In May 2024, the family and friends of Vivian Silver, a shared society and peace activist killed on October 7th, announced the establishment of the Vivian Silver Impact Award. This initiative, launched in collaboration with the New Israel Fund, recognizes two women—one Jewish and one Arab/Palestinian —who have made significant contributions in areas central to Vivian’s values: fostering Arab-Jewish partnership, promoting Israeli-Palestinian peace, and advancing women into decision-making and leadership positions.
For over fifty years, Vivian Silver was a passionate advocate for peace and social justice, and her life’s work continues to serve as an example of the power of leadership, particularly for women of all ages and backgrounds. Vivian was a co-founder of AJEEC-NISPED, one of the largest and most influential Jewish-Arab shared society organizations, and Women Wage Peace, which was founded in response to the 2014 war.
Vivian’s legacy, marked by persistence and hope, lives on through the Vivian Silver Impact Award. This award not only honors her memory but also ensures that her spirit of activism and partnership continues to inspire future generations. The Vivian Silver Impact Award is set to be awarded annually, with recipients chosen by a designated selection committee. Nominations are accepted for Palestinian or Jewish women living in Israel or the Palestinian Territories, and can either highlight individual women or joint efforts between two women working together toward a shared goal.
The Inaugural Award Recipients: Dr. Rula Hardal and May Pundak
This November, the first recipients of the Vivian Silver Impact Award are Dr. Rula Hardal, a Palestinian political scientist and citizen of Israel, and May Pundak, an Israeli lawyer and activist. Both are co-directors of A Land for All, a shared Jewish-Palestinian peace movement for a two-state solution.
Dr. Rula Hardal has dedicated much of her career to advancing gender equality within Palestinian society in the region. Her professional work spans academic research and practical activism, both of which are rooted in a vision of peace and equity. One of her nominators noted, “Rula has developed a unique voice that is both courageous and nuanced, proving herself as a leader capable of advancing critical conversations about the future of Palestine and Israel.”
May Pundak, an Israeli human rights lawyer, has built a career centered on community organizing, leadership, and human rights law. Her academic background includes leadership training at the Mandel Institute and community organization studies at Harvard. A nominator described her as “a leader who combines uncompromising determination with humility and openness—traits that have made her a guiding force in A Land for All.”
Do you need support integrating these resources and issues into your philanthropic, communal, or Israel education work? Reach out for consultations, connections to experts, program support, training, or to plan your next event or mission. If you’ve used our resources, tell us about your experience!