Groundwork

This week, we sat down with Raghad Jaraisy, an activist working with Sikkuy-Aufoq, an organization dedicated to advancing equality and shared society between Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel. Raghad shares her deeply personal experience of navigating war while raising a family, the structural inequalities that leave Bedouin communities vulnerable, and the urgent need for civil society activism to support their safety. Despite the challenges, Raghad offers a vision of hope—where data-driven advocacy, coalition-building, and unwavering commitment can create real change.  Tune in to hear how civil society can thrive even in times of crisis, and what we can all do to support the incredible work of these organizations.   This episode was produced and edited by Yoshi Fields. Groundwork is produced by Elisheva Goldberg, Nick Acosta, Yoshi Fields, Julie Subrin, and Dina Kraft. Theme music by System Ali. This show is a joint production between the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP) and New Israel Fund. You can learn more about them on their websites www.allmep.org and www.nif.org. On this podcast, hosts and guests express their views. These do not necessarily reflect the official views or stances of the organizations.

Explore the impact of local activism on community cohesion, from enhancing park benches to grassroots movements. Discover how organizations like the Tzedek Centers combat learned political helplessness through small victories. Hear about the controversy in Rehovot, where community members rallied against a McDonald's staying open on Shabbat, reflecting broader societal tensions. Witness how diverse voices unite to shape local visions amid political unrest, emphasizing the importance of incremental change in civic engagement.

Yudith Oppenheimer, Executive Director of Ir Amim, brings a wealth of experience from her activism in South Africa to her work in Jerusalem. She discusses the city's complex political landscape and the quest for equity between Israelis and Palestinians. Yudith highlights the impactful role of art and community engagement in fostering dialogue and understanding. Drawing parallels with South Africa's history, she emphasizes hope, collaboration, and innovative solutions as crucial for a sustainable future in Jerusalem.

Not too long ago, we sat down with Yonatan Zeigen, the son of Vivian Silver, a woman who in both life and death was an iconic peace activist. She was murdered on October 7. In that conversation, Vivian’s son told us about a new award, the Vivian Silver Impact Award which would recognize two women who embody Vivian’s values and work—one Palestinian and one Jewish—every year.  Yonatan just announced the recipients of the inaugural award: May Pundak and Dr. Rula Hardal, the Co-Directors of Land for All. You may remember the story we did about May last season…but in case you don’t, we’re offering it again in our feed right now so listeners can learn—or remember—the work of organizations like Land for All. - Two States, One Homeland (Season 2) In Israel-Palestine today, many people feel trapped in century-long circle of violence. The closest breakthrough came thirty years ago in 1993, with the Oslo Accords. In this week’s episode, we hear a story about May Pundak, Executive Director of A Land For All. May is the daughter of one of the architects of Oslo, Ron Pundak. But she thinks she may be onto a different model for peace that can break the cycle where Oslo went wrong. It’s not a two-state or one-state solution, but an idea that requires that we renew the conversation with some new thinking – one homeland. Groundwork is created and produced by Dina Kraft and Yoshi Fields. It is hosted by Dina Kraft and Sally Abed. They also reported this episode. Content and audio editing by Yoshi Fields. Additional content editing by Elisheva Goldberg and Nick Acosta. Joel Shupack scored the piece. Art and design by Nick Acosta. Groundwork is a joint production of New Israel Fund and the Alliance for Middle East Peace.

Mai Shahin is a psychologist and peace activist from East Jerusalem, advocating for nonviolent resistance with Combatants for Peace. She shares her journey from experiencing the violence of the Second Intifada to embracing peaceful activism. Topics include the vital role of women in grassroots movements and the transformative impact of dialogue between Palestinians and Israelis. Mai emphasizes the importance of understanding shared traumas, empowering voices for peace, and envisioning a united future beyond conflict.

Sapir Slutzker Amran, a Mizrahi Jewish feminist and human rights lawyer, has gained recognition for her advocacy in support of humanitarian aid to Gaza. In this conversation, she shares her experiences witnessing violence against aid efforts and emphasizes the importance of solidarity with Palestinians. The dialogue explores the challenges marginalized groups face in Israeli society, including the need for empowerment and political representation. Additionally, Sapir highlights the transformative potential of grassroots activism in navigating the complexities of the ongoing conflict.

