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Wahat al-Salam – Neve Shalom (pronounced “waaḥat’ as-salaam/nevei shalom”) is a village of Palestinian and Jewish citizens of Israel dedicated to building justice, peace and equality in the country and the region.
Situated equidistant from Jerusalem and Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Wahat al-Salam / Neve Shalom (WAS-NS) was established in 1970 by Fr. Bruno Hussar on land of the Latrun Monastery. It is a model of equality, mutual respect and partnership that challenges existing patterns of racism and discrimination as well as the continued conflict. The community has established educational institutions based on its ideals and conducts activities focused on social and political change. Many of the village members work in peace, justice and reconciliation projects. As of, 2023, it has a population of 70+ families and will grow to 150 families.
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Articles
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Eve of Holocaust Memorial Day: "In the Spirit of Etty Hillesum"
27 April 2014
Some 100 persons attended the event themed "In the Spirit of Etty Hillesum" held on the eve of Israel’s Holocaust Day.
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Celebration of Passover and Easter
3 April 2014, by C&D Office
Just before the spring holidays, pupils at our primary school celebrate Passover and Easter with a trip to the forest and games there.
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Wish list for the Primary School: 2014
26 March 2014
Support needs of the WAS-NS bi-national primary school for 2014
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Remembering our dear friend Ambassador Sam Lewis
26 March 2014, by Communications and Development Office
Sam Lewis, who died this month, first visited in the 1970s and remained a supporter ever since.
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School teachers to visit German school
25 March 2014, by C&D Office
Teachers from WAS-NS will be visiting Düsseldorf to check possibilities for a student exchange project.
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Purim 2014
16 March 2014, by C&D Office
Purim is a Jewish holiday recalling the rescue of the Jews in ancient Persia from an evil plot to destroy them. The school kids celebrated with a customary exchange of gifts) and fancy dress.
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Good Deeds Day 2014 at the Primary School
11 March 2014, by C&D Office
Just before Purim, the school organised its second Good Deeds Day. Some kids were actually helping in their costumes.
Every student helped out on campus. With spring well on the way, most of the students were asked to get the flower beds surrounding the newly refurbished and extended greenhouse ready and cleaned up. The first and second graders were given flowers and herbs to plant all over the school, and some pupils helped with the vegetable patch in the Kindergarten. Every grade spent (...)
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Musical Journey at the Primary School
17 February 2014, by C&D Office
A trio of multi-instrumentalists takes the children on a musical journey through N. Africa, the Middle East and India.
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A donation of books in honor of Mark & Ada Levene
4 February 2014, by C&D Office
The Primary School library receives a donation of books, with a wonderful story behind it.
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Tu B’Shvat / Eid I-shajara / Arbor day at the primary school
16 January 2014, by C&D Office
Today is Tu B’Shvat, a festival celebrating the trees. In the afternoon, the whole school attends to build flowerbeds, and craft decorations for trees. The sun is shining. Music announces the temporary end of classes, and soon the kids run out onto the playground and the lawn.
From the nearby Trappist monastery in Latrun, two brothers have come to visit. In front of the whole school, some children present them with a gift of flowers, which are gratefully received. In return Father Paul and (...)
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Recycling to Art
9 January 2014, by Communications and Development Office
The arts and crafts teacher Michal, who also lives in the village, and the children of the primary school of Wahat al-Salam/Neve Shalom never fail to amaze with their creations.
They do their work in a small house near the main school building. This unique location and its surroundings allow the children’s imagination to run free.
For Michal, anything can be working material, therefore she collects almost everything she sees, like fallen branches, plastic and various other materials left (...)
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School class visits destroyed Palestinian villages
6 January 2014, by C&D Office
German school students were shown around the Ayalon-Canada park, and what used to be the Palestinian village of Imwas.
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Christmas at the PSCC
22 December 2013, by Christina Mittermaier,
Dafna Karta Schwartz
The PSCC celebrated the holiday season, with guest musicians, friends from the Latrun Monastery and sisters from the Beatitudes Community (Emmaus)
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A little update on our 6th grade
19 December 2013, by C&D Office
Report on the 6th Grade The sixth grade class is taught by Reem Nashef, a long time teacher at the Neve Shalom-Wahat al Salam school. She grew up in Jerusalem and moved to NSWAS with her family in 2000. Two of her children graduated from the NSWAS primary school. Along with being responsible for the 6th grade, Reem is the school’s science and environment teacher. She works full time at the school, while working on completing her master’s degree in education. She speaks Hebrew, Arabic, (...)
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A Piano Duo in the Oasis of Peace
8 December 2013, by Christina Valentin,
Public Relations
Among the most recent newcomers to the village is a pair of gifted musicians: Tami Kanazawa and Yuval Admony.
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Sulha Peace Project
5 December 2013, by Christina Mittermaier
The Pluralistic Spiritual Center in Neve Shalom - Wahat al Salam is hosting the Sulha Peace Project for a weekend of peace work
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Three generations of the Edlund family and the WAS-NS Primary School
3 December 2013, by Christina Valentin,
Glenn Chon
Wahat al-Salam Neve Shalom is today a multi-generational village. Here we tell the remarkable stories of Ety Edlund, who, together with Abdessalam Najjar, founded the Primary School; of Tom Edlund, who attended the School from its first year of existence, of Tom’s wife Keren, and of their daughter, Elenora, who attends the school, in her turn.
Ety and Kent Edlund joined the community in the early 1980s. Ety was from Israel, Kent originally from Sweden. Moving to WAS-NS with their three (...)
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Swedish Association visits NSWAS
12 November 2013, by Christina Valentin,
Public Relations
On Tuesday, November 12, a delegation from the Swedish Association of Health Professionals (Vardförbundet) visited Wahat al-Salam - Neve Shalom.
The group, which included Ms. Sineva Ribeiro (President of the Association), Maria Hallen (project manager), Hannele Kangas (a department head) and Eva Nowak (president of a local branch), received an introduction and tour of the village, given by public relations and visiting groups coordinator Ms. Rita Boulos.
The Swedish Association of Health (...)
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Yara and Naomi - Two Children and Their Holiday Experience
1 November 2013, by Christina Valentin
Our friends from early childhood often remain fast friends throughout life. I thought of this today when visiting the 3rd grade class at the NSWAS primary school. There I found Yara and Naomi, who are “best friends” despite their cultural differences. Yara was born to a Palestinian family and lives in Wahat al Salam/Neve Shalom. Naomi was born to a Jewish family and lives in Gizo, a nearby moshav (village).
I interviewed these two girls about school and their friendship. Here is what they (...)
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Annual Report - September 2012 – October 2013
1 November 2013
A quick summary of a full year of exciting activities