Last week marked the conclusion of our Spring 2026 semester, a diverse group of students and interns who spent the past four months studying environmental challenges, building cross-cultural relationships, and engaging in meaningful dialogue during a particularly challenging time in our region. Throughout the semester, our participants explored topics ranging from water management and renewable e…
Last week we welcomed 31 students and interns to our campus for the Spring 2026 semester! Their first week was all about connection, reflection, and new beginnings. From campus and kibbutz tours and planting trees to meaningful discussions about values, dialogue, and the idea of “home” in the desert, orientation week emphasized why everyone came […] The post Beginning of Spring 2026 semester appe…
At the end of December, we said goodbye to the participants of the Fall 2025 semester. Over the past months, students and interns from around the world have engaged deeply with environmental challenges through hands-on fieldwork, collaborative research, and lively classroom discussions, all while living together on our unique campus in the Arava desert. The final weeks brought long days […] The p…
We are deeply honored and excited to share that the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies was recognized last week at the Israeli Annual Conference for International Development & Aid with a Distinguished Organization Award for 2026. This award, presented by the Society for International Development (SID) Israel in partnership with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign […] The post SID Distinguishe…
The Transboundary Environmental Cooperation – The Gulf of Aqaba (TEC-GoA) course concluded last week at the Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences (IUI) in Eilat. Jointly led by the IUI and the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, the course represents a rare and timely educational collaboration that bridges natural and social sciences while crossing political, disciplinary, and […] …
Last month, Arava Institute alumni from across the world, spanning cohorts from 1997 to 2024, came together for our 2025 Alumni Conference. In a year marked by political and emotional complexity, the conference offered something rare and deeply needed: a shared space for listening, healing, and rebuilding the cross-border relationships that sit at the heart […] The post 2025 Alumni Conference a…
Dr. David Lehrer, Director of Applied Environmental Diplomacy, and former Executive Director of the Arava Institute, shares his impressions from the 2025 Israel Ride. Day 1, Wednesday, October 29th After 2 traumatic years for Israelis, Palestinians and many people around the world, the Israel Ride is back! The riders, the staff, the crew, the lead […] The post Impressions from the 2025 Israel Rid…
by Rabbi Michael Cohen, Friends of the Arava Institute Director of Community Relations On our way back from visiting our son and family in Israel, we stopped in Rome. I took the opportunity to reach out to the Vatican to discuss the Arava Institute and potential joint projects. My wife Alison, who has volunteered at […] The post Espresso knows no borders…but better in Italy appeared first on Arav…
Reflections on the Cultivating Hope Study Tour by our supporter and participant Lori Schuldiner Schor I’m in the midst of the days of reflection, the period of time encompassing Rosh HaShanna (the Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement). Ya’mim Nora’im, the “Days of Awe” on the Jewish calendar. Reflection is easy […] The post Where the magic happens appeared first on Arava Institut…
The recent “From Destruction to Sustainable Regional Recovery” conference, hosted by the Arava Institute, Duke University, and Damour for Community Development, brought together diverse voices in regional environmental cooperation. Diplomats, academics, humanitarian aid workers, and local community leaders met to discuss strategies for rebuilding Gaza and the West Bank after the devastating war. …
We applaud the signing of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas which brings the promise of hope to Israelis and Palestinians who have lived through the devasting past two years. We hope and trust that the agreement will bring all the remaining hostages home and an end to the destruction and war in Gaza, enabling […] The post October 2025 Ceasefire statement appeared first on Arava Ins…
