Born and raised in Yahud, Israel, a small town near Ben Gurion International Airport, Yaniv Sasson is a OneVoice Israel Youth Leader and head of his chapter at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzeliya. He is currently completing a B.A. in Government with a concentration in Middle Eastern Studies and Conflict Management. Yaniv also volunteers with the police patrol units in Tel Aviv and the Juvenile Diabetic Research Foundation as a supervising instructor of the youth activities. Following his army service as a recruitment officer, he spent seven months traveling in South and Central America, a very enlightening and unforgettable experience for him. He discovered that people had very different visions of the conflict, and for the first time understood what it was like to be an observer getting information about the conflict from TV. He was discouraged to see that clashes and images of war were much more represented than many of the positive developments. Yaniv believes that something has to be done on both sides in order to end the conflict. After returning from South America, Yaniv received an email from OneVoice asking him "What are you willing to do to end the conflict?" and he felt that it was only natural to join One Voice. Since receiving that email two years ago, Yaniv has been an active member of the One Voice Movement, both as a member and leader of the Herzeliya chapter. After graduation, Yaniv hopes to continue to play a positive role in ending the conflict by working in the government on conflict resolution and negotiation.
OneVoice Palestine: Rami Rabaya
Rami Rabayah is a 30‐year old OneVoice Palestine Youth Leader from a rural family long‐established in Jenin, known in ancient times as the Canaanite village of Ein‐Ganeem. Rami’s professional career might best be described as a rural development executive. As a farmer, he takes care of his family’s property producing extra virgin olive oil in the northern West Bank. He also works as a senior project manager who consults with the Horizon for Sustainable Development, a private company in Ramallah. Since he graduated in 2002, Rami has devoted himself to helping marginalized and poor communities. He focuses on rural communities and on improving private sector performances in Palestinian agriculture. Moreover, he created the first sheep selection and multiplication unit in the Palestinian Territories. Rami’s commitment to achieve peace and eradicate violence is an important component of his life. He believes in ending this conflict that feeds fundamentalism and is threatening global peace. To counter this, Rami has volunteered with OneVoice Palestine, and looks to press both Israeli and Palestinian leaders to achieve peace through a two‐state solution, as this is the most realistic and comprehensive possible outcome for the Israeli‐Palestinian struggle. He feels that he is part of a young motivated majority of Palestinians that looks for partners on the Israeli side to construct a comprehensive peace based on respect and justice. Rami is also looking to get the international community and his friends abroad involved—not to take part in the conflict—but to be part of the solution, helping each side consolidate its peace camp and construct bridges between them.
OneVoice Israel: Uri Fishelson
Before I left Israel on my long journey toward Northern California, I wasn’t completely sure how my small part as a Youth Leader could make any difference. On the plane while talking to my neighbor I already started understanding, and after a whole week of presentations and meetings, the impact was crystal clear. Many people around the world and on our specific trip in Northern California are either misinformed or not informed about the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The media represents a distorted picture, which Malaka and I had to try and fix. Our job there was to show all our listeners that we can stand and speak together in One Voice, communicating the same basic principles. It was important for us to show that, even though we have our own differences, we can still travel together for a week have a lot of fun and agree amongst ourselves on the basic steps we see as necessary toward our end goal – An end of the conflict. Learning was one of the main things I did this week, learning from my counterpart, learning from my crowds and learning about myself. After this week I understood how 2 people going half way around the world can change so many opinions and open many minds to a concept that we at One Voice try to communicate. As an individual, I have seen how my work personally can affect others and why we should work even harder to awake the public and recruit more people for our cause.
Uri Fishelsonis a OneVoice Israel Youth Leader from Tel Aviv. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Tel Aviv University, and started a Master’s degree in Diplomacy Studies this year.Previously, he served in the Israeli navy for three years. In addition to his work and studies, he has served as a student body representative for the past two years, participates in a program called Zionism Endows Education, and works as a tutor for biology students. He has been working as a research assistant at a Neurobiochemistry lab in Tel Aviv University, during which he has discovered that his future does not lie between microscopes but rather in International Relations. Uri found out about OneVoice from a fellow representative in the student body.Hejoined after learning that the agenda of OneVoice goes hand in hand with his own and feels that the movement is a place from which change can occur. He has been an active member for one year, where he works as the internet coordinator. Since joining OneVoice, Uri has been engaged in many grassroots activities, including the "We've had enough" ("Chalas Nimas") campaign, Imagine 2018 project, and the "Till white smoke comes out" Israeli art exhibition.
