Forgiveness Education in Conflicted Societies: The Lived Experiences of Arab and Jewish Fifth-Grade Children in Israel

This research examines the subjective experiences of 10–11-year-old students participating in a social-emotional Education Program on Forgiveness and Agape Love (EPFAL) in Israel. The EPFAL is designed to help students acquire a social-emotional tool to help them deal with the wrongs, vulnerabilities, and injustices they will likely experience later in life. The EPFAL took place as part of a larger international research project evaluating the program’s effectiveness in enhancing students’ well-being and improving the class environment in Northern Ireland, Taiwan, and Israel. The present article presents findings from qualitative, semi-structured interviews of forty students and thirteen teachers who participated in the study in Israel and field notes of class observations conducted during data collection for the larger study. A thematic analysis of the findings suggests that students found the EPFAL interesting, enjoyable, and valuable. The participants experienced cognitive, emotional, and behavioral changes, including changes in the perception of forgiveness. They experienced a sense of empowerment and openness, reduced anger and empathy, and learned to talk about their feelings. This study demonstrates how emotional, behavioral, and cognitive transformations promoted by the EPFAL affect children’s relationships with friends and family and improve the classroom atmosphere.