News & Updates

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  June 25, 2026

  Where Artistic Excellence and Shared Society Meet Barak Rubin, Director of Givat Haviva Shared Arts Center

  For Barak Rubin, art has never been only about exhibitions or aesthetics. It is a language for discovering one another’s stories, a bridge between cultures, and a tool for imagining a truly shared society between Jews and Arabs in Israel. That vision is precisely what drew him to Givat Haviva. "Givat Haviva is the 'what if’ place," he says. “It dares to imagine what a shared democratic society can look like." As the new Director of the Givat Haviva Shared Arts Center and Curator of the Givat Haviva Gallery, Rubin brings a rare combination of artistic excellence, educational experience, and cultural entrepreneurship. His ambition is clear: to position the Arts Center as one of Israel’s leading cultural institutions while remaining deeply rooted in Givat Haviva’s mission of advancing a shared society and democratic values. “My vision is that Givat Haviva will become one of Israel's top cultural institutions," he says.

• June 24, 2026

  Children Teaching Children Coordinators Orit Meoded and Zakaria Mahameed

  At Givat Haviva many educational staff could be described as veterans. Yet few embody the organization’s commitment to shared society as consistently as Orit Meoded and Zakaria Mahameed. For nearly two decades they have jointly managed Children Teaching Children (CTC), a flagship program that brings together Israeli Jewish and Arab eighth and ninth grade students. Since its founding in 1992, it has reached tens of thousands of students and teachers. Through sustained encounters and dialogue, the program creates meaningful interaction opportunities for young people whose paths rarely cross in a deeply divided society. In many ways, Meoded and Mahameed themselves represent the possibility of connection across those divides. Their partnership is rooted not only in professional cooperation but also in friendship, mutual trust, and a shared conviction that meaningful change begins with personal encounters. After several years working side by side as facilitators at Givat Haviva, Meoded and Mahameed were asked in 2007 to take over leadership of CTC. Although the program was founded in 1992, it had nearly collapsed during the Second Intifada. “We basically had to start from zero,” says Meoded. The beginning was modest, starting with only three groups of Jewish and Arab classes, but it quickly grew, with 300 students participating each year. “I see it not only as a job, but as a calling to educate a generation for a better and more equitable life,” says Mahameed. “We are making an actual difference in this program. Participants leave Givat Haviva with a different language and new perspectives,” Meoded says. “It is the place where I can contribute the most.”

Recent Events

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  Jun

  18

  Givat Haviva June Briefing

  A webinar briefing from the Givat Haviva campus featured Mohammad Darawshe, Director of strategy; Barak Ruben, the new Director of the Shared Art Center; Ola Najami Yousef, Director of the Jewish-Arab Center for Peace; and Yuval Dvir, Head of the Younited international high school. Each presented important updates on recent activities in their areas and plans for expansion of programs. Listen to the briefing.
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  Jan

  19

  Special Briefing: Survey of Israeli Jews, Arabs

  On Monday, January 19th, 12 pm (ET) Friends of Givat Haviva held a special briefing on the new Givat Haviva survey of Israeli Jewish and Arab citizens. The annual Givat Haviva Partnership Index provides vital insights into public opinion on critical issues affecting Jewish-Arab relations in Israel and the work of Givat Haviva. Givat Haviva CEO Michal Sella, Director of Strategy Mohammad Darawshe, and Adi Sidi, presented the survey results and discussed their implications for advancing Jewish-Arab relations in Israel. This special briefing was the first time the Givat Haviva 2026 Partnership Index was presented in English, and follows the Givat Haviva Conference for a Shared Society that took place on January 6.