Press

Amid war, these Palestinians and Israelis say it’s imperative to talk peace

Mohammad Darawshe, director of strategy at Givat Haviva, Israel’s oldest and largest organization working for a shared Jewish-Arab society, says bridge-building is challenging for Palestinian Israelis, The Christian Science Monitor reports. “As peacemakers they have a very underutilized role. But if empowered by Israel and by Palestinians on the other side, then they could play a significant role in peacemaking thanks to our bilingualism and dual identity,” he says. “There’s real capacity there; it’s not a handicap. It’s because we are not 100% Israeli or Palestinian.”

Artists pursue coexistence in the shadow of Gaza

The Jewish Independent (Australia) reports on Givat Haviva’s Artists in Residence Program, where five Jewish-Israeli and five Palestinian-Israeli artists live together and create side by side for three months. Residency Program Coordinator Orit Reingewertz said the participants have Arab and Jewish mentors and work in a shared studio “so that they see each other and hear each other all the time.”

After Oct. 7, a hub of Jewish-Arab shared society faces its toughest test

As Israel reeled from the Oct.7 attacks, Givat Haviva took on roles that went far beyond its mandate — it became a refuge, a mirror for itself and wider society and a case study in whether hope can endure under siege, writes Tamara Zieve, Israel correspondent for Jewish Insider, in a feature article on Givat Haviva. “To work for a shared society is a life project,” said Mohammad Darawshe, director of strategy at Givat Haviva.

American Jews should prioritize shared society in Israel

“To not openly recognize that 21% of Israelis who are not Jewish are integral to the state, to not actually connect with them, is inconsient with our values as American Jews,” Friends of Givat Haviva Chair David Heller writes in his JNS oped. “The foundations of shared society have held firm since October 7, 2023,” he writes. “Our shared Jewish commitments, both American and Israeli, to democracy will embolden all who are working to strengthen the shared society in Israel.”

"Commitment to excellence": Shark Tank investor Daniel Lubetzky reveals his learnings from when he met extraordinary people

Shark Tank mentor Daniel Lubetzky shared a video clip via Instagram where he discussed meeting extraordinary people, including Givat Haviva's Mohammad Darawshe.

The Givat Haviva Annual Conference “Shared Society in Emergency Times”

The Task Force on Israeli Arab Citizens reports on the 2025 Givat Haviva conference, “Shared Society in Emergency Times.” It focused on the resilience of Israeli society, highlighting how its Jewish and Arab citizens have refrained from violence and maintained social stability throughout the ongoing war. Hundreds attended, including politicians, leaders in local municipalities, NGOs, journalists, and government officials, all of whom were among the speakers and participants in the discussions. “We are living in dark moments. But from these moments, an inspiring layer of civil leadership is emerging,” said Givat Haviva CEO Michal Sella.