if given the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help us God.

Jews constantly deny that this rabid pro-Jew brainwashing agenda goes on in America, and yet news sites that are aimed at Jews constanly confirm it! Not only that, they GLOAT about it as well! How come I didn't read about this story in the mainstream Jewish press? Perhaps because they know too many gentiles will be reading?

Check again. Check on families of mixed marriages, between Jews and non-Jews, Palestinians and Americans, Brits, and Jordanians. Note their problems in getting visas to live with their families. Read what Amira Hass has to say about it in Haa'ratz, an Israeli newspaper. You can get it on line. Google Amira Hass.

What a change. Not long ago more people would have praised Israel, now more than half are asking for equal treatment of Palestinians. I wonder if the attack on Lebanon did that, or is it that truth is finally soaking in that Israel is not a democracy. Israel has 1st class, 2nd class, 3rd class, and 4th class citizens, and Occupied Palestinians. Jews and Druze make up 1st and 2nd class, Christians and other non-Muslims make up the 3rd class, and compliant Muslims the 4th class. All Palestinians who objected to the taking of their land are the Occupied Palestinians. Full benefits go to 1st and 2nd class citizens, and Occupied Palestinians don't even have a right to live, let alone live in peace.

Amazing how many Arabs and "Arab Lovers" are commenting here. I'm sure if the program was about teaching about the fake nation of "Palestinians" all of you would be cheering. Fact is that Israel is an advanced democratic country in the exact same style as the U.S. in the midst of extreme backwardness of dictatorships. With all the INSANE propaganda being perpetuated by Arabs terrorists and their lovers about Israeli plots and 911, I suppose the city figured it would be important to do something so that kids don't grow up hating anything connected with Israel. Very smart move. There reason that there is no program to teach about Palestinians is that there is nothing good to teach. What will they teach? That they are regular Arabs who belong just fine in any of the surrounding nations, and that they are being kept locked in that area by the surrounding nations in order to create pressure on Israel? What will they teach, that instead of building their territories and living in peace, they teach their children to blow themselves up in Israel with the promise of 70 virgins? What else will they teach? That the palestinians dance and party every time Israelis get killed, and also celebrated 911, dancing on rooftops and handing out candy? Some dirty Arabs/Arab lovers are now spreading rumors that Israelis danced and cheered on 911! Something has to be done to combat all this hatred by these rabid, backwards, haters, dictatorship, suicide bombers butt kissers and lovers and TEACH THE TRUTH!!! Dissappear idiots!!! Go jump off the brooklyn bridge fools!

I agree with your opinion to learn about other countries' cultures. Nothing wrong with that at all. But we have to be sure about what is given in this curriculum. They have to give the whole truth not to hide anything. Israel's history is all about politic. Since they were created on the land, bad was created. So please be realistic about what you will read about Israel's history.

I'm no fan of Israel, but hats off to the its consulate in New York for offering a course on their country and its history. Let it serve as notice to other countries with which we have "special relationships", like England, France, the Philippines, and others, that it would do them well to promote themselves in this sort of positive fashion. So rather than complain that the Israeli consulate has set up this voluntary program - for whatever reason, use it as an opportunity for other countries to do the same. That will only enhance childrens' educators'understanding of the world - something Americans sorely lack.

One would imagine that they highlight the fact that there is such a thing as an Ethiopian Jew to show the diversity of people living in Israel - and not because of race. It really is a little known fact that there were Jews living in Ethiopia - something that got swept under history's carpet. And it's interesting that they have managed to migrate to Israel.

Our children cannot locate Washington DC on a map. Our SAT scores are at there lowest point ever. Our math and science curriculum is the worst in the world. We have no engineers, but millions of Pre-Law students. Solution? Teach our kids about the wonders of Israel and it's history. Are you kidding me? We are allowing the Pro-Israel lobby to dictate what my son is going to learn in school? I don't care about what happens to Israel or any other country except for the U.S. If it's too hard to live elsewhere then come here. Just don't teach my kid your history. If I find out my son is learning any Israeli history, I will march down to my school and file a complaint. I will get thousands of names against this ridiculous act.

