(By Elad Dunayevsky)

Try to imagine Jewish and Arab children growing up together in a relationship of love and friendship – studying, exploring, singing and playing together in an atmosphere of mutual respect and esteem.  A New Way transforms this vision into a daily reality, and enables an ongoing dialogue based on multicultural equality in Israel

A New Way was established in 1998 with the object of embedding values of toleration, equality, and fraternity into Israel’s pluralistic society. The organization’s self-claimed mission is to develop trust and mutual respect between Jews and Arabs.

For the past 16 years, A New Way has focused on implementing the values of civil society and social solidarity between Jews and Arabs in Israel.  Using education as their main tool, the organization works to reduce stereotypical concepts and prejudices, develop positive attitudes towards others and build relationships of trust, mutual respect and recognition of the need for equal rights. This is undertaken with the understanding that the quality of relations between Jews and Arabs will determine much of the face of society and the future of the State of Israel. Thousands of Arab and Jewish children at kindergarten, elementary school, junior high and high school ages have already participated in Organization meetings.

Bat Yam resident Eva Ben Shimon, whose son participated in a meeting with Arab students from Lod, said of one of the meetings that took place at the Circus School, that "the students were divided into mixed groups and began joint tasks, such as the building of a "trapeze" pyramid - the students created a pyramid formed by Jewish and Arab children. The idea was based on the "I trust the other" concept, or, in other words, what will happen if you don't hold onto me, or, if you don't rely on me, will you succeed in your pyramid-building endevours?" (from YNET, 5 February 2014 , "Jewish and Arab children talk about  peace" ). 

Eid Hasdiya from Lod, whose son participated in the same meeting with the students from Bat Yam, noted that "You can do it differently - five words that indicate a lot of optimism, the hope that there are things in life that can be changed for the better. A New Way is a youth project that attempts to bridge between two peoples and two different cultures that live together and have to accept each other as they are, irrespective of race, religion or gender."

"At first I didn't want to participate and sat with my back to the group. At the end, I really enjoyed getting to know everybody and being with new friends. I'm already waiting for the next meeting," says Jenna at the end of her first activity at a meeting between students of the Yigal Alon elementary school in Migdal HaEmek and the Elementary School D El-Hadika in Yafia.

Shir Hana, a 14-year-old particiant in the project, says: "The school has been participating in these projects for several years and they help us to connect, understand and get to know another facet of the country, and of course encourage us to understand and recognize that we are, after all, living together in one country."

Gharda, from the village of Hura and Miri from Tel Aviv recently attended a meeting between their schools in Hura. The students brought personal items from their homes and described themselves. Miri said: "I didn't beleive that I would open up and enjoy the meeting so much."

Gharda explained: "Today, we were one group - we cried together, laughed together played and ate together. It's a one-time experience. I hope we will have more positive meetings like this one."

"These are just a few of the stories that students raise in the joint meetings," says Dr. Tikva Braha, founder of the organization and current CEO." Once the students connect emotionally, it becomes difficult to know who is who and it's even harder to separate them.

Tikva Holds a PhD in Middle Eastern history and is fluent in Arabic. She emphasizes that "the uniqueness of this project is the opportunity of working with the children, the teaching teams and the students' parents.  Parent participation provides a tremendous basis of support for the entire project and serves as an important link in expanding social circles. Two hundred participants take part in every two-class project - students, parents and teaching teams. The enlistment of quite a few mayors and community leaders is also an important factor. They understand the significance of cooperation as a requirement of survival and becoming stronger."

Ofir Elmakias took part in Acre's Ort Darsky High School project. She decided to participate despite the disaster that struck her family when a cousin was killed in the terrorist attack at the Burgas airport.  For her, particiaption in the project is like the healing an open wound.  Despite everything, she decided to give both herself and the students at the Arab school Halmu Shafei a chance.

A New Way is currently active in over 50 Arab and Jewish schools situated all over the country, and proudly claims over 5000 participants - students, parents, faculty and key members of the community.