The Role of Christian Schools in Jerusalem (1967–2025): A Study on Identity, Cultural Resilience, and the Challenges of Systematic Israelization

Abstract

This study investigated the educational and national role of Christian schools in Jerusalem from 1967 to 2025, analyzing their reality amidst funding challenges and systematic Israelization policies. The researcher employed a Mixed Methods approach; quantitative data were gathered through two surveys administered to a sample of teachers (n = 84) and alumni (n = 94), while qualitative data were collected via in-depth interviews with eight school principals (n = 8) and analyzed using Grounded Theory.
The results revealed a high-level contribution of Christian schools in fostering values of coexistence (M = 4.23) and constructing Palestinian national identity among students and alumni. Furthermore, the study identified a severe funding gap, showing that actual financial support from the occupation authorities ranges between 40% and 60% of the operating budget–contrary to official claims of 65%. This phenomenon is characterized in the study as “Soft Financial Colonialism”. Qualitative analysis further uncovered “Circumventive Pedagogical Strategies” practiced by educational staff to reinforce the schools’ role in countering the censorship of national content in curricula. The study recommends establishing an independent endowment fund to support education in Jerusalem to ensure educational sovereignty and activating alumni networks to safeguard the city’s cultural heritage.