Marking 03 years of Sadaka-Reut's activity is a great opportunity to stop and ask where we are and what we have achieved

thus far. Over the years Sadaka-Reut has strived to promote an equal, shared and just society for Palestinians and Jews. We swam against the current, and have educated youth to voice their opinions, take responsibility and act for social change. Numerous changes have occurred in the organization and in the relations between Jews and Palestinians during the past 30 years; nonetheless, in essence, Sadaka-Reut has been and still is today an organization that educates Jewish and Palestinian youth to be political activists. A research recently published by Dr. Keren Ross from the University of Indiana found that Sadaka-Reuts graduates over the past 30 years demonstrate a critical perception about the Israeli society, with two-thirds of them actively involved in initiatives that aim to change the Israeli society, namely through promoting equality for Palestinian citizens and other minority groups. We have chosen to devote the 30th anniversary to our graduates who are involved in initiatives, movements, organizations and political parties that are committed to promote social change in the spirit of Sadaka-Reut's vision. This newsletter tells the stories of eight graduates, the initiatives they are involved in and the linkages they found between their participation in Sadaka-Reut and their activism today.

Sincerely, Adi Maoz and Hana Amoury Co-general Directors Sadaka Reut

Rawan, a Palestinian woman in her early twenties, has a BA in Communications and English Literature, and is currently completing a Masters degree in Psychoanalysis and Literature. She works at a youth center in Al-Achuwa school in Jaffa, where she volunteered while in Sadaka-Reut's 'Community in Action' project in 2011-2012. Rawan describes her experience in 'Community in Action' as difficult and full of challenges both on the intellectual and emotional level; It was my first experience in an Arab Jewish framework. There is no option to not confront the other. It was important for me that the other listens to what I have to say, and I also wanted to listen. As time went by I realized that the Jewish group did not know much about our reality as Arabs, and therefore the discussion with them was so crucial. Rawan feels that her experience with Sadaka-Reut supported her forming an identity and contributed to her intellectual capabilities. In addition, she stressed that it made her understand the importance of Palestinians being active within their society, either through awareness raising or through education. Today, she says, she looks differently at reality. When speaking about the voluntary aspect of 'Community in Action', she says: volunteering is the best thing that ever happened to me! Volunteering as part of a bi-national group in different frameworks in Jaffa was by far the most meaningful experience I was a part of. I am still working in Al-Achuwa's youth center based on the belief that education is the most effective tool to change society. After Sadaka-Reut I understood that we need to lead change on the ground, although I still have barriers to do just that. Today I have the ability to go out to the world and speak to a random person about equality or about the occupation. I am capable of voicing my opinions and taking a stand. And for me that is the biggest change I went through at Sadaka-Reut.

Oren, a Jewish man, 28 years of age, lives in South Tel Aviv and works as a photojournalist. He is one of the founders of "ActiveStills"a collective of photographers. Through photography, the members of ActiveStills are intensively involved in various social and political struggles in Israel and in the popular struggles in the West Bank against the separation wall. Oren recalls the establishment of the collective in 2005 during the demonstrations in Bili'n: We came there to photograph because we supported the struggle, we didn't come as photojournalists that were sent by someone else . He added that the members of the collective see themselves as partners in all the struggles they document. Oren emphasized that: ActiveStills didn't change anything on their own, and my opinion is that no-one can change anything alone. Many of our photos made an impact, many became iconic, and in courts of law our photos saved people, but we still see ourselves as part of something bigger to which we contribute this small part. Every group or person adds something, there are those who give first aid in demonstrations and those who give legal support Between 2000-2004 Oren participated in different activities of Sadaka-Reut mainly, in the youth groups, and later joined the 'Community in Action' project. Looking back, Sadaka-Reut was one of the most meaningful frameworks in which Jews and Arabs chose to work together The fact that we lived together in a commune in Jaffa [joint living arrangement that was offered by the organization to the program's participants until 2011] and that Sadaka-Reut was very much connected to the activism scene, contributed to my development as an activist. That is how I got to know more activists, thats how I started going to the occupied territories, that's how I learned about struggles even today I continue to live in a communal house Oren added that he thinks that choosing to work as part of a collective in ActiveStills was influenced from the type of work he was exposed to in Sadaka-Reut.

