“Campus Encounters” Launches its Third Cohort

This week marked the opening session of the third cohort of the “Campus Encounters” program at Reichman University. The initiative is led by the Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy and Strategy, in partnership with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) in Israel and Al-Qasemi College. The program brings together Israeli Jewish and Arab students to engage in open and meaningful dialogue.

The evening opened with welcoming remarks by Dr. Jennifer Shkabator, Vice Dean of the Lauder School of Government, who underscored the importance, now more than ever, of dialogue among Arabs and Jews in Israel.

The program is led by Dr. Lesley Terris, Lauder School faculty member and Director of the Program on Democratic Resilience (PDRD), together with Mr. Arik Segal, lecturer at the Lauder School of Government and negotiation expert. Both emphasized the power of interpersonal dialogue and its potential to bridge divides through listening and understanding. Additional opening remarks were delivered by Ms. Palina Kedem, Senior Project Manager at KAS Israel and by Dr. Ahlam Anabusi, Head of the Department of Education at Al-Qasemi College, who shared insights on fostering dialogue and building trust among diverse groups in society.

The session featured introductory activities and small-group discussions, offering participants first opportunities for connection, attentive listening, and thoughtful exchange. With this, a new cohort begins—committed not only to talking, but to fostering mutual understanding and building lasting bridges in a shared society.