OneVoice Palestine: Malaka Samara
This IEP tour was an important experience for me. I had many important and successful meetings with international people who are intrested in the situation between Palestine and Israel. I had the chance to tell them about my personal experiences and my personal life as a Palestinian citizen who lives in the heart of the conflict. Most importantly, I was able to deliver my message as a Palestinian who wants to end the conflict and the consequences of the occupation, and to live in peace side by side with the Israeli state in an independent state as other people live all over the world .
Malaka Samara is a OneVoice Palestine youth leader from Tulkaram, a city in the north of Palestine. She is 29 years old and holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature from Al-Najah University-Nablus. She has worked as a substitute English teacher in many schools in Tulkaram and refugee camps with UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) schools. She has also worked with the European Union as an interpreter during the second Palestinian Legislative Council Elections. Malaka has participated in many international camps with the Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees and has been a volunteer with many local institutions that target youth. Malaka first heard about OneVoice through a friend who is a member in the organization, and she supports OneVoice’s ideas about ending the conflict and the role that youth can play in mobilizing the grassroots to end the occupation and live in peace. She has had the opportunity to represent OneVoice Palestine on a previous speaking delegation to Southern California universities in 2007. Her dream is to live in peace and to travel without difficulties. Through her work with OneVoice, she hopes to dispel others’ misperceptions of Palestinians. She joined OneVoice to be a key member, to achieve peace, and rise up with her people.
OneVoice Israel: Shani Gershon
The true meaning of the OneVoice North American outreach program was revealed to me during the Southern Californian tour I participated in. As the conflict immediately affects those who live within the region, I wasn’t sure why there was a need to speak to students on North American campuses other than to portray our work in both OneVoice Israel and OneVoice Palestine. The truth was that the conflict affects students on campuses, for the different Jewish/Israeli and Muslim/Arab student groups, those who claim to represent the people in the region, will sometimes not cooperate with each other or even sit in the same room, and present a more extreme opinion than the people that live in conflict. Therefore, it was important to ask those few people from both “sides” on campus, to form some sort of dialogue, just to get to know each other, not in order to agree upon things of the past, but to look forward to the future. In this way they could represent the people who live in the region and hopefully bring back a new perspective to their peers.
On a personal level, I had an interesting experience for it was the first time I had spent time with a Palestinian. Hearing Malaka’s personal story, discussing our beliefs, our truths, disagreeing on many things but understanding that we both want the same things in the future, gave me hope that a better future is not a dream but something that can be attained. At times, in the difficult reality we live in, I sometimes ask myself if the work I do in OneVoice Israel is making a difference, and this experience reassured me that the work we do is important, and motivated me to continue to work for a better future.
Shani Gershon is a OneVoice Israel youth leader who was born and raised in Toronto, Canada, and came to Israel at the age of 10, moving to Rehovot in central Israel. Shani is currently an International Relations and Communications student and at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. In addition to her studies, Shani volunteers with Stand with Us, an Israeli advocacy organization, and was recently awarded a Leadership, Communication, and Diplomacy fellowship. She is also a counselor for international students at the Hebrew University and has organized a series of Israeli cultural events for students studying abroad in Jerusalem.
Over the years, Shani was concerned by some of her peers’ indifference to the conflict. Shani understood that she could not be apathetic to such a burning subject, and OneVoice provided her the perfect platform in order for her to become active. OneVoice empowers the voice of the majority of the society that wants an end to the conflict. Shani believes that people should have the power to shape their future, and voicing the cry for an end to the conflict through non-violent methods is a step in shaping the people’s future. Shani has been part of OneVoice for almost two years. She is one of the founders and currently the head of chapter of the Jerusalem Chapter of OneVoice on Hebrew University's campus, the first university-based OneVoice chapter.
OneVoice Palestine: Duroub Yacoub
Duroub Yacoub is a OneVoice Palestine youth leader and currently lives in Ramallah, Palestine. Duroub was born in Ramallah, Palestine, and her parents were both born in Jerusalem. In 2006 Duroub graduated from Kent State University in Ohio, with a Bachelors degree in International Relations. At Kent State, Duroub was the Vice President for the United Arab Student Association as well as a member of the Muslim Student Association.Duroub has participated in, organized, and planned a variety of social events and rallies relating to Middle Eastern affairs.
In Ramallah, Duroub is has worked as a volunteer Child Care Assistant for the Palestinian Red Cross, promoting health awareness and collecting "life-saving" materials from local hospitals. Currently, Duroub is an active youth leader for OneVoice Palestine. Duroub first learned about OneVoice from a friend; she then started to attend and participate in OneVoice activities in Ramallah City. Duroub is a strong believer in the importance of giving the Palestinians a viable independent state where they can live in peace and prosperity. Her family and friends share her hope of living in peace.
