On the intra-organizational level, the volatile events of winter 2009 took a heavy emotional toll on the NISPED–AJEEC family. For the greater part of this last decade, the women and men, Arabs and Jews who make up the NISPED–AJEEC staff and leadership have worked together in order to reach joint objectives and realize a mutual mission. During the war, the fact that many of us had relatives trapped in Gaza and some of us went home each evening to Sderot and to the most war-affected Kibbutzim presented an additional stressor. Differences of opinion and conflicting sentiments emerged within and between the Arab and Jewish members of the NISPED–AJEEC family. 

The NISPED–AJEEC leadership understood the complexities of the situation at-hand and recognized the pressing need to revisit our shared vision and mission. Moreover, we were certain that the first place to invest in Arab–Jewish cooperation and collaboration was at home. Thus, the organization embarked upon a series of facilitated workshops to confront the difficult issues relating to our national, cultural, religious and individual identities. An external Jewish facilitator and an Arab facilitator jointly led these bi-national workshops over a six month period.

Two months post-seminar, as the 2009-10 academic year commences, we can safely proclaim that the NISPED–AJEEC family has emerged stronger. The workshops illuminated our intertwined realities and reinforced our commitment to a shared society in this complex country. Perhaps, most importantly, they highlighted the significance of our continued work to advance equality, opportunity and sustainable human development in Israel and abroad.