Visit our new English website: eng-al-fanoos.org

Maktabat al-Fanoos (Lantern Library) is an Arabic-language book-gifting program  that serves Arab children ages 3-8 and their families in Israel. It strives to stimulate a life-long love of books and discussion of universal values at home and in the class.  Maktabat al-Fanoos operates in 100 percent of Arabic language public preschools and elementary schools, distributing high-quality books via classrooms that each child takes home to keep, enabling families to create a  home library of children’s books. The program encourages  shared reading and meaningful conversations on the issues and emotions raised by the stories in both the classroom and at home.

Maktabat al-Fanoos empowers teachers and parents to help children develop their learning and mother-tongue language skills, to enhance their emotional awareness and to celebrate the richness of Arab culture. Children ages 3-5 in preschool receive eight books a year; children in first and second grades receive four books a year so that Arab children will have a personal home library of 32 Maktabat al-Fanoos books by the time they enter third grade.

The program was created by the Israeli Ministry of Education in partnership with two foundations: 

• Harold Grinspoon Foundation, founders of Sifriyat Pijama book program for Hebrew speaking children in Israel, and of the award winning North American program PJ Library™
• Price Pilanthropies founder of Bidayat (Beginnings) –  Early Childhood Centers and programs in Arab communities… for further reading