Press
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September 11, 2025
Israeli Jewish and Arab Teens Share Photography, Vision of ‘Shared Life’ at Chappaqua Performing Arts Center
Four Israeli teenagers who participated in Through Others' Eyes, Givat Haviva's innovative photography program, brought their personal stories and photographs to Westchester County, NY, during a visit to the U.S. in September. "When Yali, a Jewish-Israeli teenager, entered the program Through Others’ Eyes (TOE) to learn photography alongside Arab teens, he had some doubts about meeting the other side. The feeling was mutual," The Examiner News of Westchester reported. "But even in the context of a painful, ongoing war, these Jewish and Arab teens grew close and became friends. As they bonded, their photography skills blossomed into final projects that, together, formed a powerful exhibit."
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September 9, 2025The American Jewish stake in Israel’s shared society
FOGH Executive Director Jonathan Lack explains, in his Times of Israel oped, why American Jewish public support for Jewish-Arab relations and advocacy for shared society in Israel is a vital option to stay engaged with Israel, especially during the current war that began on October 7, 2023.
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September 2, 2025Majority of religious Jewish Israelis averse to their kids mixing with Arabs -- survey
A new Givat Haviva survey of Jewish and Arab parents of schoolchildren reveals significant differences in attitudes towards education for shared society, for democracy. “Many Jewish parents don’t want their children to learn Arabic, take part in mixed summer camps, or be taught by Arab educators, while most Arab Israelis do not share their qualms,” reports The Times of Israel. “Although we would expect much more serious consequences [from the war], the majority of the secular and traditional Arab and Jewish public still both support and want democracy and language studies, and are also ready for education related to getting to know and understand the other,” says Givat Haviva Executive Director Michal Sella. “Education for democracy and equality should be taught in all the educational streams. It’s not contrary to religion or even conservative views. It should be part of the basics, according to which the state funds the educational system.” Read The Times of Israel's comprehensive report on the Givat Haviva survey
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August 25, 2025Givat Haviva Shared Art Center Alumni in Duke University Residency
Five Israeli Jewish and Arab artists, alumni of the Shared Art Center residency program
at Givat Haviva, are currently at Duke University in North… -
August 2, 2025This Jewish-Arab Campus Hopes to Spark a Bottom-up Movement for a Shared Israeli Future
"The best way to educate children for democracy is through education for a shared society. It's not a luxury, and it's not 'something nice' for the children – it's a battle for the right to equality in Israel," asserts Givat Haviva CEO Michal Sella in this Haaretz feature article. At the Givat Haviva – The Center for a Shared Society campus on the outskirts of Wadi Ara, an area in northern Israel with a predominantly Arab population the eternal flame of coexistence between the two peoples burns brightly, despite the harsh winds trying to extinguish it, Haaretz states. Givat Haviva houses a large number of projects, all dedicated to promoting coexistence between Arabs and Jews in Israel. "The clearest rupture in Israel is between Jews and Arabs," says Sella, "which is why those relations hold the greatest potential to transform conceptions of reality. "Your attitude toward the 'other' society, whether you are a Jew or an Arab," she continues, "is the clearest indicator of your approach to democracy, equality and the rule of law. If you believe others are citizens with equal rights, you possess a foundation of democratic thought. There's a sense that Israel's liberal society doesn't fully appreciate what an important arena the education system is, and that it needs to be invested in. It's true that this is difficult, long-term, drab work, and it's true that it feels like an archaic type of discourse – not high-tech – but it's critical for the continued existence of liberal life in Israel." Read the full Haaretz interview with Michal Sella about Givat Haviva’s many programs bringing Jewish and Arab citizens together.
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June 20, 2025Shared society in crisis and hope: Education’s role in Israel’s recovery - opinion
In her Jerusalem Post oped, Givat Haviva CEO Michal Sella emphasizes that the foundation for shared society remains intact since October 7, 2023, but there is an urgent need to invest in building trust between Arab and Jewish citizens. “Education offers the best approach….Israel’s government has a vested interest, indeed a responsibility, to design a comprehensive educational plan that will teach all our children how to live in a shared, prosperous society.”