The summer is quickly passing and it has been the most busy and active summer at the School for Peace that I can remember.

Workshop for Community Center members

In the wake of recent hostilities on the streets of Jewish and Arab mixed cities, improvement of relations between the two communities has become a top priority. As a result, a number of organizations have been approaching the SFP for advice and guidance. One of these was the Israel Association of Community Centers, which includes some 700 community centers around the country. According to their request, we conducted a workshop for over 50 of the association’s members. The workshop focused on gaining new perspectives, developing a more inclusive approach in working with the Palestinian community, and learning how to work more effectively in a multicultural environment.

Performance Artists change agents course grads organize festival in Al-Araqib

During the past few months, the School for Peace conducted, for the first time, a change agents program for performance artists. We see the performing arts as an avenue for reaching out to a larger, diverse population through political theater and cinema. The program graduates organized an arts festival to draw attention to the plight of the unrecognized village of Al-Araqib, whose residents remain resilient despite multiple demolitions by the authorities. Our program graduates employed video art, theater, and plastic arts in a festival that was attended by hundreds of participants.

Shared cities graduates establish forum for educators

Graduates of the SFP program for leaders in shared cities have, with our support, established a binational forum for Jewish and Palestinian educators. The forum has begun identifying specific issues in the national education system that have led to conflict between the two groups. Their intention is to provide a binational platform for teachers, researchers, and teaching staffs to explore issues of mutual concern in order to develop educational content that will augment students’ cross-cultural understanding.

Among the issues they will look at:

• The needs for binational teaching material;
• The need for professional and emotional support in teaching about the conflict;
• Concrete projects that can be developed within and outside of the schools;
• How educators can help Jewish and Palestinian children create a common and shared identity while supporting their national identity;
• The need to find Jewish teachers committed to binationalism;
• How to create opportunities for collaboration between Jewish and Palestinian teachers;
• Creating a place for the Palestinian narrative and its expression within the education system;
• Can Zionism and binationalism work together in education?

SFP Conference: Social Workers as Change Agents in the Jewish-Arab Sphere

At the end of June, the SFP held a conference attended by a hundred social workers from around the country. The conference addressed conflicts between Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel and the role of social workers as change agents. Inbal Hermoni, who heads the Social Workers Union, spoke on the limits and possibilities for professionals to bring about change. Dr. Romain Jamal presented research on multi-cultural social work. Ruth Sofer spoke on the challenges of being a social worker in a conflictive society. One of the ideas that emerged from the conference was the need for a separate social work union for Arab social workers.

Plans

The rebuilding of the School for Peace is moving forward and we appreciate all the help from you and the rest of our friends for your continuing efforts in raising the needed funds. The building is currently in the planning stage.

For the fall, besides continuing with the programs we are presently running, the SFP is planning a new cycle of our program for leaders in shared cities, a new change agents program for tour guides, and an unprecedented seven university courses. We are currently seeking funding for the change agents program for tour guides, as well as for some of the university courses.

I would like to thank our friends around the world for their continued interest and support!

by SFP Director Roi Silberberg