This week, we sat down with Raghad Jaraisy, an activist working with Sikkuy-Aufoq, an organization dedicated to advancing equality and shared society between Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel.

Raghad shares her deeply personal experience of navigating war while raising a family, the structural inequalities that leave Bedouin communities vulnerable, and the urgent need for civil society activism to support their safety. Despite the challenges, Raghad offers a vision of hope—where data-driven advocacy, coalition-building, and unwavering commitment can create real change.

Tune in to hear how civil society can thrive even in times of crisis, and what we can all do to support the incredible work of these organizations.

This episode was produced and edited by Yoshi Fields. Groundwork is produced by Elisheva Goldberg, Nick Acosta, Yoshi Fields, Julie Subrin, and Dina Kraft. Theme music by System Ali. This show is a joint production between the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP) and New Israel Fund. You can learn more about them on their websites www.allmep.org and www.nif.org. On this podcast, hosts and guests express their views. These do not necessarily reflect the official views or stances of the organizations.

You know that feeling when you look around, and everything just feels too big? Like you just can’t make a difference? That’s the feeling the Tzedek Centers were created to fight. We talked to the co-founder and co-director of the Tzedek Centers, and to an activist from Rehovot whose very small fight represents something very big. In this episode reported by Elisheva Goldberg, we learn about how political change really happens: slowly, gradually, and with a lot of grit.

This episode was produced and edited by Julie Subrin. Groundwork is produced by Elisheva Goldberg, Nick Acosta, Yoshi Fields, Julie Subrin, and Dina Kraft. Theme music by System Ali. This show is a joint production between the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP) and New Israel Fund. You can learn more about them on their websites www.allmep.org and www.nif.org. On this podcast, hosts and guests express their views. These do not necessarily reflect the official views or stances of the organizations.

Since Israel was established in 1948, Jerusalem’s diplomatic and international status has been controversial and unresolved. The city is often the center of discourse around the political future of the region. Yudith Oppenheimer, a Jerusalem resident herself, is the Executive Director of Ir Amim (City of Nations). In this brief conversation, we spoke to Yudith about her time as a young activist living in South Africa, lessons learned and her inspiration, and Ir Amim’s efforts to make Jerusalem a more equitable and sustainable city for the Israelis and Palestinian who share it.

This episode was produced and edited by Yoshi Fields. Groundwork is produced by Elisheva Goldberg, Nick Acosta, Yoshi Fields, Julie Subrin, and Dina Kraft. Theme music by System Ali. This show is a joint production between the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP) and New Israel Fund. You can learn more about them on their websites www.allmep.org and www.nif.org. On this podcast, hosts and guests express their views. These do not necessarily reflect the official views or stances of the organizations.