Shutafut Organizations: Shared Society
“Shared Society” is the popular term in Israel for efforts to create and strengthen cross-cultural and interreligious civic life in Israel. There are dozens of civic and national organizations deeply immersed in the work of building understanding, co-existence, and mutual respect between Jewish Israelis and Palestinian citizens of Israel, Bedouin, Druze, and other minority groups. These groups are deeply committed to protecting and strengthening Israeli democracy and to nurturing a national culture of civility, freedom, and respect for diversity. We hope you’ll explore some of these organizations that your community may want to follow, contact, or partner with.
AJEEC-NISPED

The organization operates programming in three Strategic Directions:
- Youth and Leadership Development: AJEEC is home to the first and largest Arab youth organization (Shabibat AJEEC) with around 6,000 members around Israel. In addition, AJEEC operated Gap Year programming for around 500 youth every year; who gather to improve their academic skills, learn how to effectively integrate into academia and employment, and who become leaders for their communities.
- Arab-Jewish Partnership: AJEEC is implementing a programming continuum for Shared Society programming in the Israeli education system. The goal is to expand the breadth of the programming to include kindergarten through 12th grade and currently engages over 300 4th-12th grade students. The organization also operates an Arab-Jewish Gap Year in three locations around Israel, empowering the next generation as shared society builders.
- Community Resilience: There are a great number of factors that contribute to resilience, including health, economic development, and emergency. AJEEC operates a wide array of resilience programming including, but not limited to: Emergency response teams and an ambulance service in the Bedouin unrecognized villages; social businesses; early childhood nurseries and research; and many more.
Additional Info

How can Reconstructionists and others engage with the organization either while in Israel or abroad?
Interested parties are invited to reach out to AJEEC’s Resource Development contact person, Alexa Goldstein, who can be most easily reached by email. In addition, all potential partners may reach out via the website for information and donations.
Direct Contact Information
The Sulha Peace Project

How can Reconstructionists and others engage with the organization either while in Israel or abroad?
1) Donate, 2) Join our in-person gatherings when you visit I-P, 3) follow us on our website (in the process of being overhauled) and Facebook page.
Direct Contact Information
- Dr. Melila Hellner-Eshed: melilahellner@gmail.com
- Michal Talya: mtalya@gmail.com
- Amita Jarmon: ravamita@gmail.com
Additional Info
Our new Director, Michal Talya, a founder of the annual Nakba-Atzmaut gathering that has taken place for 19 years, is about to be ordained as a rabbi by HUC-Israel.
Dr Melila Hellner-Eshed, renowned teacher of Kabbalah at Hebrew University and Hartman Institute, is a long-time Steering Committee member (for at least 15 years).
Rabbi Amita Jarmon, a 2004 RRC graduate, has been on the Steering Committee for a decade.
The Steering Committee includes Palestinians from Jerusalem, Jericho, Hebron, Bethlehem and Ramallah.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOn6pS5SddQ&t=155s
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1840189936043875
The Hinam Center for Social Tolerance

How can Reconstructionists and others engage with the organization either while in Israel or abroad?

Direct Contact Information
CEO Yaron Kanner: yaronkanner@gmail.com 05-05955096
Additional Information
It is possible to be a guest during a study workshop in our Beit Midrash for a conversation, a meal, a visit to a family home in the village, or other relevant activity.