Waiting for my flight back to Israel at JFK, I finally was able to sit down and almost fully grasp what I had just experienced for the last two weeks. I was flying back home, back to Israel, which I had been representing for two weeks on behalf of OVI and mainly on behalf of myself. The journey I thought I was going to embark on and the one I had experienced were very different, and this I say on a positive note.
I learnt a lot of things during my two week tour to Western Canada and the Mid-West. It was my first time to North America and even though we were very busy and spent a lot of time travelling from place to place, I was able to absorb sights, sounds and flavors from my surroundings. I got to know a little about the Canadian people and the different colors that make up Canada and a little about what makes the heart of America beat. This to me was an amazing experience, one that left a taste for more.
Learning about myself was another interesting lesson I was fortunate to have on this tour. I explored my capability of reaching out to people much different than myself who come from various cultures and mind sets. I had so much fun telling my story and letting people know about the situation in the region from my perspective. I was filled with excitement and adrenalin every time I was challenged with questions and really waited for them to arrive at the end of every event. Educating myself about the conflict and Israel's image was probably one of the most interesting things to me. I still have question marks I seek to resolve due to this tour and I think that is something that I couldn't have encountered from within Israel. Sometimes breaking away for a little makes one realize that things to others aren't as they seem to you… but this tour made me proud of my country, proud of where I come from.
Meeting and getting to know Duroub was definitely the most valuable thing I take from this tour. Naturally, the concerns I had before flying were how we would get along, how we would portray our stories together and if we would be able to see eye to eye on the main issues. I anticipated disagreements but the process of learning and seeing things through Duroub's eyes was wonderful! I got to know a smart, spicy, funny young woman who shared a lot of things in common with me. We naturally developed a friendship and as we were told, this could be felt and seen during our presentations. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I could learn to care for someone who is supposedly my "enemy" in such a short period of time. I listened to Duroub's stories and experiences and things that I wasn't willing to accept once became understandable. I found myself able to embrace her pain and give her a huge hug in order to try and sooth an aching heart, again something I didn't know I had in me.
This tour has shown me that in life the most important things aren't big or fabulous, gigantic or immense. Sometimes, all you need to make a change is two people and a conversation. I am very grateful to have been chosen to go this tour and extend a warm thank you to all who made is possible!
Maya Epstein is a OneVoice Israel youth leader. Maya was born in Botswana, Africa, and moved to Israel at the age of 13.After serving in the Israel Defense Forces, Maya moved to Jerusalem, where she lives today.Maya is in her second year at Hebrew University where she is pursuing a Bachelors degree in International Relations, Journalism and Communications.Maya first heard of OneVoice through friends and after finishing a OneVoice leadership course, helped build the OneVoice student chapter at the Hebrew University.
Being a part of the OneVoice movement was natural step for Maya as she believes deeply in the mission of the organization. Growing up in a culturally diverse community in Southern Africa has contributed immensely to Maya's perspective on the conflict.She is a strong believer in a non-violent and peaceful solution, one that will derive from both education and from the international activism of young leaders in Palestine, Israel, and the world.
OneVoice Palestine: Wafa Nazzal
Wafa Nazzal currently lives in Jenin. Wafa is in her fourth year at the Arab American University in Jenin and is majoring is English Language.She was born in Saudi-Arabia, but both of her parents were born in Jenin.
Wafa has been very active in her community.She has worked as a volunteer with Ta’awon for Conflict Solutions and the Ibdaa’ Center, two Palestinian institutions that helpPalestinians in the underprivileged villages that are affected by the Wall. She also works as an English tutor after school.
Wafa first learned about OneVoice when she attended a town hall meeting in Jenin City. She heard about OneVoice’s belief that the people have the power to ask their elected representatives to start uninterrupted negotiations to work towards an end to conflict and secure an independent Palestine through non-violent ways.She is a strong believer in the importance of ending the conflict. Her family shares her hope of living in peace and without war.
Noga Ron is a OneVoice Israel youth leader.Noga was born in Kibutz Mesuat Itzhak, in southern Israel. After serving in the Intelligence Department of the Israel Defense Forces, she moved to Tel Aviv, where she completed a BA in Political Science and Sociology at Tel Aviv University.
After graduation Noga, worked in the Jewish Agency in Canada as an Israel Project Director. It was here that Noga first heard about OneVoice and became involved with organization, helping coordinate the regional tour at Carleton University in Canada. She continued to work with OneVoice after she returned to Israel.
