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Givat Haviva American Update
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Jonathan Lack
Executive Director
& Board Member
Friends of Givat Haviva
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The May newsletter of Friends of Givat Haviva reflects a theme that has become increasingly important in this moment of division and uncertainty: disengagement is not a strategy.
At a time when many people feel overwhelmed by the complexity of events in Israel and the broader region, the work of building shared society can feel both difficult and, at times, painfully slow. Yet the stories in this newsletter remind us why that work remains essential. Whether through education, leadership development, language instruction, intercultural dialogue, or the simple act of creating spaces where relationships can form across lines of difference, Givat Haviva continues to demonstrate that coexistence is not built through slogans or wishful thinking. It is built through sustained human engagement.
This edition highlights that engagement in many forms: the launch of our National Rabbinic Cabinet, efforts to strengthen Hebrew-language education in Arab schools, the experiences of young international leaders who chose to come to Israel to participate in shared society work firsthand, and the graduation of another diverse class of students from the Younited School. Together, these stories reflect a consistent belief that despite pain, distrust, and polarization, there remains both the possibility and the responsibility to build a more inclusive future for all citizens of Israel.
For American Jews — and for all who care about the future of Israelis and Palestinians alike — the answer to complexity cannot be withdrawal. The answer must be deeper learning, thoughtful engagement, and support for those working every day to strengthen the democratic and shared fabric of Israeli society from within.
Thank you, as always, for your continued partnership, support, and belief in this important work.
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For U.S. Jews, Disengaging From Israel Is Not An Option
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In his Times of Israel oped, Friends of Givat Haviva Board Chair Jeff Goodman explains why it is imperative for American Jews to engage in building a shared Jewish-Arab society in Israel.
“To many of us raised in American Jewish homes — regardless of denomination or degree of observance — one principle was woven deeply into our moral vocabulary: Tikkun Olam, the obligation to help repair a broken world,” Goodman wrote.
“The concept was never presented as naive optimism. Judaism does not teach that the world will become perfect. Quite the opposite. Jewish tradition assumes fracture, conflict, injustice, and human imperfection as constants of history. Yet our tradition also insists that awareness of brokenness is not permission for passivity,” he continued.
“For US Jews, indeed for all Americans concerned about the future of Israelis and Palestinians alike – learning more, engaging, and helping strengthen a shared and more inclusive future of Israeli society from within is imperative. In doing so, we will not only advance the work of Tikkun Olam but also discover something deeply human and hopeful: that even amid profound pain, distrust, and division, bonds can still be built, trust can still grow, and healing and coexistence remain possible.”
Read FOGH Chair Goodman’s oped
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Friends of Givat Haviva Launches National Rabbinic Cabinet
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To further engage American Jews in the vital work of advancing shared society and democracy in Israel, Friends of Givat Haviva has launched its National Rabbinic Cabinet. Rabbi Sid Schwarz of Bethesda, MD, a member of the FOGH board, will serve as chair of the cabinet. “At this time of growing partisanship around Israel advocacy, there is nothing more critical than to find a cause that can unite Jews across the political divide, both in Israel and in the Diaspora. That cause is shared society and Givat Haviva has been a pioneer in this field for more than 50 years,” said Rabbi Schwarz.
The Rabbinic Cabinet includes 23 rabbis from every denomination in communities across the U.S., and the Cabinet’s vice chairs reflect that diversity. “This Cabinet will help to raise the profile of Givat Haviva and support its work, which is a core building block of Israel’s democracy,” Rabbi Schwarz said. Read press release and full list of Rabbinic Cabinet members. For more information about the Rabbinic Cabinet, contact Rabbi Schwarz at rabbisid2@gmail.com.
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Givat Haviva, University of Haifa Conference on Hebrew Education
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Educators from across the country gathered at the University of Haifa on May 6 for a conference on the future of Hebrew-language education in Arab schools. Co-organized by Givat Haviva, the “Hebrew as a Key” conference focused on improving Hebrew instruction as a way to expand opportunities for Arab citizens and strengthen their integration in Israeli society.
