How has Seeds of Peace had an impact on you?

I grew up with Seeds of Peace and with the firm conviction that a better understanding of the other side can lead to a peaceful way of life and point of view. I was active politically before Seeds, but after my first experience at Camp, one could say that I understood the necessity of such activity better than others. This feeling has grown stronger over the years.

I try, because of Seeds of Peace, to be a person who listens more, though sometimes it is very hard. Seeds of Peace satisfies part of my curiosity about the Arab world and Palestinians and, at the same time, triggers more questions about our conflict and about my culture as well.

How have you impacted your community?

I teach civics, history, and Arabic at a public Jewish high school in Jerusalem. Education is the No. 1 place to influence my society to become more open, more tolerant, and less violent, especially towards Palestinians. In my classes, I try to replace the hate some kids have for anything that has to do with Arabs with an understanding of Arabic language and Arab culture, politics, and life.

As part of this work, I am launching “Come to my Classroom,” a mini-course for Arab and Jewish teachers in Jerusalem. The main objective of the course is to give educators tools and experiences that can help them teach about the conflict. Throughout the course, I will use different methods to bring the “other” into the classroom. Most importantly, participants will go through the transformative experience of meeting members of the “other side” and learn skills from the discipline of dialogue facilitation. My immediate goal for this project is that Educators who take the course will be equipped to teach the conflict in a more tolerant, open, and peaceful way.