There is hope in the Middle East: At the Schneller Schools in Lebanon and Jordan, Muslim and Christian children get a good school education followed by a vocational training. Living together in peace and tolerance are of great importance.
Education for peace in the Middle East is an idea which Johann Ludwig Schneller already implemented when he founded the Syrian Orphanage in 1860. He brought in orphans from different religious backgrounds, offered them a good school education followed by a vocational training in order to enable them to live a self-sufficient life. The Johann Ludwig Schneller School (JLSS) in Lebanon and the Theodor Schneller Schule (TSS) in Jordan continue this important work. The Evangelical Association for the Schneller Schools (EVS) supports and accompanies both schools. As a support group, the EVS raises donations from private individuals, congregations and other church groups.
Both schools are under the oversight of local bodies. The National Evangelical Church of Beirut is responsible for the JLSS. The Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East oversees the TSS.
The EVS is one of the founding members of the Evangelical Mission in Solidarity (EMS) and understands its work as part of the worldwide ecumenical relations in the EMS Fellowship. It works on a partnership basis with the churches sponsoring the Schneller Schools which are both EMS member churches.
The Johann Ludwig Schneller School is located in the heart of the fertile Bekaa Valley. Christian and Muslim children learn and live together at JLSS. Orphans and children from disadvantaged families find a home.
The Theodor Schneller School is located on the outskirts of Amman. The children who live at the school mostly come from troubled families. Many are traumatized. TSS wants to help them to realize their own dignity.
The Schneller-Foundation – Education for Peace was established in 2007 by the EVS. It represents an additional pillar for financing important projects at the Schneller Schools. Unlike donations, endowments are not used immediately but rather are added into the foundation’s capital. The foundation uses the income earned from its capital to support the two schools. A contribution to the foundation, therefore, has a lasting impact that endures for many years.
At the time of its founding, the foundation’s capital amounted to €1,080,000. Thanks to numerous endowments, it has since grown to approximately €2.6 million.
Until this day the foundation was able to disburse over €400,000 to both schools. These funds have funded important infrastructure projects and the replacement of outdated equipment in classrooms and boarding facilities.
"To me, the Schneller Schools represent continual and lasting work in education and peace. They provide young people with a space to orient themselves in the world and to learn and develop a perspective for their lives. At the Schneller Schools differences are not seen as obstacles but rather as opportunities to learn from others. Students experience acceptance and recognition, which greatly improves their confidence and their view of their peers. For these reasons I gladly support the Schneller-Schools.“
"Schneller work means Peace work to me. The Schneller Schools in Lebanon and Jordan are places where children from different faith backgrounds come together and practice tolerance, respect, and dialogue in their daily lives. This is how peace can grow. I have been supporting the Schneller Schools because of my personal background. I am from the Middle East and have worked as an educator and later as a pedagogical advisor for the Schneller-School in Jordan. It was there that I assisted students in developing a vision for their future. This is how we can make a lasting contribution for a partnership based on equality.“
"My name is Stephen Arras, and I am a pastor and provost (regional bishop) based in Starkenburg, southern Hessia (EKHN). While studying at university I spent two years living in Jerusalem. This experience made me appreciate how education can empower people to overcome their difficult circumstances. During my time in Jerusalem, I also learned about the Schneller Schools which have their origins there. Until recently, I was teaching religious education in school myself—something I greatly enjoyed.“
"I support the Schneller Schools because they provide children from difficult backgrounds with a safe environment and a new perspective. The Schneller Schools represent a lived form of neighborly love and community. Living together enables Christian and Muslim children to contribute to a peaceful coexistence and to foster mutual understanding."
"The Schneller Schools prove to us every day that education can lead to peaceful coexistence—when it is rooted in knowing and understanding the other. This is particularly important in our time, marked by increasing incitement to hatred and violence. The men and women working in the Beeka Valley, in Amman, and hopefully soon again in Syria deserve our recognition and appreciation—and they need our support. As a member of the Curatorium of the Schneller Foundation, I gladly contribute to the area of politics, economics, and public relations work."
