In these turbulent times, now more than ever we understand that organizations in which Arabs and Jews collaborate for common goals need assistance, guidance and support. It is more vital than ever that organizations address the underlying issues and intra-organizational relationships that can delay progress. That is where we can help. 

The School for Peace, founded in 1979, has years of experience in developing programming around Jewish Israeli/Palestinian dialogue and collaboration. The experience and insight we have amassed in this time have helped us to hone the methods we have developed for initiating and promoting successful joint efforts. We would now like to share this knowledge with others, in the hopes that multi-group or binational organizations or those collaborating toward common goals may improve their intergroup communication and meet the many challenges inherent in such collaboration. 

What we offer

Even groups that act toward common goals may find that relations within the group suffer from miscommunication, language obstacles, unequal power relations and difficulties in moving forward together. Team workshops using the School for Peace approach, can create awareness of sensitive issues, uncover biases and unequal power dynamics within groups and pave the way toward better conditions for cooperation within the organizations’ structure. These workshops are preferably offered in both Hebrew and Arabic, though English may be an option in some cases. 

Issues and dilemmas that can arise and be treated through such open discussion may include: 

• Organizational structure: Is there joint or rotational leadership? 
• Work relations, both within groups or between groups;
• Inconstancies between the fundamental ideology of the organization and its day-to-day functioning. 
• Are all team members given equal voices, and do all feel free to speak? 
• Does the idea of an even balance in power reach down to all levels of the organization? 
• How does the external reality affect relations within the organization, and how can this change?

Our consultants are also qualified to assist in strategic and organizational planning, including developing concepts for change, producing logistic models and working plans; instituting analytics to measure the organization’s impact, creating models for decision making; advising in areas that involve conflict; assisting in crisis management; and developing co-management practices. All of these, of course, are grounded in ensuring the experience of true Arab-Jewish cooperation within the organization. 

The advisory process

We have developed a unique framework that is then tailored to the specific organization, and which includes work with binational and uni-national groups so as to raise all the sensitive issues and investigate the organization’s power relations,  bringing them into the open in non-confrontational settings. In some situations, discussions in three groups led by trained facilitators may be needed to address the unique perspectives of Palestinians, 48, and Palestinians, 67. 

• Among the organizations that have undergone a group process or consulting with us are Ecopeace and Yesh Din. 

For more on the School for Peace

Contact us: sfp@nswas.info

02-9991736