A New Way: Efshar Acheret

A New Way aims at promoting the development of a shared society by creating and cultivating opportunities for long-term and in-depth connections between geographically adjacent Jewish and Arab communities and among Jews and Arabs living in "mixed" cities. The organization's mission is to develop and enhance mutual understanding, trust and respect; inculcate values of democracy and equality; break down prejudices and stereotypes, and provide communities with the tools to enable them to work together to develop programs and initiatives for their mutual benefit.

In the current Israeli reality, all too often, even though the physical distance between them may be minimal, Jewish and Arab communities live in very different and separate worlds, with no significant contact or interaction between them. This is an atmosphere which breeds distrust and alienation.

A New Way's methodology is based on twinning pairs of Arab and Jewish schools and working with their students, teachers and parents, in a long-term, experiential, and indepth program which includes both dialogue and encounter sessions and a broad array of joint activities both within and outside the classroom. The twinned schools are used as a springboard for creating community-wide connections and partnerships, for example---between Jewish and Arab women, community centers, youth councils, political, professional, and volunteer leadership in both sites, and more. This strategy both ensures sustainability and creates ever –widening circles of influence and impact.

A New Way's work is actively supported by the Ministry of Education and by the municipalities in which its programs operate. In addition, the organization engages in ongoing and synergic cooperation with other NGOs such as the Center for Educational Technology, Dror, and Merchavim. Most recently, a partnership has developed with the Arab-Israeli nonprofit---"Jarac Kribac---Near Neighbors