USAID West Bank and Gaza and the U.S. Embassy in Israel jointly invest in Conflict Management and Mitigation (CMM) grants, which support Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel, working on issues of common concern. The CMM program is part of a worldwide effort to bring together individuals of different backgrounds in people-to-people reconciliation activities. These activities provide opportunities to address issues, reconcile differences, and promote greater understanding and mutual trust by working on common goals such as economic development, environment, health, education, sports, music, and information technology. Since the program’s start in 2004, USAID and the U.S. Embassy have invested in 154 CMM grants.

GRANTS MANAGED BY USAID

Akko Center for Arts and Technology (2018-2021; $1,322,000): The Full STEAM Ahead project builds the skills and knowledge of over 900 Jewish and Arab youth from underserved communities in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math to better compete in a 21st century job market. By working together in a bicultural and bilingual environment, creating and innovating, students develop an inclusive view of one another and strengthen Jewish-Arab relations in Israel.

Ein Dor Museum for Archaeology (2018-2023; $1,550,000): The Youth Against Racism project develops filmmaking skills of 400 Arab and Jewish youth in the Galilee to advance peacebuilding. By telling the stories of racism and violence that affect them daily, youth use film to facilitate dialogue in their communities and enhance change among their peers and families.

Hand in Hand (2018-2023; $1,800,000): The Mainstreaming Shared Society project adds three more integrated schools to Hand in Hand’s growing network of Jewish-Arab bilingual schools in Israel benefiting an additional 2,500 students. The project supports local communities to establish and/or expand the constituency of Arab and Jewish families committed to building a viable, growing, and resilient shared society.

The Abraham Fund Initiatives (2018-2021; $986,000): The Shared Learning project bridges the cultural divide between 40 pairs of Jewish and Arab schools through language exchange studies. The project provides joint learning opportunities for 200 Jewish and Arab educators and over 2,000 students, promoting positive and constructive interactions and demonstrating that cooperation leads to greater trust and understanding.

Tsofen High Technology Centers (2018-2023; $1,800,000): The Tech Bridges project harnesses common interests among Jewish and Arab individuals to drive changes in perceptions and attitudes that stymie reconciliation and peacebuilding. The project mentors over 6,000 Arab and Jewish Israeli professionals and establishes 18 Israeli startups in predominantly Arab cities. By creating an increasingly integrated hi-tech industry in Israel, Tech Bridges fosters greater mutual understanding between Jewish and Arab citizens that inspire a more inclusive economy and shared future.

Leo Baeck (2019-2022; $900,000): The Building Shared Communities project partners with eight Jewish and Arab community centers in Israel to bring together both societies in a positive and meaningful way to advance solutions for shared local needs while fostering dialogue and cooperation between them.

Moona – A Space for Change (2019-2022; $900,000): The Bridging Professionals to Bridge Communities provides professional apprenticeship and on the job training to 192 Arab and Jewish young engineers from the North and South. The mixed heritage teams advance their shared goal of long-term employment through meaningful interaction.

Ort Israel (2019-2022; $1,200,000): The Bridges for Peace project trains Arab and Jewish students of Ort schools in mediation, social, and technological entrepreneurship. These tools help them advance their aspirations and work together in teams to generate multicultural social programs and technological solutions to daily challenges.

Unistream (2019-2022; $1,200,000): The Pillars of Shared Society project brings together around 450 Jewish and Arab Israeli teenagers to develop, establish and manage their own startup companies and business and social ventures while increasing cooperation and mutual understanding.

Middle East Entrepreneurs for Tomorrow (2020-2023; $1,400,000): The Northern Innovators (NI) project provides training for over 180 excelling Israeli Arab and Jewish youth from the Nazareth Area, between the ages of 15-17, to advance technology, entrepreneurship, and leadership. This project also works on establishing networks of mutual trust, understanding, respect, and teamwork.

PeacePlayers International (2020-2023; $1,500,000): The Champions for Peace Initiative project utilizes basketball to develop trust and cooperation among 2,277 Israeli Arab and Jewish young people, community leaders, and citizens. The project works to translate grassroots support for cooperation into attitudinal, behavioral, and structural transformation necessary for sustainable peace.

