"The Road to Reconciliation:" A Hand in Hand Webinar
It’s hard to talk about peace right now.
As advocates for peace and shared society, it’s our responsibility to keep this vision alive. This means having the hard yet essential conversations to make it a reality.
In this thought-provoking one-hour webinar, we explore what it takes to enable reconciliation—even and especially in the midst of war.
Reconciliation Begins with a Decision
Maya Savir, a writer and reconciliation activist, explained that reconciliation begins with a decision and requires a “strong” society. “The fact that we are not able to reconcile is a sign of our weakness,” she said. And contrary to popular belief, forgiveness isn’t a prerequisite for reconciliation. “The heart of reconciliation is accepting that both sides aren’t going anywhere, that both have equal rights in their shared space, and that the future must be decided together with sensitivity to each group’s narratives and needs.”
Building Trust and Understanding
Niv Sarig, a Jewish parent at HIH’s Kfar Saba school, described reconciliation not as an abstract ideal but a necessity for both societies. “We need to take a grassroots approach. Hand in Hand creates an active space where mutual understanding and trust can actually flourish.” He shared that after October 7th, he felt his son was attending “the safest place in the Middle East” despite the ongoing threat of rocket fire. “For me, the school was a place where I could regain the trust I had before the war,” he shared.
Sarig observed that the separation between Jewish and Arab communities in Israel is perceived as natural by most Jews and Arabs. “Most (Jewish Israeli) people I tell about HIH are shocked by the possibility of Jews and Arabs living together,” he said.
Welcoming Complexity
Dr. Nasreen Haddad Haj-Yahya offered her unique perspective and poignant insights as both an Israeli citizen and a Palestinian with 500 family members living in Gaza. “Hand in Hand is one of the few places where I feel safe talking about my Palestinian identity, and about the suffering of the two peoples. I have family in Gaza, and I have friends who were murdered in the October 7th massacre. This complexity is welcomed by the Hand in Hand community,” she shared. As a researcher focusing on inequality issues, she explained that the public education system widens the existing societal gaps, whereas HIH’s schools bridge those gaps, offering students of all backgrounds access to the very same education, classrooms, teachers, and curricula.
“This is one of the only places that give me hope.” —Dr. Nasreen Haddad Haj-Yahya
“Both our societies don’t have the privilege to give up on one another,” Nasreen argued. “Our destinies are intertwined, so either we all lose, or we all win.” She emphasized that diversity in education is a blessing, not a curse, while insisting on equal treatment for all citizens.
Trust-building happens through personal relationships and shared stories. While rarely easy, the HIH model offers a tangible path forward—creating spaces where children see each other as humans first, and where parents can work towards a shared cause together.
As Maya Savir concluded, “History is not linear; it’s often unexpected. In the end, all wars end… What Hand in Hand is doing is bringing this day closer, and laying the foundations for it.“