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis fill the streets alongside Einav Zangauker, shouting, “Deal! Now!” Einav’s son Matan was taken hostage by Hamas almost one year ago, and she has since become a leading voice for the hostage families. Her demand is simple–that her son, and the rest of the hostages held in Gaza, come home. This episode tells the story of one mother’s fight, against great odds, to demand better, to bring her son home safely, and to lead a movement for change. This episode was reported by Dina Kraft and produced and edited by Julie Subrin. Groundwork is produced by Elisheva Goldberg, Nick Acosta, Yoshi Fields, Julie Subrin, and Dina Kraft. Scoring by Joel Shupack with music by Blue Dot Sessions. Theme music by System Ali. This show is a joint production between the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP) and New Israel Fund. You can learn more about them on their websites www.allmep.org and www.nif.org. On this podcast, hosts and guests express their views. These do not necessarily reflect the official views or stances of the organizations.

Last season, Elisheva Goldberg took us on a trip to Umm al Khair, a village in the West Bank carrying on the legacy of the late peace activist Hajj Suleiman. Now, amidst home demolitions and settler violence, we return to Area C for an update on the people living there and the solidarity movements working to support them. Listen back to Elisheva's first piece, “A Quiet Transfer,” from Season 2 of Groundwork.   Learn more about these movements below: Combatants for Peace Breaking the Silence Yesh Din Center for Jewish Nonviolence Shatil Rabbis for Human Rights Achvat Amim

On October 7th, Vivan Silver, a lifetime peace activist with Women Wage Peace, AJEEC-NISPED, Road to Recovery, and many more, was murdered in Kibbutz Be'eri. This week, we’re talking to her son, Yonatan Zeigen, about honoring her legacy through his own peace activism. Join us as we talk to Yonatan about his work and the challenges facing peace activists on the ground. Learn more about the Vivian Silver Impact Award, given to one Palestinian and one Jewish Israeli each year.   Organizations supported or founded by Vivian Silver: AJEEC-NISPED (Arab-Jewish Center for Empowerment, Equality, and Cooperation – Negev Institute for Strategies of Peace and Economic Development) is an Arab-Jewish organization for social change Road to Recovery is an Israeli Association of volunteers who drive Palestinian patients - primarily children - from checkpoints in the West Bank and Gaza for life-saving treatments in Israeli hospitals. Women Wage Peace was founded in the aftermath of the 50-day Gaza War/Operation Protective Edge of 2014. Women Wage Peace (WWP) has grown to 50,000 Israeli members, the largest grassroots peace movement in Israel today, alongside its Palestinian sister movement Women of the Sun. B’tselem is a Jerusalem-based non-profit organization whose stated goals are to document human rights violations in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories, combat any denial of the existence of such violations, and help to create a human rights culture in Israel. Alliance for Middle East Peace is a network of more than 160 Palestinian and Israeli peacebuilding organizations. Project Rozana is committed to building bridges between Israelis and Palestinians through the field of health care, the only area of civil society where people meet on such a broad scale with mutual respect.   This episode was produced and edited by Yoshi Fields. Groundwork is produced by Elisheva Goldberg, Nick Acosta, Yoshi Fields, Julie Subrin, and Dina Kraft. Theme music by System Ali. This show is a joint production between the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP) and New Israel Fund. You can learn more about them on their websites www.allmep.org and www.nif.org. On this podcast, hosts and guests express their views. These do not necessarily reflect the official views or stances of the organizations. This episode was produced and edited by Yoshi Fields. Groundwork is produced by Elisheva Goldberg, Nick Acosta, Yoshi Fields, Julie Subrin, and Dina Kraft. Theme music by System Ali. This show is a joint production between the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP) and New Israel Fund. You can learn more about them on their websites www.allmep.org and www.nif.org. 

Mohammad Kundos, the principal of a Hand in Hand bilingual school, discusses the unique educational model fostering unity between Palestinian and Jewish Israeli children. He highlights the importance of teaching each other's histories to create empathy and understanding. The conversation explores the emotional toll of the ongoing conflict on families and emphasizes a shared vision for a hopeful future through community collaboration. Kundos also calls for radical hope and practical steps towards freedom and personal growth within the educational framework.