Press

Art is a Piece of the Puzzle: A Special Encounter at Duke University

Avital Meshi writes about meeting with the five Israeli Arab and Jewish alumni of Givat Haviva’s Shared Art Center who are spending six weeks in an art residency at Duke University. “Art can foster dialogue and understanding. It can be a powerful form of expression, opening channels of communication and helping to bridge divides. In that sense, it can contribute to peace efforts,” writes Meshi. The conflict permeates the pieces the Israeli artists created at Givat Haviva and are exhibiting at Duke. “Despite being marked by pain and trauma, each of those artworks carried within it the possibility of better days,” writes Meshi. “Holding on to that possibility isn’t easy. Still, meeting this remarkable group of artists, and seeing institutions making space for their collaboration, was deeply moving.”

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."

The 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.

Majority 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

Givat 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…

Givat Haviva Photography Project Fosters Jewish-Arab Teen Interactions

Jenan Halabi, coordinator of Through Others’ Eyes, Givat Haviva’s photography program for teenage Israeli Arabs and Jews, describes in this interview with Frends of Givat Haviva how the art is used to build a shared society. “The camera is a tool that brings them together,” says Halabi, about the students who participate in Through Others’ Eyes, four of whom will visit the U.S. in September.