Letter From Rachel
September 2026
Dear Friends,
The hot summer months are almost behind us. They have been filled with meaningful activity for Galilee Dreamers.
The summer began with a delegation of Jewish and Arab school principals and teachers who travelled to Cape Town, South Africa, to learn about processes of healing following national trauma. The journey was highly successful, due in particular to the thoughtful, sensitive, and rich program designed by our Galilee Dreamers partners in South Africa. By the end of the visit, close relationships had developed among the participants, along with a strong motivation to deepen and expand the Galilee Dreamer program in their schools.
Immediately after our return to Israel, we held a summer camp at Oranim College, made possible by the very generous support of the William and Irene Weinberg Family Foundation. The camp brought together 28 Jewish and Arab students from Galilee Dreamers partner schools for an intensive period of shared learning, creativity, and community-building. Students participated in a wide range of social activities and enriching workshops in music, theatre, sports, and art.
These activities were much more than recreation. They offered young people different ways to communicate, collaborate, and discover one another beyond the labels and divisions that so often shape their daily lives. The extended time together allowed trust to grow gradually through shared meals, informal conversations, laughter, creative work, and moments of reflection. Students who were initially hesitant became increasingly willing to participate, take responsibility, and form meaningful relationships across communities. When asked which parts of the camp had been most meaningful, the students repeatedly identified the moments that allowed for free, open, and informal conversation. They explained that these unstructured encounters gave them the freedom to ask honest questions, listen without pressure, and come to know one another as individuals rather than simply as representatives of different communities.
At a time of continuing tension and uncertainty, the camp gave participants a safe and carefully guided space in which they could listen to one another, express complex feelings, and experience the possibility of belonging to a shared community. It also strengthened their confidence as young leaders who can bring the values of dialogue, empathy, and cooperation back to their schools and communities.
Two experiences gave the summer camp particular depth and meaning. The first was two full days of volunteering alongside young adults with disabilities at the Metaoria Center in Kiryat Tivon. Through the involvement of Galilee Dreamers, a window of both physical and symbolic light was opened at the center. Camp participants cleaned the courtyard and removed objects and cupboards that had blocked the flow of light between the courtyard and the main room. Together with members of the center, they also created a large mural across the surrounding fences. It was moving to witness the cooperation that developed, sometimes through words and sometimes beyond words.
The second experience was a visit to the Compassion Farm established in memory of Ron Sherman, a victim of the October 7th attack.. On one of the hottest days of the summer, our Jewish and Arab high-school students traveled together to a place that felt like a small paradise – a space filled with kindness, love, and joy. From the moment we arrived, the inspiring people and animals at the farm created an immediate and deep connection within the group.
We were privileged to have a deeply moving conversation with Alex, Ron's father, who introduced us to Ron, his family, and their commitment to caring for animals, particularly those who had suffered harm at the hands of people. Ron's spirit could be felt throughout the farm. We learned about his profound concern for his friends, his community, and animals, and his story gave the idea of compassion a deeper and more tangible meaning for us all.
The encounter exceeded all our expectations. Students embraced the cows and goats and spent time with the dogs, rabbits, and other animals. The room that touched us most deeply was home to cats with disabilities, each of whom receives devoted and loving care. The encounter reminded us that true beauty lies in individuality, connection, and the ability to see and value every living being as they are.
Throughout the visit, we reflected on what compassion asks of us in daily life: in our relationships with other people, in our treatment of animals, and in our responsibility toward those who need protection, care, and love. We left the farm grateful and inspired, with a genuine desire to turn the experience into action. We intend to return to volunteer, support fundraising efforts, and continue taking part in this remarkable work. The day reminded us that compassion is not only a feeling; it is a choice, a responsibility, and a way of life.
We are deeply grateful to the Weinberg family and Foundation. Their support at its current level enables us to offer a sustained, high-quality program that remains accessible to students from different economic backgrounds, while providing the professional facilitation, creative workshops, and shared experiences that make genuine relationship-building possible. Continued support will allow us to preserve the camp's depth and reach, and to give more Jewish and Arab young people the time and space required to move from a first encounter toward trust, friendship, and meaningful shared action.
Looking ahead to the next stage of our work, on Friday I met with parents and students from St. Joseph School in Nazareth. Some of you will meet them during the upcoming Galilee Dreamers delegation to Northern Virginia and Baltimore. The students and their parents are extremely excited about the journey. The parents shared understandable concerns about their children traveling to a distant and unfamiliar place. We assured them that Galilee Dreamers is deeply committed to the personal well-being of every participant.
Our conversations with the parents of students from Katzir School in Misgav, who will travel alongside their Arab peers, were marked by the same sense of excitement and purpose. Many parents emphasized the importance of the journey in helping their children develop an additional perspective on the complex reality of life in the Galilee. They spoke of the urgent need to build trust between Jewish and Arab citizens as a foundation for a meaningful shared future – one grounded in fairness, respect for others, equal opportunities, and a genuine willingness to listen. Their responses reminded us that the delegation's impact extends beyond the students themselves. It also invites families and school communities to imagine, discuss, and support a more equitable shared society.
We also emphasize that the dialogue within the delegation is not based on one group standing against another. Rather, it seeks to connect participants through shared feelings and reflections, with an emphasis on our common humanity.
We are very excited about the upcoming delegation and would like to thank Sharon Harroun, who has worked almost without pause to create a wonderful and fascinating programme for the students in Northern Virginia. We are equally grateful to the outstanding team responsible for planning the rich and varied program in Baltimore: Amanda Levine, Jill Aizenstein, Sandy Abramoff, Howard and Barbara Cohen, Dr. Desmond Kaplan and Rabbi Dr. Paul Schneider.
Finally, this week we began the new school year in Israel, with hope that it will be a peaceful year, free from unnecessary disruptions. The beginning of the year is politically and socially complex, particularly as elections approach. According to our educational philosophy, we do not tell students whom to support. Instead, we offer them criteria that will enable them to make meaningful and independent choices in light of both their own needs and the needs of their communities.
I would therefore like to address our dedicated teachers, whose work gives life to two of the core values of Galilee Dreamers: Tikkun Olam and Derech Eretz.
In my understanding of the educator’s role, our central responsibility is to guide each student through their journey of human exploration. This is a complex task, especially when we recognize that we, too, are on a continuing journey to understand ourselves and our purpose in the world. We must also acknowledge that, in challenging times, we may not always be able to hold space for others before first finding the capacity to care for and steady ourselves.
May we welcome the new year with an abundance of goodness and, above all, peace on earth.
Warm regards and Shanah Tovah,
Dr. Rachel Ravid
Director, Galilee Dreamers
Oranim International, Oranim College