DDHK News, Germany - Salih is playing with his friends. He uses Turkish and German interchangeably. The other children at Halima Kindergarten usually speak Arabic and German.
Salin's father, Mesut Palanci, is the head of the kindergarten management association. He was involved in the effort to establish the kindergarten 15 years ago. Halima Kindergarten is one of the pioneering Islamic kindergartens in Germany.
Before Halima there were only two kindergartens alike. One of them, the Islamic Kindergarten in Munich, was closed several years ago on suspicion of radical Islam.
"We are not a pesantren"
The idea of establishing a kindergarten in the city of Karlsruhe tailored to the needs of Muslim parents emerged in 1993. The main motivation at that time was to teach children about religious materials such as prayer, or important holidays such as Ramadan and Eid.
Some parents have negative experiences in other kindergartens. There is no empathy for those who are Muslim. For example, food without pork. That is the story of Mesut Palanci. 1994 the association was founded.
Only five years later, they managed to get permission to establish an Islamic kindergarten. The authorities want to know in detail about their pedagogical concepts, especially in the section on religion.
Marion Steck of the children's and youth affairs office in the state of Baden-Württemberg is familiar with this problem. His office was in charge of granting or denying the establishment of a kindergarten. All proposals will be carefully scrutinized beforehand.
"We will also check the background of the person in charge", explained Steck. They must ensure that nothing negative like the extreme activities of a religion can be counterproductive. The board of the association behind TK Halima passed with good marks.
This is proven by the positive responses from the parents of the kindergarten children. The waiting list to be admitted there is very long. Many register their children immediately after birth.
"Unfortunately there are still too few Christian children who register", said Mesut Palanci with disappointment. This can be a good mix and may help reduce the fear of Islam.
Some German parents may identify Islam with terror organizations. Even though they can make a profit by sending their child to Halima Kindergarten. Because compared to many Christian kindergartens, Halima has more funds and more staff.Can speak German
? Eyma Bozkurt and Mirela Dedajic have worked at TK Halima since its inception. Both educators are of Turkish and Bosnian descent and master German perfectly.
Seyma Bozkurt wearing a head scarf. This 36-year-old woman said children don't care what she wears. Moreover, Mesut Palanci hired her precisely because of her headscarf.
Palanci admitted this. He called it "positive discrimination". In urban education facilities, it is difficult for women who wear headscarves to find jobs. She often sees women who have to remove their headscarves before leaving for work and only wear them after working hours. "It's like separating people and I feel hurt too", said Palanci.
The perfect mix
Halima Kindergarten played a role in the integration of Muslims in Germany. Usually career Muslim mothers will take maternity leave and raise children for a long time.
Since there was an Islamic Kindergarten, more and more mothers have dared to return to work early. In another 1,5 years, the second Halima Kindergarten will be opened in Karlsruhe. Children from the age of 1 have been accepted there. The managers hope that in this way more and more Christian children will be registered. (DW.DE). *
