About Johann Ludwig Schneller Schule (JLSS) 
History In 1860 Johann Ludwig Schneller, born in Württemberg Germany, founded the Syrian Orphanage in Jerusalem. In 1948 Mr. Elias al-Haddad came to Lebanon with twelve Palestinian school children while Rev. Hermann Schneller, Johann's grandson, was deported to Australia by the authorities. In 1951 Hermann Schneller returned to Lebanon and after several sojourns rented a place in Zahlah, a main city in the Beqaa. At the end of 1952, he moved with the children into the newly opened school at Khirbat Qanafar, where to the present day socially underprivileged youths and orphans are given a home, schooling, and vocational training. The institute is owned and run by the National Evangelical Church of Beirut (NEC). The church has carried this responsibility with the Associated Churches and Missions in South Western Germany (EMS) since 1972. Other partners and friends locally and abroad help with finance. The school continued to function through the civil war, and to this day continues providing care and education for children.
Mission and Ministry Johann Ludwig Schneller Schule (JLSS) is situated in the middle of the fertile area of West Beqaa, close to the village Khirbat Qanafar in Lebanon. It is much more than just a school. At present about 180 boys and girls aged between 4 and 19 are growing up together in eight families. About 50% of them are Christians from different denominations and 50% are Muslims (Sunnites, Shiites and Druze). The children have also different nationalities, in addition to Lebanese there are Syrians, Palestinians, Iraqis, Egyptians, and others. JLSS aims to provide a healthy home to socially and vocationally underprivileged children regardless of their background, race, religion – and since 2002: gender. The aim is to equip them with the necessary means to become responsible citizens in their societies by nurturing them spiritually, ethically and caring for their academic education and vocational training. Every morning there are classes for all children. About 300 boys and girls come from the vicinity as day-pupils. It takes nine years to reach Middle Standard. The last four years can be spent either in the so-called academic section or in vocational training. At present there are four main workshops: Carpentry, Maintenance, General Mechanics and Car Mechanics. Since 2002 there is the possibility to study 3 years car mechanics and general mechanics with a high school degree. As the boarding department now also includes girls since 2002, it is aimed to add vocational training facilities for girls. Possibly in computing, housekeeping, cooking or baking in the school-owned bakery. In the afternoon there is time for studies, sports, music, arts, chess, and other leisure activities. A lot of workers are needed at a place as large as JLSS. About 85 people, educators, teachers, technicians, administrative staff, cooks, bakers, a medical doctor, counsellor and others see that the children are not only getting a good education but also enough wholesome food and clean clothes, and that all machines and the heating system keep functioning! About 100 acres of farmland belong to JLSS. Part of the land is used to grow apple trees, olive trees and a vineyard which is in rent to the famous Lebanese Ksara wine company. The bakery produces German and Swiss bread of high quality and has currently undergone major expansion.
Finances 20 years ago the school was handed over from EMS (Evangelisches Missionswerk Südwestdeutschland, Stuttgart) to the National Evangelical Church of Beirut (NEC). One part of the costs is carried by the Social Ministry for the Boarding section. A second part is coming from school fees of external students but the school is still dependent on donations from EVS (Evangelischer Verein für die Schneller-Schulen) in Germany and Switzerland, and churches from UK and other countries, and worldwide friends and Schneller alumni. A big help for the girls boarding home came from Rotary Clubs of Zahle-Bekaa, Beirut, Nevada and the Rotary Foundation.
