Makram is an Arab student who appeared on Rechov Sumsum in 1985. While the series had previously featured an Arab student as a minor character, Makram was prominently featured, and used to stress the common ground between Arabs and Jews.

In one such skit, Makram encounters one of his neighbors singing a song in Hebrew, "It's a Small World." Makram points out that the exact same song is equally popular in Arabic. "The two get the children in the neighborhood together - recruited for the segment from local Jewish and Arab schools - and sing the song as a group, alternately in Arabic and Hebrew." The segment was later included in the first season of Shalom Sesame. ^[1]

SourcesEdit

1. ↑ Friedman, Thomas L. "U.S. May See Israeli Sesame Street." The New York Times. February 26, 1985