Visit by ex-Tabeetha Pupils

We had a very busy and eventful day today, after dance and movement activities with Leo, John and Vasil, who all went to Tabeetha. They presented assembly this morning in which they described what the School has done for them as well as the importance of working together towards peace. We have a video on YouTube. Thank you to all who participated!

Sad news

Many of our pupils are going through a time of mourning due to the tragic death of Abed Bawab. Abed was a pupil at Tabeetha and left in 2003. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time.

Jane Walker-Arnott

Today, 21st May, marks the centenary of Jane Walker-Arnott's passing away. In preparation for this special day, our pupils were taken into the graveyard (belonging to the Anglican church) attached to the school to visit Miss Walker-Arnott's grave site and to hear about this amazing lady who did so much for the school and for the community of Jaffa. This from the history link of the school's website:

Jane Walker-Arnott, accompanied by her sister Emilia, left Scotland for the Holy Land in 1858 for the benefit of her delicate health and worked with the German Basel Mission in the Port of Jaffa, a run-down community of Christian and Muslim Palestinian Arabs under Turkish rule. She returned to Scotland in 1860, but having concern for the plight of the girls and women she had seen in the Holy Land, was drawn back to Jaffa. The eldest daughter of a Glasgow University professor felt her greatest contribution could be in educating locals to give them a measure of dignity and independence in an oppressive society.

Tabeetha, named after Tabitha, a woman of good works, in the Acts of the Apostles, admitted its first pupils, fourteen Christian, Jewish and Moslem girls on 16 March 1863 to a room in Jane Walker-Arnott's house. The girls were taught to read and write, to study the Bible and to become skilled at sewing and lace-making. The lace was sold in Scotland to raise money for the school.

Such was the demand from the local community that within ten years Jane Walker-Arnott sought to build a school. In 1874 a plot was purchased outside the walls of the old city of Jaffa, and a Mr Thomas Cook, who led pilgrimages to the Holy Land, sold his house in Bethlehem and gave half the proceeds, 45 pounds sterling, to Jane Walker-Arnott.

Thomas Cook laid the cornerstone, reputed to have come from the house of Simon the Tanner, on 10 March 1875. In the previous year the wall of the ancient City of Jaffa had been breached as the town expanded, and many of the stones used to build the school are said to have come from the wall. The doors of the new school building opened on 1 November 1875.

Assembly.

Last Friday, 13 May, we had two of our Grade 12 ICT pupils present their work to the rest of the school. They have created websites which incorporate eCommerce, in which people will be able to buy school T-shirts online as well as memorabilia of the school, ranging from coffee mugs to mouse pads. These websites will be published within the next few months.

Dancing lessons!

We had a visit by a dance teacher today who worked with grade 4 and 5 pupils. He taught them basic dance steps as well as some hip-hop moves. The children had a great time!

Month of May

May is a very important month for us. We start with our external exams for grade 10, 11 and 12 pupils and prepare for grade 6 to 9 exams at the beginning of June.

Also 21st May marks the 100th anniversary of the passing of Miss Jane Walker-Arnott, the founder of Tabeetha. Mr. Mohammed Abou-Kaoud presented a special assembly on Friday 6th May in which he related some memories and special stories from the past. More information about the history of the school can be found on the school's website.

We hope to have other activities during the month of May to help remember this remarkable lady and the contribution she has made to the school and to the community of Jaffa.