JMarke - It's such a shame that people like you have children. Did you happen to notice there is a global war on terrorism? Did you forget 9/11? It's ironic that you typed your reply on 9/11! Everyone knows that a better understanding and more involvement with other countries is neccessary to be able to stop such incidences in the future. Did you happen not to notice that over 3000 American soldiers have been killed in Iraq, and elsewhere? Many more thousands maimed. Why? Because obviously it's hard to ignore the world. Not to say that America should have sent ground troops and gotten that deep into Iraq, but every nation in the world knows that it is important to be involved with other nations in the world. What if your kid grows up and learns nothing about other nations in school but is exposed to all the bullshit propaganda and then decides to join the Taliban for example because he feels so SORRY for the POOR A-RABS?! Maybe he'll be like that idiot American that was captured with the Taliban? Your statement "I don't care about what happens to Israel or other country except for the U.S." shows you are totally uneducated yourself and are not fit to raise a child in this day and age. America is closely tied to the rest of the world and what happens in the world affects America. Maybe you are one of those separatists like Pat Buchanan (Yeah, I know... It's tough--you don't know who he is), who promotes putting up fences and not dealing with the outside world except America. Cool idea but that's not gonna happen--all businesses have already outsourced a lot of jobs, and America is now pretty dependent on foreign labor. What about OIL dude? Have you heard of the thing called OIL? America is highly dependent on foreign OIL. So the stability of all these regions, particularly the middle east which supplies a lot of OIL is critical to the U.S. which is one of the reasons there is so much effort to create more stablity there. Maybe your kid is smarter than you are wants to learn about other countries. Who are you to decide for your kid what your kid should learn. You can keep your kid at home and teach him yourself. Also it is not true that education is so bad in the U.S. There are bad schools and there are good ones. Good schools have low student to teacher ratios and they hire better teachers. Some kids are just problematic because of bad parenting and other issues and disturb the class. If you can't afford to send your kid to a private school, why did you even have a kid? Shouldn't you have planned for that before? If your kid doesn't learn about the world and about democracies around the world, what kind of person will he be? Something like you who believes that one should only know about the place he lives in? Even the U.S. is huge and there are many different places with different histories and cultures. How about American indians? Maybe you should decide exactly what history is important for your kid to learn and what is not. Hey, MARCH UP to the school and demand to teach the history class! Maybe they'll let you do that once they hear some of your ideas! Today the world is "flatter" than ever. It is important for everyone to know about the whole world. What difference does it make what the physical distance is between nations? These days physical distance means nothing. To get from the west coast to east or even a couple of states away, you take a plane and on the same plane you could easily go anywhere else in the world in about the same time. You say that "Our children cannot locate Washington DC on a map" I'm sure some can and some cannot. With parents as educated and enlightened as you, it is not surprising that some are unable to locate Washington DC on a map. According to you they really only need to be able to identify their hometown on the map... Sheesh....

Is always good to know how racism is alive and well by people that spend the majority of the time claiming"anti semitisim".............

I thought Lebanon was a democracy, and also the Palestinian parliament democratically elected their leaders. Israel is not the only democracy in the middle east. Well, almost if you consider how they are destroying Lebanon and the Occupied Territories. One thing is for sure, Israel would not amount to anything if it was not for the US support it receives in the form of grants, arms, and loan guarantees. That's why they need to teach our kids how great they are- to keep the money rolling in. Israel benefits greatly from US support, but does the US benefit equally as well?

That's preposterous; as the "special relations between the United States and Israel," haven't done enough damage.

Are we teaching NYers what a great democracy Israel is? Let's show the true years of bloodshed and the dehumanization of a population. That's a true democracy - we agree?

Any thought given to perhaps a Palestinian relations course too? Nothing like bribery to REALLY sell your propaganda, huh?

http://www.moia.gov.il/english/regulations/regulations1.htm All the information you need to move to Israel, enjoy.