MAY 16, 2021
We are deeply shaken, filled with sorrow, and profoundly troubled by the violence and acts of hatred that are tearing apart the fragile social fabric of Israel.
The Social Venture Fund for Jewish-Arab Equality and Shared Society is committed to Israel as envisioned in the Declaration of Establishment of the State. Our collective vision is an Israel that: guarantees social and political equality for all; equitably shares access to the opportunities and benefits of education, economic development and public resources; and provides the conditions for every citizen to feel part of an inclusive society with a positive future.
Those conditions are being sorely challenged today; but we will not be deterred from our work to create the conditions that enable all of Israel’s citizens, Arabs and Jews alike, to live safely and peacefully in a shared and equal society.
We stand in full support of our partners in Israel who work tirelessly on the frontlines, building brick by brick, the essential foundations of a shared and equal society for Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel. As a funding collaborative the SVF has invested in this foundation going on 13 years now, and we’re in it for the long haul. This moment makes it crystal clear why the leadership provided by our grantee partners is a critical bulwark against rising extremism, violence and civil unrest. Investing in Jewish – Arab equality and shared society is the path forward.
JOSH ARNOW AND ALAN DIVACK, CO-CHAIRS