Saleh, 40 years old, is a Palestinian advocate who specializes in human rights. He is also active in Ramle's local political party "Progress and Equality" and in various other social change initiatives. Among the legal cases he focused on was a petition that demanded to cancel the mandatory clause of a military service as a condition to apply for a job in the Israeli airport, followed with a request to fine the company for discriminating Arabs who apply. Additionally, Saleh was active for equal representation of Palestinians and women in the municipal committees in Lod: while Palestinians comprise 30% of the population of the city they are completely unrepresented, as do women. Saleh recalled that: Sadaka-Reut was one of the most important experiences I went through in my life. I started being involved in 1984 when I was 17 years old, and the movement had just been established. I had no background as to the meaning of Arab-Jewish partnership or even youth movements, because we didn't have similar frameworks in Ramle. In those days we had to face an extreme racist attack led by Rabbi Kahana and his movement, and these were difficult times. We didn't know how to deal with this attack or how to resist it. He added that Sadaka-Reut contributed to his identity formation and to his political thinking; it strengthened his feeling of belonging to the Arab-Palestinian collective and at the same time offered the space he needed to be critical, and implanted him with the belief of the importance of change." In Sadaka-Reut we built Jewish- Arab groups that worked together to strengthen the partnership, through workshops and protests. The meaning of partnership was thereby formed for me, as joint work and coordination based on equality, justice and respect.

26 years of age Zohar, a Jewish woman, is a film student at the Tel Aviv University and works as the Resource Development Coordinator at the "Coalition of Women for Peace", a feminist organization comprised of women from diverse communities, who joined forces in the struggle to end the occupation and to promote a just society. In addition Zohar edits and writes in "Caf Gibraltar' - a cultural website that recognizes Israel's geographical and cultural position as part of the Middle East and as an immigrant society, giving a voice to different experiences and life stories and marginalized artists. She also produced in the Acre Theater Festival and in Tmuna Theater the play "We are building a harbor" by Neta and Raz Weiner and Yonatan Kunda, all three Sadaka-Reut graduates. Zohar joined Sadaka-Reut's youth group in Jerusalem in 2004, continuing for another year in the commune and for a following year in the 'Merkaz', Sadaka-Reut's community center. Zohar says that her feminist and Mizrachi identity developed and became clearer to her over the years, since she was part of the commune. At the same time, most of her understanding of bi-national partnership was shaped when she was at Sadaka-Reut and it continues to guide her in her actions today. Something in Sadaka-Reut just entrenched in me the notion that we are not alone. Not alone, also in the sense that there are other people here who want to eat and drink but also in the sense that there is a connection between us Sadaka-Reut was able to implant me with the idea of partnership in the deepest sense it just ties you to the other nation in ways that cannot be untangled; a sort of joint fate in the sense that we need to create a different fate for ourselves. This partnership in not something I can just unlearn.

Rula a Palestinian woman, 30 years of age, lives between Ramallah, Jerusalem and Haifa. She works as a curator, an art teacher in colleges and is the academic director of the Arab students at the Bezalel Art Academy. Rula conceptualizes her work as means to impact and change reality: When I choose the topics I curate it is important for me that the issues bring about change. Change is not only achieved through demonstrations and shouts but also through awareness raising and art. All the themes of the exhibitions I curated deal with a social problem we need to discuss issues, not avoid them; we need to be more political. Rula was a participant in Sadaka-Reut's youth groups in Haifa when she was 14-15 years old, and continued to be a part of the movement until she was in the 12th grade. She said that the relationships she made back then continue with her till this day. Through her participation in the group she learned how to define herself and her identity in more complex ways: I learned which words to use, and the meanings that stand behind these words. I learned how to debate and express my opinion." The activities made her feel more independent, and so at the age of 19 she moved out of the family home to Jerusalem. Her participation in Sadaka-Reut exposed her to other social change organizations, later joining the Palestinian youth movement Baladna, where she facilitated a group focusing on issues of identity and democracy, and curated an exhibition of students. Partnership, says Rula, means that I can be with the people around me without having to hide my identity. These are basic things that I learned at home and also in Sadaka-Reut: all people are equal, no-one is better than the other, all religions are equal all barriers that existed between people would shatter at Sadaka-Reut's seminars.

