Press
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June 8, 2026Among Partners: Givat Haviva at University of Haifa Shared Society Conference
Givat Haviva took part in the Shared Society Conference organized by the University of Haifa Frieze Center. The June 3 event brought together representatives from academia, civil society, government, and philanthropy to discuss the challenges of building trust and social cohesion in Israeli society. One session featured Givat Haviva Director of Strategy Mohammad Darawshe in conversation with Haredi Rabbi Yosef Kaminer. The discussion focused on cooperation between academia and civil society organizations and their shared responsibility in advancing a more inclusive future. Darawshe spoke about rising social tensions in the country, observing that “Israeli society is fighting with itself.” He stressed the importance of ensuring full social and political equality for Israel’s Arab citizens “We have a big problem when even representatives of the political center exclude citizens with a certain identity—namely Arab identity—from the political process,” he said. Reflecting on Givat Haviva’s mission, Darawshe emphasized the importance of practical solutions alongside public dialogue. “Our task is not just to identify problems, but to solve them, even in the face of resistance,” he said. As an example, he highlighted Givat Haviva’s initiative to place Jewish teachers in Arab schools and Arab teachers in Jewish schools. Darawshe also pointed to common challenges faced by Arab and Haredi communities in Israel, particularly regarding social and economic inequality, and highlighted the potential for cooperation between these groups in advancing a more inclusive society.
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May 30, 2026The Israel Connexion Interviews Mohammad Darawshe
Givat Haviva Director of Strategy Mohammad Darawshe, in conversation with The Israel Connexion podcast host David Schulberg, discussed a range of issues concerning Israel’s Arab citizens, including the Arab vote and prospects for Arab political parties in national elections later this year; Arab citizens’ reactions to ongoing wars with Gaza, Iran and Lebanon; the crime rate in Arab communities in Israel; the brain drain of Arab citizens leaving the country; and significant gains in education and employment. Asked if he is optimistic about being in Israel, Darawshe said, “socially, economically, yes. The majority of the Arab and Jewish communities want to live together, are capable of living together, but I am pessimistic when it comes to the political aspect.’ Listen to Darawshe’s 42-minute interview on The Israel Connexion.
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May 26, 2026
Friends of Givat Haviva Launches National Rabbinic Cabinet
New York – Friends of Givat Haviva announced today the launch of its National Rabbinic Cabinet, to further engage American Jews in the vital work of advancing shared society and democracy in Israel. Friends of Givat Haviva is the U.S. affiliate of Givat Haviva, the oldest and largest organization in Israel advancing relations between the country’s Jewish and Arab citizens and building a shared society.
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May 19, 2026OPED: For US Jews, disengaging from Israel is not an option
Jeff Goodman, Chair of Friends of Givat Haviva, explains in his Times of Israel oped why it is imperative for American Jews to engage in building a shared Jewish-Arab society in Israel: To many of us raised in American Jewish homes — regardless of denomination or degree of observance — one principle was woven deeply into our moral vocabulary: Tikkun Olam, the obligation to help repair a broken world. The concept was never presented as naïve optimism. Judaism does not teach that the world will become perfect. Quite the opposite. Jewish tradition assumes fracture, conflict, injustice, and human imperfection as constants of history. Yet our tradition also insists that awareness of brokenness is not permission for passivity. For US Jews, indeed for all Americans concerned about the future of Israelis and Palestinians alike – learning more, engaging, and helping strengthen a shared and more inclusive future of Israeli society from within is imperative. In doing so, we will not only advance the work of Tikkun Olam but also discover something deeply human and hopeful: that even amid profound pain, distrust, and division, bonds can still be built, trust can still grow, and healing and coexistence remain possible.
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May 18, 2026Givat 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.”
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May 14, 2026
A Young American Jew Working for Shared Society at Givat Haviva
In early 2026, central Tel Aviv filled with Israelis—Jewish and Arab alike—demanding action against rising crime in Arab communities and criticizing government inaction. Among the demonstrators was Sami Jinich, a young Jewish American working at Givat Haviva. The calls for equality and security for all citizens resonated deeply with him. “When minorities are safe, everyone is safe,” he says—an idea that felt instinctive to his American Jewish upbringing. Israel had played an important role in Sami’s life from an early age. The son of Mexican-Jewish parents, he grew up in a pluralistic Jewish community in Washington, D.C., attending a Jewish primary school where he learned Hebrew, addressed teachers as Geveret and Adon, and sang the Hatikva, in addition to the pledge of allegiance, every week. “I was told from a young age that I had a stake in this country,” he recalls. Regular visits to Israel, where he has relatives, strengthened that sense of connection.