Press

Through Others’ Eyes During Iran War

“What’s amazing is their resilience,” says Jenan Halabi, coordinator of Givat Haviva’s Through Others' Eyes photography program for Israeli Arab and Jewish high school students. The teenagers “participate, hold the sessions together and demonstrate courage and an inspiring inner calm.” The transition to online lessons after the war with Iran began on February 28 went smoothly. It was not the first crisis to interfere with the routine of Givat Haviva programs and activities nurturing Jewish-Arab understanding and cooperation in Israel.  After dealing with Covid, October 7 and the war in Gaza, “we now have experience and tools we didn’t have in the past, the ability to quickly transition to online learning, adapt content, and maintain group cohesion even under complex conditions,” she says. Still, “teaching photography on Zoom is a significant challenge. There is no substitute for in-person meetings, working with cameras, and the hands-on experience,” states Halabi.

Teaching Through Sirens: Shared Language Program Resilience During War

The war with Iran continues to keep everyone in Israel, Arabs and Jews alike, on edge and, due to the security situation, close to home. Givat Haviva has continued some programs online. One is Shared Language, a Hebrew enrichment program for Arab youths. “Thanks to this program, Arab students learn to use Hebrew authentically, from a teacher for whom it is a native language,” says Yasmin Tsafar, the Education Programming Coordinator of Shared Language. The program operates in 66 Arab schools and has reached tens of thousands of students since its founding in 2011. Tsafar expresses cautious optimism about a swift end to the war and a return to normal routines. Schools, she notes, play a central role in restoring stability for children and adolescents. “The teachers are doing their best to help students continue their education despite the war,” she says. “I know they are eagerly awaiting the moment when they can welcome their students back to school.” Read the full article by Enno Ebersbach, the Peter and Friedel Grützmacher Intern for International Partner Relations at Givat Haviva.

Matan Segal Heads Kicking Racism Out of Israeli Soccer Program

For many Israelis football (soccer) has never been just about the game itself. It’s about the community, the devotion, the sense of belonging one gets from identifying with a team. But the sport also breeds something darker than mere passion. “Soccer fans reflect the extreme of society where hate and racism blow up,” says Matan Segal, program manager of Kick It Out, an initiative that fights racism on and beyond the soccer field. “I started this job because I love football and I hate racism,” he says. Segal and forty volunteers attend soccer matches across the country, documenting incidents and producing periodic reports for the Ministry of Culture and Sports. “I truly believe that football can make peace,” Segal says. The sport may reflect the country’s darkest tendencies today, but it also has the potential to inspire a better future.

Help Keep Kids Safe On Givat Haviva campus

As the war and the threat of missile attacks from Iran intensify, the safety of students, educators, and visiting participants at Givat Haviva has become an urgent concern. Each year, thousands of Jewish and Arab citizens come to Givat Haviva’s 42-acre campus to participate in programs that build leadership, dialogue, and shared society. During missile alerts, however, participants must have immediate access to reinforced shelter. Friends of Givat Haviva has launched an Emergency Security Initiative to immediately construct 6 reinforced 100 square foot safe houses across the campus to protect those on site and ensure that these critical programs can continue safely even during wartime. These facilities, which we estimate will cost $35,000 each, will provide lifesaving protection during missile attacks and strengthen the campus’ long-term emergency preparedness.

Starting an Internship in Times of War – A Report from a Recently Arrived German Intern in Givat Haviva

German Intern Reports on Givat Haviva During Iran War Enno Jaime Ebersbach, 26, began his internship at Givat Haviva on March 1, the day after the U.S.  and Israel war with Iran began. He reports on the situation on the campus, where activities have bern been suspended, except for the international Younited high school.

Israeli Opposition Leaders Are Wary of Alliance With Arab Parties. But Voters Are Surprisingly Open to It

Givat Haviva CEO Michal Sella argues in her Haaretz oped that opposition party leaders need to  welcome partnering with Arab parties in their elections campaigns.  “There is a sizable proportion of supporters of opposition parties who might support leaders intent on forging Jewish-Arab cooperation,” Sella writes. “There is a good chance that the way to power of the parties leading the opposition will have to entail cooperation with the Arab parties. There apparently is a significant group of opposition voters who are receptive to this idea. They deserve a leadership that knows how to lead.”