Vivian Silver Award Presented to Amal-Tikva Co-Founders

The New Israel Fund, in partnership with the family of Vivian Silver, presented the 2026 Vivian Silver Award in Tel Aviv on Wednesday evening. This year's award recognized Gadeer Sabat-Qart and Meredith Rothbart, co-founders of the Amal-Tikva organization, for their work in strengthening civil society institutions and developing professional infrastructure for peacebuilding and sustainable impact. The ceremony, held for the third consecutive year since Silver's death in October 2023, was attended by Silver's family, social activists, and academics.

Vivian Silver was a prominent activist and leader in the "Women Wage Peace" movement, dedicating her life to promoting peace and partnership between Jews and Palestinians, advocating for women's rights, and advancing gender equality. She lived in Kibbutz Be'eri and previously served as co-director of the AGIC foundation, which fosters coexistence in the Negev. She also volunteered with the "Road to Healing" association, assisting in transporting Palestinian patients, including children, through checkpoints to receive medical treatment in Israel.

Yonatan Zeigen, Vivian Silver's son, spoke at the event about his family's loss and their commitment to continuing his mother's legacy. He stated, "What happened transcends our personal story; it is part of a reality where people die in wars, or in violent conflicts, or under occupation and its resistance, or whatever label we choose. When communities interact through violence, people die." He added that the intersection of personal and public grief may have motivated them to honor his mother through an event that is also a political act inspired by her legacy, emphasizing that he will continue to reflect on these issues until the causes of her death are no longer so prevalent.

Sabat-Qart and Rothbart thanked Silver's family and the New Israel Fund, asserting that "peace is not something that simply happens when political leaders sign an agreement, but is built gradually, through changes in people's lives, in how institutions operate, and in how our societies deal with conflict." They explained that Amal-Tikva professionalizes peacebuilding by supporting grassroots organizations and leaders with necessary tools and resources, having worked with over 80 civil society organizations and developed the capacities of hundreds of leaders.

The New Israel Fund expressed pride in participating in the initiative and in the women continuing the work for a shared future, stating, "We are proud to be part of this award, and of the hope and strength it embodies. We are proud of Vivian's memory and her dear family, of the inspiring laureates, and of everyone who works day after day, hour after hour, to build a better future for our children, Palestinians and Jews."