"To me the Schneller Schools represent an oasis of security and comfort situated in an otherwise often volatile region. They provide a safe space for children from difficult backgrounds. Since my volunteer service at the Theodor-Schneller School, they also represent a sense of home and belonging to me. The Schneller Foundation ensures that these schools endure and that peace is both taught and lived there. I wholeheartedly support this important and meaningful mission."
"I view the Schneller Schools as a symbol of hope: they empower young people to discover their skills, talents, and innate potential—whether that be in school, vocational training, or singing in the choir. They push beyond their limits and develop a perspective for their future. At the same time, they learn to live together peacefully and respectfully, regardless of their religion or background. This gives us hope for the future. That is why I gladly support the Schneller Schools."
"The Schneller Schools are an important achievement of our family history, and they owe their continual existence and flourishing to the many wonderful staff members at EVS. The schools enable young people to envision a better future, especially in these conflict-ridden times. "
"The Schneller Schools are a symbol of hope in a world marked by war and conflict. Boys and girls, Christians and Muslims live and learn together in harmony—something that cannot be taken for granted in the context of the Middle East. These schools shape entire lives and therefore have the power to change society at large."
"I consistently experience the Schneller Schools as places of peace and tolerance. It is impressive to see how the schools assist children in becoming self-sufficient individuals and how they accompany them on their journey to adulthood. The education the children receive here paves the way for a successful future."
"With their unique concept of peace education paired with vocational training, the Schneller Schools in Lebanon and Jordan provide a crucial basis of support for children from difficult circumstances. In these times examples of religious tolerance and interreligious communal life have become increasingly important. Both schools provide such an example of how this can be achieved and how through, education, this experience can be passed on to the coming generations."
With its annual disbursements, the Schneller Foundation—Education to Peace supports special projects at the two Schneller Schools that could not otherwise be financed by the regular activities of the EVS alone.
These projects typically benefit students at the schools directly. Here are some recent examples of projects funded by the foundation:
In 2024 the TSS received €20,000 from the Schneller Foundation to equip the renovated boarding house with new furniture, curtains and mirrors—a special wish from the children, whose fulfillment brought them great joy.
In 2023 the TSS received €15,000 from the foundation to establish a second teaching kitchen in the boarding facility. This addition strengthens the successful vocational training in hospitality and complies with requirements set by the Jordanian…
In 2022, the JLSS received €15,000 from the Schneller Foundation to renovate and equip the gymnasium, which had previously been used as emergency accommodation. It is now once again available for its original purpose.
For any questions regarding the Schneller Foundation, please contact:
Rev. Dr. Uwe Gräbe
Executive Secretary EVS
Tel.: +49 711 636 78 -37
E-Mail: graebe@ems-online.org
We appreciate every new endowment contributor.
Bank account of the Schneller Foundation:
Evangelische Bank
IBAN: DE09 5206 0410 0000 4074 37
BIC: GENODEF1EK1
The Schneller Magazine reports four times a year about the two Schneller Schools in Lebanon and Jordan. Feature articles, news items, analyses and interviews take up topical issues from the Arab world, linking them with the life of the students at the two schools. The Schneller Magazine places special emphasis on the situation of Christians in the Middle East. The Schneller Magazine is produced in cooperation with the headmasters of the two schools.
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With your donation you help us to offer children from poor and troubled families a good school education followed by a vocational training. This way, these children get the chance to live a self-sufficient life and to contribute to a peaceful future in the Middle East.
Financial sustainability for the Schneller Schools is the goal of the Schneller Foundation. With interest revenue the foundation finances for example necessary investments or trainings for educators.
A donation to the foundation is also a good to achieve something that goes beyond you or to honour the life's work of a loved one. To name the foundation in your bequest is also possible.
Becoming a member is another great way to support the Schneller Schools. You receive information and news about the schools on a regular basis. And you are invited to the annual meeting of members. With your complimentary subscribtion of the Schneller Magazine you are always up to date on the developments of the schools and the situation of Christians in the Middle East.
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