Joining OneVoice made sense for Noga as she grew up balancing pluralistic views at home with a more conservative perspective in her community. Although she was brought up in a religious family she always felt that her views were different from many others in her community. A believer in peaceful coexistence and in a non-violent solution to the conflict, Noga realizes that it is not enough to just passively support a conflict resolution initiative but that it is essential to speak up and actively participate in the process.
OneVoice Palestine: Adi Labadi
Adi Labadi was raised in Jenin in the northern West Bank, and his family hails from Haifa and Tulkaram.Though he just recently graduated from high school, Adi is already a scholar writing on various issues related to the Palestinian people and has spoken about his research in an international setting, including a previous visit to Canada.After losing close friends to the conflict at a young age, Adi was encouraged by his older sister’s participation in OneVoice and joined the movement in order to work for a better and more secure future for the region.Having witnessed some of the most devastating effects of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Adi is determined to work with other OneVoice volunteers from his hometown to ensure that the demand of the majority of Palestinians who want an end to the conflict to be heard.
Smadar is 24 years old OneVoice Israel youth leader. She was born in Tel Aviv and was raised in Hertzelia, Israel. Smadar is currently a student at the Interdisciplinary Center in Hertzelia where she studies government, diplomacy, and strategy.
When Smadar turned 18, she was committed to serving in the army, but due to a medical condition that prevented her from enlisting, she volunteered in intelligence that brought her to the West Bank, Gaza, and the Lebanese and Syrian borders.During her military service, her commander’s death in a bomb attack had a profound impact on her. Smadar was supposed to be with her commander, and really felt the fear of almost being there.Her reaction was not to hate the Palestinians, and it became clearer to her that the solution has to be a political—and not simply military—one.
It was at the Interdisciplinary Center in Hertzelia where she heard about OneVoice, and today she is the head of the IDC OneVoice chapter.She joined OneVoice because her family upbringing and schooling have always emphasized non-violence and tolerance.Smadar has been with OneVoice Israel for more than a year and took part in many OneVoice Israel activities, including planning for the People’s Summit, the drive to sign up one million people to the OneVoice Mandate, and an event publicizing the efforts being made by Saudi Arabia in the conflict resolution process.
Yoni Itzhak is a OneVoice Youth Leader from Holon, Israel. He is studying Political Science and International Relations at the Hebrew University. He currently serves as the spokesman for the Ministry for Senior Citizens and theMinistry of Jerusalem Affairs, where he works with Minister Rafi Eitan. Yoni also serves as Chairman of the Young World Labor Zionists. Previously he was a political advisor to MP Colette Avital of the Labor party and led her political campaign when she ran for presidency. He has also served as head of the Hebrew University Students Union. Prior to this, Yoni served as a combat soldier and officer in the Israeli Defense Force for 5 years. Yoni found out about OneVoice in 2004 from his friends in the Knesset, and began his involvement by joining a youth leadership seminar. Since joining four years ago, Yoni has been involved with OneVoice in many capacities, including representing OneVoice in a delegation to the World Economic Forum in Egypt, and serving as the founding member of the OneVoice forum at the Hebrew University.
OneVoice Palestine: Arwa AbdelRahman
Arwa AbdelRahman is a OneVoice Youth Leader in Palestine. She was born in Beirut, and spent parts of her life in Jordan and Tunisia before moving to Ramallah in 1996. She holds a B.A. in Radio and Television Broadcasting from Birzeit University and a Master's Degree in Internationalization and Communication from the University for Foreigners in Perugia, Italy. She is currently the Executive Director of Young Entrepreneurs – Palestine (YEP), which supports young business leaders to develop their ideas and helps facilitate grants to establish or sustain small and medium enterprises in Palestine. Prior to that, she began her career as a news and documentary films producer, in which she previously worked for Ramattan News Agency and Link Productions.
In 2004, Arwa was introduced to OneVoice through friends, and but was not a true believer until 2006. When One Voice launched their bold campaign “What Are You Willing to Do to End the Conflict?” she felt touched deeply by the title, believing that every individual can make a difference in his life instead of merely focusing on the actions of the other side. She has supported OneVoice as it embarks on another bold initiative: Town Hall Meetings which work to break taboos in both Israeli and Palestinian society.
Guy is a OneVoice Youth Leader from Tel Aviv. He is currently pursuing a B.Sc. degree in Information Systems Engineering from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beer-Sheva. Guy works as a multidisciplinary systems analyst, webmaster, and IT consultant.
