“The Oasis of Peace illustrates what could be the end result of the Middle East peace process.”

— The Jewish Advocate

The Village

For over fifty years, Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam (“Oasis of Peace” in Hebrew and Arabic) has been home to Palestinian-Israeli and Jewish-Israeli families who have chosen to live together peacefully. The village was founded in 1972 by Father Bruno Hussar, a Jew by birth and a Catholic by conversion, who envisioned a manifestation of the Old Testament prophecy that “My people shall dwell in an oasis of peace.” (Isaiah 32:18).

Located midway between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on the Green Line, the village welcomes all faiths and is governed by a democratically elected mayor and council. As the only community of its kind in Israel, it has an impact that extends far beyond its own borders; peace-seekers come from all over the world to learn from the village’s successes and participate in its programs dedicated to bridging differences and catalyzing authentic and lasting social change.

The village’s own website can be found here.

Visiting Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam Guide click here.

Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam Visitors Programs and Activities Guide click here.

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Primary School

The first school in Israel where children learn together in Hebrew and Arabic, the Primary School models a successful bilingual, binational approach to education for children ages kindergarten through sixth grade.

School for Peace

Through facilitated Jewish-Arab encounters, the School for Peace offers ground-breaking training and workshops in conflict management and resolution.

Pluralistic Spiritual Center

Creating opportunities for Jewish/Arab inter-religious/intercultural learning and dialogue, the Spiritual Center offers study, workshops and extended encounters for an inclusive exploration of religious texts, current Palestinian and Jewish literature and cinema, and the intersection of current life with religious histories.

Oasis Art Gallery

Inspiring visitors to connect across language, culture, and geography, the Oasis Art Gallery showcases work that engages the complex and pressing issues of our time, including identity, nationalism, and political freedom, violence, and oppression.

Humanitarian Aid Program

The Humanitarian Aid Program enables the village to provide free medical care to those in Gaza and the West Bank who have limited access to resources.

Nadi Youth Group

The Nadi provides ongoing social engagement for Palestinian and Jewish youth who graduate from the village’s Primary School into more traditional monolingual, mononational middle and high schools in the area.

Visitors Center

The Visitors Center welcomes individuals and groups of all ages from around the globe, providing onsite tours and activities as well as half- and full-day excursions throughout the region.

Village Map

Click below to interact with the map and learn more about the village!

Click below to interact with the map and learn more about the village!