The October 7 massacre and the horrific war that broke out in its wake have brought and continue to bring severe tests and complex challenges to people living in Israel.
In this dark reality, points of light have emerged from Israeli society – people from a broad range of communities and backgrounds - who immediately and intuitively chose to rise and act on behalf of those in need.
There were also those who saw an opportunity to build bridges between different communities, including the Arab and Jewish societies.
Within days of the brutal attack, we, along with other organizations, established a joint emergency center in Rahat – Jewish and Arab men and women who worked together, shoulder to shoulder, to assist families in need.
We collected donations, recruited volunteers, and delivered thousands of food baskets to families affected by the October 7 attacks – both Jewish and Arab. Simultaneously, we operated 16 emergency rooms in unrecognized villages in the Negev, where we provided support to 1,400 single-parent Bedouin families.
Women who suffered from a lack of basic protection and had no shelter in their villages volunteered to help others in distress. This was a living reminder of the power of cross-community female solidarity.
The reality on the ground proved that a shared society is not an empty concept. When families from Yeruham, Dimona, Sderot, and the Gaza border communities received help from Bedouin women, a human bridge was formed that overcame fear and prejudice.
Especially these days, following the atrocities of the war and the fear that the fragile but necessary ceasefire will collapse, it is important to sustain this partnership as part of the restoration efforts in order to build back better.
As activists who have been devoted to promoting equality and justice for over 20 years, we know that the path to true equality requires daily cooperation – hand in hand – Jews and Arabs, women and men, despite the many challenges.
These beliefs became especially clear in the dark days of the war that began on October 7, which emphasized the strength of a shared society and the need to work together to overcome the crisis and grow from it.
Building a shared society
While 59 hostages are still being held in Gaza and hundreds of thousands of displaced people are searching for their way home, we believe that a shared society, based on equality, justice, and mutual respect, will lead us out of the crisis toward a future of peace.
This is not a utopia – it is the only way we can move forward, heal the pain, and minimize the rift that has grown between Jews and Palestinians. We have no other choice.
Our shared work is proof that it is possible to live together with mutual respect and cooperation and that this is the only way to ensure safety for ourselves and our children.
Our political reality also shows that the use of violence and force brings mainly death, suffering, and pain to both sides, while agreements and compromises lead to healing, homecoming, and hope for a better future.
A shared society is not an abstract idea but a daily practice of building bridges between communities, cultures, and, above all, people. This is our mission as a society, and it is our responsibility as lawyers and defenders of human rights. It is also the responsibility of the Israeli government and Palestinian leadership.
A shared society, in our vision, entails a gender lens – highlighting the perspective of society's most vulnerable groups. When we address the needs of these groups, we address everyone’s needs, and this is how we can build a more inclusive and just society from which true partnership can emerge without leaving anyone behind.
Through equal representation of women from various groups in decision-making centers, fighting discrimination and poverty, and recognizing basic rights such as housing, employment, and security, we will find the path to a shared society.
2025 must be a year of change. This year, we face a historic opportunity to reconcile the rifts in our society, to mend the deep wounds, to reach out to one another, and to build a shared home that will ensure dignity, peace, and safety for us all.
Each one of us can be part of the change – at work, in the community, in the public domain, and in the political sphere; we all can, and must, contribute to the movement toward building a shared future of peace, justice, and equality for all the people of this land.
The writers are attorneys and co-CEOs of Itach Ma’aki – Women Lawyers for Social Justice.