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For the first time in two years Israel is not in an emergency situation.
The remaining living hostages are back home, efforts continue return the bodies of hostages slain in captivity, and the daily bombing of Gaza ended with announcement of the U.S.-led negotiated ceasefire. Yes, fatal clashes between Hamas and Israel have occurred that test the delicate ceasefire, but we remain hopeful that the apparent end to Israel’s longest war will lead to renewed efforts to achieve a sustainable Israeli-Palestinian peace.
In this new situation we must try to talk about our shared Jewish-Arab interests, to prioritize them again for the first time in two years. First, we can bring more youth to Givat Haviva. More communities, more schools, Arab and Jewish, will be open to the idea of coming to Givat Haviva.
Givat Haviva was able to resume our educational programs very soon after October 7, and we already are back at the same numbers of youths who participated before that fateful day. And now we can see a growth in these numbers.
Before the ceasefire we continued to do our vital work in bringing Israeli Arabs and Jews together, in building a shared society. However, the reality of the war, with peopledying in Gaza, with Israeli hostages held in Gaza, we couldn’t say shared society in Israel was the top priority.
The ceasefire fundamentally changed our situation. We can talk more about the importance of Jewish-Arab relations within Israel. We can lead in recognizing that a more resilient Israeli society is essential if we want Israel to be stable enough to cope with the consequences of the war, its impact on the economy, the social structure in Israel, the way the world sees us, and Jewish-Arab relations.
Our work now will be even more important because we Israelis need to build our country again. At Givat Haviva we believe that achieving a stronger democratic Israeli society and boosting relations between Israel’s Jewish and Arab citizens, building a stronger shared society are inextricably linked. There really is no other way.
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For two years I have watched with admiration as my Jewish and Arab colleagues at Givat Haviva have continued their mission of building a shared society in Israel, even as they and their country have endured unimaginable trauma. The anguish of the October 7, 2023, massacre at the Nova music festival, the brutal attacks on the kibbutzim of Alumim, Be’eri, Ein HaShlosha, Kfar Aza, Nahal Oz, Nir Oz, Nir Yitzhak, and Sufa and the kidnapping of hostages of all ages shook every corner of Israeli society and challenged the very idea of coexistence.
Not only Jews were murdered or taken to Gaza as hostages, but also Arab citizens of Israel — a painful reminder that extremism spares no community.
Even amidst the devastating war in Gaza, fighting with Hezbollah and Iran, unrest in the West Bank, and deep internal divisions within Israeli society, Givat Haviva’s Jewish and Arab professionals — have shown what courage and conviction look like. They have continued to teach, to listen, and to bring people together. Their work is proof that shared society initiatives are not only possible, even in times of crisis, but are essential to healing Israeli society and ensuring the country’s long-term stability and strength.
At Friends of Givat Haviva, our board, staff, and donors remain deeply committed to supporting this work from afar. We strive to inform and engage Israel’s supporters across the United States about the importance of shared society initiatives, the urgent need to expand them, and how we in the U.S. can help.
As Michal Sella shares in her message, a new chapter is beginning — one that brings renewed hope, dialogue, and opportunity as well as challenges. I encourage you to get involved with Friends of Givat Haviva and to help spread the word about the invaluable work our colleagues in Israel are doing to build Israeli Arab-Jewish shared society, peace by peace.
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