Press

Givat Haviva, University of Haifa Conference on Hebrew Education in Arab Society

Although Hebrew fluency is essential for success in Israel’s economy, academia, and public life, speaking Hebrew remains a challenge for many Arab citizens of Israel, who often have limited exposure to the language in daily life. To address this challenge educators from across the country gathered at the University of Haifa on May 6 for a conference on the future of Hebrew-language education in Arab schools. Co-organized by Givat Haviva, the “Hebrew as a Key” conference focused on improving Hebrew instruction as a way to expand opportunities for Arab citizens and strengthen their integration in Israeli society. Prof. Mouna Maroun, the University of Haifa Rector, warned that declining Hebrew proficiency among Arab youth, largely due to changing media habits, deepens separation between Jewish and Arab students on campus and weakens Arab students’ confidence in academic settings. Universities, she stressed, have a responsibility to help bridge that gap. Ola Najami-Yousef, director of the Jewish-Arab Center for Peace at Givat Haviva, framed Hebrew as a path toward opportunity, belonging, and connection between communities. She spoke candidly about her own experience with learning the language. “There were mistakes, moments of insecurity, and moments when I wanted to give up,” she recalled. Still, she described how each new word and sentence gradually became “another door that opened.” Today, she said, Hebrew represents far more than communication: “It is a key to integration, to studies, to employment, and, most importantly, to a sense of belonging.”

Why a Young German Came to Israel for Shared Society

Enno Ebersbach’s relationship with Israel has long been shaped by a sense of ambivalence. On the one hand, he has felt a deep appreciation and admiration for the country’s culture and people. On the other, he has maintained a critical perspective toward many of the state’s policies. Raised in a mildly Protestant household in Germany, Ebersbach developed an early fascination with Jewish religion and culture. This interest was partly connected to his family history: the Holocaust and the suffering of the Jewish people had frequently been a topic when growing up. As a choir boy he sang Hebrew songs that left him with a lasting curiosity about the language and traditions behind them. After finishing high school, Ebersbach volunteered for a year in Israel, working with adults with disabilities. During that time, he became fluent in Hebrew, and his fascination for Israeli society and culture deepened.   In March 2026, he arrived at Givat Haviva as the Peter and Friedel Grützmacher Intern for International Partner Relations. He was struck by the diversity of backgrounds and perspectives on the campus. Conversations in the office and in the dining hall revealed motivations and political views that resisted any single narrative. “It has been rare for me to see spaces where Jewish and Palestinian Israelis work together toward a better future,” he says. “I am grateful for the chance to be part of such a place—having an impact while continuing to learn.”

FOGH Chair Jeff Goodman Video Message

“Even amidst deep divides that exist in Israeli society today, Givat Haviva’s programming brings forward in concrete, meaningful ways the hope and strength derived from building bonds between people, person by person, peace by peace,” states Jeff Goodman, who became Chair of the Friends of Givat Haviva Board on April 1. He filmed the two-minutes video while visiting the Givat Haviva campus in February.

OPED: Why I Came to Israel to Work for Shared Society

Samuel Jinich, a young American Jew, who is currently living and working at Givat Haviva, explains in his eJewishPhilanthropy oped what motivated him to come to Israel last year, after graduating from Duke University, to work on shared society. “For American Jews who believe in and benefit from liberal democracy, the work of shared society organizations in Israel should feel both intuitive and imperative. Israel cannot build a lasting peace with its neighbors while neglecting 21% of its own population — Muslims, Christians, Druze and Bedouins. The same sense of belonging that allows us to be a safe, flourishing minority shaping American life should extend to the minorities in Israel, whose futures are bound to the country that is as much their home as it is for the Jewish majority,” writes Jinich.

Impressions from Art and Shared Society Conference

The Givat Haviva Art and Shared Society Conference took place on April 17 under extraordinary circumstances. The gathering marked a powerful return to public cultural life after weeks in which the Givat Haviva campus had been largely empty due to the security situation. The conference, entitled The Muses Do Not Remain Silent 2026, brought together Arab and Jewish directors and managers of art institutions, artists, educators, and leading curators from across Israel. Participants shared insights into contemporary initiatives and ongoing work, highlighting the ways in which cultural institutions continue to foster dialogue and cooperation between Jewish and Arab communities. Givat Haviva CEO Michal Sella emphasized the importance of artistic expression during periods of social and political tension. “One of the things we believe in is the arts. Over the past three years so many things have happened that we never imagined could happen. We are being silenced in ways we never thought possible. But art can never be silenced, and we must honor and strengthen it,” she said.

Dismantling government investments in Israeli Arab society

Friends of Givat Haviva Media Adviser Kenneth Bandler writes, in his Jerusalem Post column, about the Israeli government’s campaign to dismantle investments in Arab society.  “It is forbidden to harm the essential multiyear plan, whose contributions to education and welfare in Arab society is truly existential,” Israeli President Isaac Herzog declared at the annual Givat Haviva Shared Society Conference in January. The president was referring to determined efforts led by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and Women’s Advancement Minister May Golan to slash official budgets for improving the daily lives of Arab citizens, who comprise 21% of Israel’s population. This ominous campaign to dismantle essential governmental investments in Arab citizens is especially frustrating for Hassan Towafra. He was the last person to head The Authority for Economic Development of the Arab Community, the principal government office responsible for uplifting Arab citizens to reduce disparities and advance the integration of Arab citizens into Israel’s economy and broader society. Towafra guided the development and implementation of Government Resolution 550, the second five-year national plan investing in and empowering the country’s Arab minority. “People do not realize the consequences of stopping government investments in Arab society,” Towafra points out. “The government only a decade ago began addressing the gaps between Arab and Jewish society, and we already are making real changes in education, employment, transportation, infrastructure, and local economic development.”