Givat Haviva – Educational Institution 
Givat Haviva is one of the oldest leading institutions in Israel, committed to Jewish-Arabic understanding, encouraging cultural and religious pluralism and lasting effects in democratic values as well as educating the past of the Jewish nation to today’s youth.
Givat Haviva was founded in 1949 as the national educational center of the Kibbutz Artzi movement. The campus of Givat Haviva comprises 15 hectors and is centrally located in the Sharon area, halfway between Haifa and Tel Aviv (reachable in one hour).

Today, Givat Haviva offers formal and informal educational programs to a varied population. As a result of its educational work, Givat Haviva has achieved appreciation from graduates, teachers, social workers and cultural and educational institutions. In particular Givat Haviva is respected for the commitment of staff members in conveying knowledge and cultural pluralism. Annually thousands of people take part in different seminars, courses and workshops held in the centers campus. Some of the participants come for one day only; others stay for a full, intensive year of study.

The themes, on which the institution focus, range from Jewish-Arabic coexistence to the history of the Middle

East, the roots of Zionism, Arabic speech and culture, the history of the Holocaust and Jewish resistance up to the history of the Kibbutz- and labor movement in Israel.
Givat Haviva – a bridge between two societies

Since the outbreak of the second Intifada in October 2000, many wondered how the peaces process has progressed. Israel and Palestine are at an impasse today – and probably not for the last time. Peace institutions, like Givat Haviva agree that peace has to grow from the grassroots. Only when the people of the region want to meet each other, the process of understanding and trust will steadily begin. This demands patient cultural and educational work, which is also agreed upon in the Oslo-B convention. Even in times of crisis and escalation in the conflict, an even more concentrated effort is required and an even deeper commitment is necessary to provide the tools for more intensive cooperation.

In this way the long lasting teamwork between Israelis and Palestinians in Givat Haviva has been proven and continually demonstrates, that the daily peace work strengthens the civil society in Israel much more than the changing political situations. Since the establishment of the Jewish-Arab center for Peace in 1964 in Givat Haviva, that collaboration has not rested even once and it continues till this very day.