Prof. Mouna Maroun, the University of Haifa Rector, warned that declining Hebrew proficiency among Arab youth, largely due to changing media habits, deepens separation between Jewish and Arab students on campus and weakens Arab students’ confidence in academic settings. Universities, she stressed, have a responsibility to help bridge that gap.
Ola Najami-Yousef, director of the Jewish-Arab Center for Peace at Givat Haviva, framed Hebrew as a path toward opportunity, belonging, and connection between communities. Hebrew represents far more than communication: “It is a key to integration, to studies, to employment, and, most importantly, to a sense of belonging,” she said. Read more.
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Featured Stories: Enno Ebersbach and Sami Jinich
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Why a Young German Came to Israel for Shared Society
Enno Ebersbach’s relationship with Israel has long been shaped by a sense of ambivalence. On the one hand, he has felt a deep appreciation and admiration for the country’s culture and people. On the other, he has maintained a critical perspective toward many of the state’s policies. Raised in a mildly Protestant household in Germany, Ebersbach developed an early fascination with Jewish religion and culture. This interest was partly connected to his family history: the Holocaust and the suffering of the Jewish people had frequently been a topic when growing up. As a choir boy he sang Hebrew songs that left him with a lasting curiosity about the
language and traditions behind them.
After finishing high school, Ebersbach volunteered for a year in Israel, working with adults with
disabilities. During that time, he became fluent in Hebrew, and his fascination for Israeli society
and culture deepened. In March 2026, he arrived at Givat Haviva as the Peter and Friedel Grützmacher Intern for International Partner Relations, and was struck by the diversity of backgrounds and perspectives on the campus. “It has been rare for me to see spaces where Jewish and Palestinian Israelis work together toward a better future,” he says. “I am grateful for the chance to be part of such a place—having an impact while continuing to learn.” Read Enno’s story.
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Why a Young American Came to Israel for Shared Society
Israel played an important role in Sami Jinich’s life from an early age. The son of Mexican-Jewish parents, he grew up in a pluralistic Jewish community in Washington, D.C., attending a Jewish primary school where he learned Hebrew, addressed teachers as Geveret and Adon, and sang the Hatikva, in addition to the pledge of allegiance. “I was told from a young age that I had a stake in this country,” he recalls. Regular visits to Israel, where he has relatives, strengthened that sense of connection.
During middle school, however, he began encountering perspectives that challenged what he came to see as an overly simplistic narrative. “I moved to a more diverse secular school, so I was exposed to more critical views” he says. Seeking to better understand his relationship to
Israel and Judaism, he joined a gap-year program at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem
after high school. The experience deepened his attachment to Israel while also confronting him with realities he had not previously faced. “I saw issues my education had largely avoided—inequality, internal tensions, and the occupation.” As graduation from Duke University approached, Sami decided to return to Israel to engage more directly with the country’s diversity. “This time I wanted to step outside the Jewish bubble and meet other communities, including Palestinian citizens of Israel,” he explains. That goal led him to Givat Haviva, where he teaches at the Younited School and is focused on building shared society through education. Read Sami’s story.
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Younited School Graduation
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58 high school seniors – 35 Israeli Arabs and Jews, and 23 from 14 other countries – received their degrees at the Younited graduation ceremony. Younited, Givat Haviva’s international, coed, residential high school on the campus was founded in 2018. One-third of the students are Israeli Jews, one-third are Israeli Arabs, and one-third come from the U.S., Latin America, Europe, Africa and Southeast Asia. This year’s graduating class included students from Libéria, Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Ghana, Nepal, Venezuela, USA, Kosovo, Albania, Armenia, Ireland, Russia, Vietnam. Younited awards the International Baccalaureate (IB) Degree, empowering graduates to attend prestigious universities around the world.
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