In his late thirties, Amit, a Jewish father to two, grew up in Petach Tikva and moved to Haifa, where he lives today, following his involvement in Sadaka Reut. Amit has been working for the past three years at Elem (an association for youth at-risk) with multi-cultural and multi-ethnic population, accompanying youth at risk, and responsible for training and supervision of volunteers. Additionally he is active in the bi-lingual school initiative in Haifa. During the 80's Amit participated in Sadaka-Reut's youth group in Jaffa. In 1993 he joined the commune and thereby became more involved in the movement. He later established a commune for the graduates of Sadaka-Reut, aimed to tighten the relations with the movement's former youth participants and to prepare them to become future facilitators. During 1997-2000 Amit filled various positions within the organization. Amit says: there was a reason why I came to the youth group week after week. I was active back then in other struggles, but being in Sadaka-Reut's group was a different experience. I dealt with my own racism, with my lack of knowledge about the history of the state and of current affairs. In Sadaka-Reut there was always a very critical discourse. In my time some people were even critical towards the Oslo Accords. We always directly addressed the national conflict and the Palestinians' needs to develop their own identity and to demand their collective rights. As a youth it was very important for me to be anti-Zionist, very few groups spoke of it back then Sadaka-Reut before 2000 was a force, a different language the entered into the field of activism. In response to the question: how his participation in Sadaka-Reut influenced him, Amit says: I currently work as a facilitator and an educator. Sadaka-Reut is part of who I am and of my educational approach. It is the political home where I grew up. It shaped who I am in every possible way. So much so, that my circle of friends till this day is comprised of graduates of the movement, and my partner- I met her in the movement.

22 years old Samer studies Political Science and Sociology at Haifa University. He is one of the initiators and main activists in the campaign against the mandatory military service of the Druze. Samer said: We are a group of Druze who refused to go to the army, and now we are active to abolish this law. Through the campaign I want to reach out to youth and expose them to alternative options, because serving in the military disconnects the Druze from our nation. The whole idea to be active as part of a group came from Sadaka-Reut. There I learned what it means to work together, the importance of a group and the strength that comes with it. Samer participated in the 'Community in Action' project in 2010-2011. When speaking about his experience he said: I learned to see reality in a different way more critically. Before I entered the commune I believed in partnership, but on a superficial level. In the discussions between Jews and Palestinians partnership means that I can speak my language and not that when a Jewish person joins the struggle we need to switch to Hebrew or have to cater everything to his needs. He is a partner in the struggle, but a joint struggle means that I can speak my language - and he can understand, and that I am entitled to call out slogans in my language like he can. He added that from his perspective the reality in Haifa and in the university can, at most, be defined as co-existence, but not as partnership. Arabs and Jews live side by side, study together; I live in a building that is populated predominately by Jews, yet this is not partnership. Partnership will be achieved when my culture will also be part of the dominant culture He concludes and says that bi-national activism should be similar to what he experienced at Sadaka-Reut. My opinions today and my approach were shaped in Sadaka-Reut. The commune changed my personality, leaving home and living on my own with friends strengthened my sense of responsibility and of independence.

Gal, a Jewish woman is in her late thirties and a mother of a five year old son, is one of the founders of the Social Justice Program at the Kibbutzim College in Tel Aviv, where she is also one of the leading teachers on topics of education for social and environmental justice and peace education. Alongside this, she teaches in a graduate program on social change in the Society and Arts College in Netanya and in various other academic programs across the country and abroad. Gal also facilitated conflict groups in a number of organizations over the years. She wrote her dissertation on gender analysis of Jewish-Palestinian dialogue. She is politically involved in social change organizations, among them the 'Community Education Center'- a center that offers courses to asylum seekers and migrant workers. She also serves as a board member of Amnesty International Israel. In 1988 at the age of 14 Gal was a participant in a group of an organization which later became part of Sadaka-Reut. In 1992 she began to facilitate youth groups at Sadaka-Reut, and between 1998 - 2001 she worked as the Educational Coordinator of the organization. When a participant in SadakaReut, Rabbi Kahana visited her school as part of a program called "Meet the Politician: I knew it was wrong but I didn't know how to say it politically. We decided that we'd demonstrate and our facilitators from Sadaka-Reut gave us the words to express what we felt, and through the demonstration I got the tools to speak about it. I was asked what changed the course of my life from being a mainstream Zionist to who I am today. I answered that at a young age I met Palestinians that I could converse with and engage in political debates that would change my social and political perceptions and my identity I suddenly felt that I was an activist.