Jewish and Arab Teens Bridge Divides Through Joint Art and Dialogue Program

Nour Darwish from Baqa al-Gharbiyye and Noga Feld from Kibbutz Dalia, who grew up near each other but never met, connected deeply through "Through Different Eyes," a new educational and artistic program by the Jewish-Arab Center for Peace in Givat Haviva. Over the past year, about 20 Jewish and Arab teenagers met weekly for photography lessons, discussions, and mutual understanding. Nour said it was the first time she truly got to know Jewish peers her age beyond public encounters, while Noga was eager to meet them from a genuine place.

The participants explored themes of identity, belonging, adolescence, and similarities and differences through their cameras, culminating in a group project showcased in the exhibition "Taken Out of Context," which opened recently at the center's gallery. The teens discovered shared interests and concerns despite cultural differences, with Nour noting, "We are teenagers with the same dilemmas." They emphasized the importance of listening and recognizing each other's human stories to overcome fear and prejudice.

Jinan Sharouf Halabi, the program coordinator and exhibition curator, highlighted that despite ongoing security tensions, Israeli youth feel a strong need to meet and understand each other. The program, now in its 26th cycle, addresses the rarity of Jewish and Arab youth encounters during adolescence, often only happening later in academic settings, which are less personal.

This year's exhibition focuses on the concept of freedom, reflecting the participants' desire to break free from long-standing constraints amid years of turmoil, including the pandemic and ongoing conflict. The exhibition title and theme stem from the teens photographing everyday objects out of their usual context to symbolize hope, fear, and belonging.

The exhibition is also dedicated to the memory of Dr. Aharon Weiss, a Holocaust survivor and historian, whose family funded the program and exhibition to honor his belief that education and dialogue are key to repairing the world. His widow, Penina Weiss, stated, "If anything can be fixed in this world, it is only through education." The exhibition is open to the public free of charge at the Jewish-Arab Center for Peace in Givat Haviva.