Hapoel Katamon Jerusalem Football Club (2020-2022; $828,263): The Katamon Striking for Equality in Jerusalem project utilizes soccer to foster equality between males and females among 1,174 Arab and Jewish residents of Jerusalem. The project aims to debunk myths and stereotypes between Arabs and Jews and empower girls and women in order to eliminate differences, political barriers and limiting cultural norms.

Appleseeds Academy (2020-2023; $1,050,000): The Rise Together project brings together 120 Jewish and Arab emerging technology professionals from disadvantaged communities to participate in an intensive multi-month technology and leadership training followed by internships in the technology sector. The project aims to develop a coalition of Hi-Tech partners to advance diversity within the Hi-Tech sector that advances the values of shared living.

Peres Center for Peace and Innovation (2020-2023; $1,250,000): The Under the Same Green Roof project brings together over 1,000 Jewish and Arab school children, teenagers, young innovators, and community members to learn and cooperate together, through the establishment of Green Roofs in Jewish and Arab communities in Israel to be used as platforms for joint environmental learning and cooperation.

GRANTS MANAGED BY THE U.S. EMBASSY

Peace Drums USA, Inc. (2019-2021; $150,000): The Peace Drums project trains 150 Arab and Jewish youth from five schools and communities in Haifa and Ma’alot-Tarshiha to play steel drums individually and as a group. This project introduces rhythm, harmony, peacemaking, and reconciliation to Jewish, Muslim and Christian youth in Israel through the shared activity of a dynamic steel drum band.

Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) (2019-2021; $150,000): The Establishment of a Joint Arab-Jewish Planning Forum project engages 25 Arab and Jewish forum members to foster Arab-Jewish cooperation to design solutions to increasing development rates and planning needs of both populations in the Lower Galilee region, focusing on open spaces for public use and the environment.

Towns Association for Environmental Quality (2019-2021; $150,000): The Galilee Fellows project targets 32 Israeli Jewish and Arab women to focus on environmental, economic, and social sustainability as a holistic framework for Jewish-Arab cooperation to address regional challenges in the Galilee.

Yod Bet B’Heshvan (2019-2021; $100,000): The Educating Towards Tolerance and Co-Existence project empowers a group of 30 key Israeli religious Jewish, Muslim and Christian Arab educators to work together to educate towards tolerance, co-existence and mutual respect.

Shaár La Adam-Bab Líllinsan (2020-2022; 150,000$): Sha’ar LaAdam-Bab L’ilInsan Midrasha is a joint Jewish and Arab youth “Midrasha” program to prepare 30 participants for life after high school. This project includes three main components: volunteering placements with hundreds of beneficiaries in local Jewish and Arab communities; educational lessons and discussions on both cultures; and group activities focusing on the development of personal and professional skills.

Siraj: Advancing Hi-Tech in the Bedouin Community (2020-2022; $100,000): The project Building a Diverse and Inclusive Hi-Tech Ecosystem: a Cross-Cultural Mentorship and Networking Program for Jewish and Bedouin Students in the Negev will enroll 65 Jewish and Bedouin college students, graduates, and professionals in a one-year mentorship and networking program that strives to diversify the hi-tech ecosystem in the Negev and increase economic opportunities for the Bedouin community.

Tech2Peace (2020-2022; $150,000): The project Tech2Peace 4 Shared-Society aims to build bridges and create economic opportunities among diverse Arab and Jewish Israeli youth. A total of 30 Jewish and 30 Arab engineering or social sciences students, with an equal number of males and females, will participate in technology training, entrepreneurship and conflict mediation.

The Friendship League of Culture and Sports (2020-2022; $150,000): The project Coming Together through Catchball: A model for Jewish-Arab cooperation in Israel’s periphery, engages 80 Arab and Jewish girls. As a platform for more meaningful exchanges between them, participants will form four mixed Jewish-Arab girl teams to participate in catchball training and games, structured events, and facilitated social meetings.