From the Field to the Conference: Alumni Initiative Spotlight Sessions

Building impact in a reality of ongoing catastrophe

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One of the aims of the conference is to expose participants to the work of their peers – alumni like themselves. This is intended to raise awareness of ongoing initiatives, foster collaboration, enable participants to join existing efforts, and inspire new forms of action. In this way, we seek to support our alumni community as a network of activists committed to political change.

Our alumni community includes tens of thousands of people who have taken part in our programs, among them some thousands of graduates who are active on the ground as change agents in diverse ways. Their work is broad in scope and significant in impact, and each year we face the challenge of deciding which initiatives to highlight. This year, inspired by the conference theme – “Living in an Ongoing Catastrophe: Between Dispossession and Erasure and the Building of Impact” – we sought to reflect the impact our alumni are having within this reality of ongoing catastrophe. We aimed to highlight efforts addressing urgent challenges across different arenas: in the face of the annihilation in Gaza; the escalating ethnic cleansing in the West Bank; the neglect of personal security for Palestinian citizens of Israel and their abandonment to organized crime; and the mental health crisis affecting Israeli society after more than two years of a prolonged and exhausting war.

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These are the initiatives that were presented at the conference:

Clean Shelter – A project designed to provide immediate humanitarian aid to displaced communities in Gaza, through essential shelter and sanitation solutions, including tents, toilets, community structures, and access to clean water. The initiative emerged from our international dialogue group at the outset of the war, founded by two participants who met in the course – Siba Abu Daqa and Tom Kellner. Siba, originally from Gaza and now based in Germany, remains connected to the work on the ground through her mother, who is still in Gaza and coordinates the effort locally. Siba presented the initiative via Zoom, while Adi Shalev, a facilitator at the School for Peace, was physically present in the room and supported the conversation.

Silence Is a Crime – An initiative of mental health professionals organizing against the war. The group was formed during the war out of a need to voice opposition to the killing and destruction from a professional standpoint, emphasizing the mental health consequences of the war on society. The group produced videos, published position papers, and organized demonstrations. The initiative was presented at the conference by Noor Abo Ras – a psychology intern, a former staff member at the School for Peace, and one of the conference organizers.

Supporting Refusers and Those Considering Refusal – A group of mental health professionals who created a supportive space for individuals who chose to refuse participation in the war, or who have been considering refusal of military or reserve service since its outbreak. The group is offering emotional and professional support during a time of intense social and legal pressure. The initiative was presented by Tova Buksbaum – a psychologist, facilitator at the School for Peace, and a graduate of the Change Agents course in the field of mental health.

“Beitna” – An independent youth movement for Palestinian youth in ’48, active for over four years through dozens of branches across the country. Its aim is to provide non-formal educational responses not offered by the state or local authorities; to create a safe space for personal and collective development; to offer tools for coping with a violent reality; to encourage civic engagement and political organizing; and to reduce young people’s involvement in organized crime. The project was presented by Watfa Kinaan – one of the founders of “Beitna,” an educator and activist with extensive experience in non-formal education and in Jewish–Arab relations.

Protective Presence in the West Bank – “Protective presence” is a form of solidarity-based activism, grounded in sustained presence or regular visits to Palestinian communities facing attacks and threats of displacement by settlers and Israeli security forces. The aim is to prevent or reduce violence and expulsions as much as possible, to document and report them, and to enable farmers to access and cultivate their land. The session was led by Eden Fucks and Ze’ev Arad, drawing on their experience as activists on the ground, alongside Avi Dabush, CEO of Rabbis for Human Rights, who is engaged in organizing in this field and is a graduate of the Change Agents politicians’ course. Eden Fucks is a graduate of two of our programs: conflict group facilitation and tour guiding on the Nakba in the landscape. Ze’ev Arad runs an architectural firm and is a graduate of the Change Agents course in urban planning and architecture.

A New Format

Unlike previous years, in which the projects were presented in a panel format – each alumnus or alumna presenting their initiative one after another – this year we chose a format of parallel sessions held in different rooms. In each round, a different initiative was presented simultaneously with others, and each participant could choose two out of the five sessions to attend and engage with in depth.

The aim of this shift was to turn the presentation of projects into an open conversation rather than a one-directional presentation; to allow meaningful time for questions and discussion; and to deepen familiarity and engagement. The new format enabled direct, unmediated encounters with the initiators and created a more intimate and focused space for learning and inspiration. We continue to refine and improve the format from year to year, guided by the needs and feedback of the community.

As one participant summed it up:
“It was interesting and felt like a response to what came up repeatedly in the dialogue group – the question of ‘what can be done?’”

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