Guy decided to join OneVoice because he believes it has the power to bring a real change, since its message appeals to the wide public, from right-wing to left-wing, thus allowing even the national right to confront misconceptions in issues about the conflict. Guy has been a prominent and highly active Youth Leader in OneVoice for the past two years, where he currently heads both the Ben Gurion University and the Alumni chapters. Guy has initiated and conducted numerous OneVoice Town Hall Meetings in Beer-Sheva and the surrounding towns and has brought the OneVoice message to major cultural events and festivals in Beer-Sheva to reach the man on the street as well as the student on campus.
Itamar Cohen is an active Youth Leader in OneVoice Israel and works in the high-tech industry as a software developer. He holds a B.Sc in Bioinformatics from Ben-Gurion University in the Negev. In addition to his work as a Youth Leader with OneVoice, Itamar has had many political and organizational involvements, including serving as the campaign manager for several candidates of the Israel Bar Association in Tel Aviv and Beer Sheva. He is active in the World Union of Jewish Students as well as the Jewish Policy Planning Institute, a master class for young leaders
OneVoice Palestine: Antwan Saca
Antwan Saca is a OneVoice Palestine Youth Leader from Bethlehem. He is currently working as a research assistant in the urbanization monitoring department at the Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem (ARIJ). He graduated from Arab American University of Jenin (AAUJ) with a Bachelor’s degree in Public Law. Antwan has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to peace and conflict resolution through his involvement in a range of conferences, workshops, and delegations in Palestine, Israel, Jordan, Belgium, Turkey, Denmark, and Italy throughout the past ten years.
Antwan found out about OneVoice through a volunteer, and joined because he truly believes that OneVoice works to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, not manage it or normalize it, while respecting both people’s narratives and nationalistic aspirations. Furthermore, he fully supports OneVoice’s call for a Two-State Solution, which is backed by the international community. Antwan has been an active member of OneVoice for the past two and a half years. During this time, he has participated in capacity-building seminars, helped shape OneVoice language in the “common message” committee, and has been involved in national and international conventions representing OneVoice. He currently serves on the Youth Advisory Council. In his free time, Antwan enjoys swimming and good house music.
OneVoice Israel: Rotem Yossef
Rotem Yossef, from Tel Aviv, has been a OneVoice Israel Youth Leader for the past four years. He currently chairs the OneVoice Israel Youth Council and is a member of the OneVoice International Steering Committee.
Rotem currently works for one of the biggest telecom companies in Israel as the O&M Manager. He previously spent a year managing a rose farm in Ethiopia. Rotem holds a B.Sc in Computer Science from Ben-Gurion University (BGU) in the Negev. As a student, He served as a member of BGU student council and chaired 2 student union committees. Throughout his studies, Rotem was devoted to voluntary work with criminal youth and the Israeli Police to establish a unique voluntary unit, combining students and local youth at the Be'er Sheva police department. Since Rotem's family did not live in Israel when Rotem was near the age of conscription, he was exempt from military service. However, he chose out of his own volition to serve as a combat officer in the armored corps.
While serving in the BGU student association Rotem was introduced to OneVoice. Rotem found OneVoice to be an organization with values very similar to his own and decided to join. He took part in one of Israel's first leadership seminars and started the BGU chapter. Rotem remained an active member of OneVoice after his graduation and in 2008 was elected as head of the Israel Youth Council. In addition to his work, he is an amateur photographer, scuba diver and plays Capoeira.
Ari Eitan is a OneVoice Israel Youth Leader from Jerusalem. He is the oldest son of 8 siblings, and his father is a leading rabbi in the Jewish ultra orthodox community. After years of religious studies to become a rabbi in the future, Ari developed a unique approach to Judaism and religion, and ultimately chose to pursue an independent path from the ultra orthodox community. Against the ideology of his family and his surroundings, when he was 20 years old, Ari joined the Israeli military as combat soldier, and later completed an L.L.B. degree (cum laude). Over the years, activism has becomes an integral part of Ari’s life, including initiating a public struggle against discrimination committed by schools, as well as encouraging ultra orthodox youth to obtain basic education and awareness of democratic values. As a resident of Jerusalem who has lived since his early childhood under the shadows of fear of terrorism, as well as prejudices towards the other side, Ari sees significant importance in breaking the barriers and achieving peace between Israelis and Palestinians. From this point of view, he became involved in various activities which promote dialogue and peace between Israelis and Palestinians. The core of this involvement has been as an active member of OneVoice, in which he has been selected to lead the Jerusalem student chapter for this academic year. In addition to his activism, Ari enjoys combining writing and traveling. During more than a year of traveling to Southeast Asia and Europe, he wrote his first novel, which has recently been accepted for publication by a well-known publisher.
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