Press
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May 19, 2026OPED: For US Jews, disengaging from Israel is not an option
Jeff Goodman, Chair of Friends of Givat Haviva, explains in his Times of Israel oped 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. The concept was never presented as naïve 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. 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.
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May 18, 2026Givat Haviva, University of Haifa Conference on Hebrew Education in Arab Society
Although Hebrew fluency is essential for success in Israel’s economy, academia, and public life, speaking Hebrew remains a challenge for many Arab citizens of Israel, who often have limited exposure to the language in daily life. To address this challenge 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. She spoke candidly about her own experience with learning the language. “There were mistakes, moments of insecurity, and moments when I wanted to give up,” she recalled. Still, she described how each new word and sentence gradually became “another door that opened.” Today, she said, Hebrew represents far more than communication: “It is a key to integration, to studies, to employment, and, most importantly, to a sense of belonging.”
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May 14, 2026
A Young American Jew Working for Shared Society at Givat Haviva
In early 2026, central Tel Aviv filled with Israelis—Jewish and Arab alike—demanding action against rising crime in Arab communities and criticizing government inaction. Among the demonstrators was Sami Jinich, a young Jewish American working at Givat Haviva. The calls for equality and security for all citizens resonated deeply with him. “When minorities are safe, everyone is safe,” he says—an idea that felt instinctive to his American Jewish upbringing. Israel had played an important role in Sami’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, every week. “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.
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May 13, 2026
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, an organization focused on building shared society through education
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May 5, 2026
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. He was struck by the diversity of backgrounds and perspectives on the campus. Conversations in the office and in the dining hall revealed motivations and political views that resisted any single narrative. “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.”
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May 1, 2026FOGH Chair Jeff Goodman Video Message
“Even amidst deep divides that exist in Israeli society today, Givat Haviva’s programming brings forward in concrete, meaningful ways the hope and strength derived from building bonds between people, person by person, peace by peace,” states Jeff Goodman, who became Chair of the Friends of Givat Haviva Board on April 1. He filmed the two-minutes video while visiting the Givat Haviva campus in February.