Partnership through Diversity

The Frieze Center for Shared Society works to foster a sense of belonging and civic and social commitment in a reality marked by enduring diversity, tension, and disagreement.

Pedagogy

Making the fields of knowledge associated with shared society accessible to the broadest possible audience, while equipping participants with tools for engaging constructively with difference.

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Multi-Sector Roundtables

A mechanism for consultation and coordination among academia, government, local authorities, civil society, and philanthropy, designed to identify shared challenges, formulate courses of action, and develop practical tools.

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From Polarization to Partnership Index

Development of an index for assessing public policy and the implementation of shared-society principles across government bodies, local authorities, and public institutions.

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Ecosystem

A support framework for civil-society organizations and public-sector actors working in the field of shared society, combining research, training, and a platform for collaboration.

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Academic Partnerships

An international network of scholars working on shared society and adjacent fields of knowledge.

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Our

Approach

Our approach is grounded in the view that a shared society is built through sustained connections among diverse communities, between citizens and state institutions, and between individual and collective identities and a multicultural social sphere. Our aim is to enable every person to experience a sense of belonging within the shared civic space without relinquishing their distinctiveness or identity.

We seek to work simultaneously across three complementary spheres:

  • Individual – developing familiarity with identities and conflicts, and providing knowledge and tools for navigating conditions of deep diversity.
  • Communities – building connections among different communities in society and between those communities and state institutions.
  • State – advancing inclusive public policy grounded in Israel’s social diversity.

This integrated approach seeks to cultivate appreciation for the distinctive diversity of Israeli society and to develop sustainable, practical tools for managing that diversity in pursuit of the shared-society vision. It generates a deeper understanding of Israel’s social reality and enables the development of practical and sustainable instruments for change. We approach shared society not as an abstract idea or a normative image, but as an ongoing practice of action, learning, and transformation.

What’s
New?

For the first time in Israel:
an academic specialization in diversity management in a polarized society >>

Conferences and Events

Frieze Center Launch Conference >>

ChatGPT Image Aug 31, 2026, 09_15_15 AM

Launch Conference: “Beyond the Liberal Imagination: Critical Research in Israel” >>

Book Launch: “A Lexicon for Shared Society” >>

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Undergraduate Academic Specialization

At a time when social and political polarization is deepening and the distance between groups is growing, the ability to understand difference and operate effectively in a diverse society has become an essential skill in every field of study and professional career.

In the 2026 – 27 academic year, Israel’s first academic specialization in diversity management will be launched under the leadership of the Frieze Center for Shared Society.

Students from all fields of study at the University of Haifa will be able to acquire practical and theoretical tools for working in a complex multicultural environment, develop sensitivity to different perspectives, and connect their disciplinary and professional knowledge to the challenges facing Israeli society.

For further details >>

See the Pedagogy page for more >>

Undergraduate Academic Specialization

At a time when social and political polarization is deepening and the distance between groups is growing, the ability to understand difference and operate effectively in a diverse society has become an essential skill in every field of study and professional career.

In the 2026 – 27 academic year, Israel’s first academic specialization in diversity management will be launched under the leadership of the Frieze Center for Shared Society.

Students from all fields of study at the University of Haifa will be able to acquire practical and theoretical tools for working in a complex multicultural environment, develop sensitivity to different perspectives, and connect their disciplinary and professional knowledge to the challenges facing Israeli society.

For further details >>

See the Pedagogy page for more >>

Launch Conference: “Beyond the Liberal Imagination: Critical Research in Israel”

At the launch of the edited collection “Beyond the Liberal Imagination: Critical Research in Israel,” we gathered for an evening of discussion and reflection on the critical discourse that has developed in the humanities and social sciences in Israel over the past three decades. The central question was why a discourse that seeks to promote and amplify the voices of minority groups sometimes struggles to mobilize precisely those groups. During the evening, participants were introduced to the collection’s central ideas and joined a discussion with its authors, faculty members, and the audience. We thank everyone who took part in the event.

Book Launch: “A Lexicon for Shared Society”

At the launch of “A Lexicon for Shared Society,” we were pleased to host Dr. Amir Fakhoury and Shuli Dichter of the Nisan Center for the Advancement of Shared Society. The evening offered an opportunity for conversation, reflection, and attentive engagement with the concepts through which we understand, describe, and build a shared society. We thank the book’s editors, respondents, and all those who attended and participated.

 

Link to the book on the Van Leer Institute website

Our Courses

Identity and Belonging in a Multicultural Society – Dr. Mirit Hayavi Barak

This course examines how identity and belonging are formed in a multicultural society, considering both the individual and groups and the relations among them.

The course moves from the individual to society: it begins by examining processes of self-construction through socialization and interaction, and then considers the formation of groups, social boundaries, conflicts, and intergroup encounters. It explores different approaches to managing cultural diversity and examines the tensions among personal identity, group identity, and social belonging.

The course then considers processes of recognition, inequality, and privilege as part of a broader web of intergroup relations, and concludes by examining the possibility of building a shared society – a society in which different groups live together through mutual recognition, participation, and cooperation.

Managing Conflict and Diversity in Israeli Society – Dr. Assaf Turgeman

The course surveys the principal cleavages in Israeli society by tracing their roots in Israeli social and political life. It addresses the Jewish – Arab conflict, the religious – secular divide, ethnic cleavages, and the constitutional revolution and its implications for contemporary political divisions.

Skills for Managing Diversity and Conflict across Life Domains – Dr. Ran Kuttner

This course develops skills for managing difference and conflicts arising from difference across multiple settings – from the interpersonal level, through the intergroup level, to the national level. Participants will acquire tools for collaborative dialogue, negotiation, and conflict management, while becoming familiar with the theories underlying the approaches studied. The course will also examine how these approaches can support constructive management of disputes surrounding social cleavages and polarization that undermine cohesion and resilience in different arenas in Israel. Accordingly, participants will acquire both conceptual frameworks and practical skills for action in the social sphere.

The course is reflective in character and, from its outset, invites students to examine how the material challenges their own assumptions and leadership practices, how they might wish to apply it in their personal lives, and what obstacles may stand in the way.

Practical Strategies for Engaging with Diversity in Israeli Society – Dr. David Barak-Gorodetsky

The course offers an in-depth examination of the political and social tensions between conservatives and liberals in Israel, while providing a practical toolkit for conducting dialogue in conditions of disagreement. The theoretical component explores the roots of polarization, focusing on the central role of religion and state, their influence on public policy, and the historical analysis of political strategies and case studies that have shaped Israeli society. This foundation supports the practical component, in which participants practice and acquire skills in deep listening, managing complex dialogue, and recognizing different perspectives. By combining academic analysis with experiential learning and simulations, the course develops the capacity for respectful and meaningful dialogue in situations of disagreement and provides practical tools for building trust and reducing tensions across identity-based, cultural, and political divides.