Who founded Heart to Heart?
Heart to Heart was founded in 2011 as a partnership between Givat Haviva in Israel and Hashomer Hatzair - Camp Shomria in Canada.
Givat Haviva is a non-profit organization founded in 1949 as the national education center of the Kibbutz Federation in Israel. It is dedicated to promoting mutual responsibility, civic equality and cooperation between divided groups in Israel as the foundation for building a shared future and shared society – critical elements of a sustainable and thriving Israeli democracy. To this end, the Center for a Shared Society at Givat Haviva serves as a catalyst in activating divided communities to work together towards achieving their common goals, while engaging in a process of interaction, support and empowerment. This is done through facilitating cross-community projects; leading training and capacity building activities; convening seminars, workshops and conferences to cultivate concrete ideas that foster change; and translating these ideas into action. A leader in its field, Givat Haviva is a recipient of the UNESCO Prize for Peace Education for its longstanding work in promoting Jewish-Arab dialogue and reconciliation and has been granted Special Consultative Status to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
Since it's founding in 1923, Hashomer Hatzair - Camp Shomria Canada has offered the highest quality informal education to prepare young people for real life, as they practice leadership skills, advocate for social and environmental justice, and build connection to progressive Jewish values and Israel. In its youth-led community, young people build life-long friendships as they take ownership over their experience, and develop their sense of agency and responsibility for shaping the world in accordance with their values. To that end, Hashomer Hatzair - Camp Shomria co-founded Heart to Heart in 2011 as a way to mobilize its almost century old, proven pedagogy of youth leadership and leverage its central resource of summer camp to make a tangible difference in furthering social justice and equality in Israel.
Who makes Heart to Heart happen on a daily basis?
Day to day operations are managed by our dedicated staff team, co-led by Jenny Isaacs, based in Toronto and Samira Assi, based in Israel. Our team is comprised of Palestinian and Jewish staff members located in both Israel and Canada. We strive for parity in representation within our team as we believe it is essential to model the type of joint leadership we are working to create, and that the best decisions are made when diverse perspectives have a seat at the table.
Heart to Heart is made possible by a dedicated team of volunteers, and committed program alumni and parents. See the governance page for details.
How is the program funded?
Heart to Heart is funded primarily by individual donors who choose to invest in the impact we are having through individual gifts or through family foundations. As of 2018, we have partnered with the New Israel Fund of Canada to support our ever-expanding alumni programming in Israel. Our two parent organizations, Givat Haviva and Hashomer Hatzair - Camp Shomria Canada also support local programming, primarily, though not exclusively, through in-kind support. Heart to Heart does not receive any direct funding from the governments of Israel or Canada. We are also able to accept and provide charitable receipts to American supporters through the Givat Haviva Educational Foundation in New York.
Participants are responsible for covering their flights to Canada. All other costs are supported through our fundraising efforts. We strive to make our programs as accessible as possible by reducing financial barriers through scholarships when needed.
Heart to Heart was founded in 2011 as a partnership between Givat Haviva in Israel and Hashomer Hatzair - Camp Shomria in Canada.
Givat Haviva is a non-profit organization founded in 1949 as the national education center of the Kibbutz Federation in Israel. It is dedicated to promoting mutual responsibility, civic equality and cooperation between divided groups in Israel as the foundation for building a shared future and shared society – critical elements of a sustainable and thriving Israeli democracy. To this end, the Center for a Shared Society at Givat Haviva serves as a catalyst in activating divided communities to work together towards achieving their common goals, while engaging in a process of interaction, support and empowerment. This is done through facilitating cross-community projects; leading training and capacity building activities; convening seminars, workshops and conferences to cultivate concrete ideas that foster change; and translating these ideas into action. A leader in its field, Givat Haviva is a recipient of the UNESCO Prize for Peace Education for its longstanding work in promoting Jewish-Arab dialogue and reconciliation and has been granted Special Consultative Status to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
Since it's founding in 1923, Hashomer Hatzair - Camp Shomria Canada has offered the highest quality informal education to prepare young people for real life, as they practice leadership skills, advocate for social and environmental justice, and build connection to progressive Jewish values and Israel. In its youth-led community, young people build life-long friendships as they take ownership over their experience, and develop their sense of agency and responsibility for shaping the world in accordance with their values. To that end, Hashomer Hatzair - Camp Shomria co-founded Heart to Heart in 2011 as a way to mobilize its almost century old, proven pedagogy of youth leadership and leverage its central resource of summer camp to make a tangible difference in furthering social justice and equality in Israel.
Who makes Heart to Heart happen on a daily basis?
Day to day operations are managed by our dedicated staff team, co-led by Jenny Isaacs, based in Toronto and Samira Assi, based in Israel. Our team is comprised of Palestinian and Jewish staff members located in both Israel and Canada. We strive for parity in representation within our team as we believe it is essential to model the type of joint leadership we are working to create, and that the best decisions are made when diverse perspectives have a seat at the table.
Heart to Heart is made possible by a dedicated team of volunteers, and committed program alumni and parents. See the governance page for details.
How is the program funded?
Heart to Heart is funded primarily by individual donors who choose to invest in the impact we are having through individual gifts or through family foundations. As of 2018, we have partnered with the New Israel Fund of Canada to support our ever-expanding alumni programming in Israel. Our two parent organizations, Givat Haviva and Hashomer Hatzair - Camp Shomria Canada also support local programming, primarily, though not exclusively, through in-kind support. Heart to Heart does not receive any direct funding from the governments of Israel or Canada. We are also able to accept and provide charitable receipts to American supporters through the Givat Haviva Educational Foundation in New York.
Participants are responsible for covering their flights to Canada. All other costs are supported through our fundraising efforts. We strive to make our programs as accessible as possible by reducing financial barriers through scholarships when needed.