The Abraham Accords between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain opened the door to a new era of cooperation and friendship.
Sharaka, which means ‘partnership’, was founded by young leaders from Israel and the Gulf in order to turn the vision of people-to-people peace into a reality.
We believe that realizing the tremendous potential of the Abraham Accords requires deepening mutual understanding, building personal ties, and encouraging diverse forms of cooperation.
Sharaka leads inter-faith delegations of young Israelis to the Gulf, which include Israeli Muslims, Druze, Christians, and Jews, and brings delegations of Emirati and Bahraini influencers to Israel to learn about Israeli culture and history.
Through our offices in Israel and the UAE, we organize joint initiatives, projects, and dialogues in order to build bridges between our societies.
As normalization between Israel and its Arab neighbors spreads, we are expanding our activities throughout the Middle East.
Sharaka seeks to build bonds between Israel and its neighbors in the Middle East and North Africa, based on the positive and paradigm-changing outcome of the Abraham Accords; to position itself as the leading actor promoting warm peace and normalization on the people-to-people; and act as as a hub for non-governmental collaborations and expertise, especially among the younger generation.
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After 10 years of service in the IDF, Amit was discharged with the rank of major and since 2011, has been engaged in entrepreneurship, management, and social-educational activities with an emphasis on youth and teens. Amit studied civil engineering at the Technion and has a BA in political science from Haifa University.
Dan Feferman is an Israeli-American author, speaker, researcher, and thought leader who focuses on Israel, the Jewish world, and the Middle East. He publishes and speaks regularly in Israel and around the world, and is co-host of the Jewanced Podcast. He also consults on international intelligence and public relations campaigns. Fellow at Jewish People Policy Institute and Founder of Gulf-Israel Policy Forum
Avital Shneller is an American-Israeli citizen who has worked in travel, tourism and sales for the last 15 years. She has been an active member of the Jewish community of the UAE since the signing of the Abraham Accords, and has worked to build bridges between\ the different communities in Israel and the UAE.
As an active volunteer of Sharaka, Avital helps shape the relationship between Israelis and Emiritis by initiating and hosting events, workshops and other activities that promote cohesion and understanding between the two communities. She is passionate about women in leadership and has embarked on personal mission to connect with Emirati women who play a vital role in realizing the UAE’s vision for economic and social development.
Saudi-born Loay Alshareef works as a journalist and a social media influencer. He also happens to speak fluent Hebrew. Loay developed his keen interest in the Hebrew language through the Biblical prophets such as King David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel”. "As a Muslim [he] believes in the continuity of the Biblical prophets." Loay, has a great interest in cultures, languages, and education as he started his “Loay Academy” where he teaches Hebrew besides other different languages.
Dr. Fadila is the joint CEO of Atidna NGO for promoting the successful integration of Arab citizens in the state of Israel and is the founder of Q Schools: Education, Consultation & Development, an institution for promoting quality education in the Arab society in Israel. She is an organizational development and educational entrepreneurship expert and consultant, and an international speaker on the issues of minority women, identity and education.
Dr. Einat Wilf is a leading thinker on matters of foreign policy, economics, education, Israel and Zionism. She was a member of the Israeli Parliament from 2010-2013, where she served as Chair of the Education Committee and Member of the influential Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.Born and raised in Israel, Dr. Wilf served as an Intelligence Officer in the Israel Defense Forces, Foreign Policy Advisor to Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres and a strategic consultant with McKinsey & Company.
Yahya Mahamid is an Israeli speaker, educator and activist. He serves as a mentor in various programs and works to empower, and integrate youth from Israel’s Arab minority into society. Yahya was raised in the city of Um Al Fahm and grew up with a negative image of Israel and the Jewish people, having been misinformed about the Arab-Israeli conflict. After meeting Israeli Jews, he chose to volunteer as a combat infantry soldier in the IDF – one of the few Israeli-Muslims to have done so. Yahya has since dedicated himself to educating others about anti-Semitism and misinformation about Israel.
Anila Ali is an American civil rights advocate who challenges stereotypes and bigotry, a Muslim philanthropist committed to empowering female leadership, and a Democratic Party activist. A retired public-school teacher, and Muslim faith leader, Ali’s work with interfaith communities stemmed from her work as a teacher in a post 9/11 classroom.
Ahmed has cross-industry experience ranging from managing regional marketing campaigns with international names like HSBC Bank. Prior to partaking his current post, he lead several political initiatives and campaigns world wide.Ahmed speaks Arabic, English and German.He published ‘The Book of Management,’ ‘Contractum Trinius’, ‘Political Campaign Planning Manual’ and ‘Kingdom of Bahrain: Political Review.’
Haisam Hassanein is an Egyptian-American Middle East analyst focusing on relations between Arab states and Israel. He has published in several media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Foreign Affairs, the New York Daily News, and the Jerusalem Post. He obtained an M.A. in Middle Eastern & African History from Tel Aviv University, where he was named the graduate school valedictorian.
Rawan Osman is a Syrian-Lebanese peace activist, currently writing a book about her perception of the Jewish people and Israel before and after leaving the Middle East. Formerly with the PeaceComms Institute, Osman is studying Jewish and Islamic Studies at Heidelberg University, Germany. She is fluent in Arabic, French, English and German.
Youssef Elazhari is a Moroccan marketing and advertising entrepreneur who is passionate about tech and education and peacebuilding, especially after visiting Israel in May of 2022. He is the founder of Fihria, a non-profit project that works to prevent girls from dropping out of school across Africa. Youssef is also a member of the World Economic Forum Global Shapers program. He holds a master’s degree in Marketing and speaks fluently Arabic, French and English.
Avi Jorisch is a seasoned entrepreneur and the author of five books, including Thou Shalt Innovate: How Israeli Ingenuity Repairs the World (2018), translated and published into over 40 languages. A former official in the U.S. Departments of Treasury and Defense, Avi is a senior fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council, a member at the Council on Foreign Relations and the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO). He is also the founder of IMS, a merchant processing company that works with clients nationwide. In the past two decades, Avi has lectured around the world and has published articles in nearly 50 influential outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Foreign Affairs, and has appeared on CNN, CSPAN, Fox News, MSNBC and the 700 club.
Founder and CEO of the "Yerus" Project, which works to develop and strengthen the Ethiopian Jewish community in Israel and help educate the broader community about Ethiopian history, culture and heritage. Naftali holds workshops and lectures around the world, and leads tours of Israelis to Ethiopia as well.
Enis Aydın is a journalist and researcher from Istanbul, Turkey. He reports for news platforms including El-Shaffaf and Serbestiyet and has been actively involved in international efforts to promote dialogue between Jewish and Muslim societies in the Middle East and Europe. Aydın started his career covering stories for TRT News and Associated Press. He later worked as a research specialist in social and business networking models. He is a graduate of Political Science and International Relations from Marmara University.
Al Harbi is a youth activist with experience in culture & youth empowerment. She has volunteered in many projects in Bahrain & Malaysia, where she worked with refugees, and on a project supporting families affected by COVID-19 with the Yemeni Women Refugee Organization. She currently heads public relations efforts in the international student society. She is a security operations center analyst and holds a degree in Cybersecurity from Malaysia. Al Harbi is a former football player in the Bahraini women national team and played in the Asian championships. She is a board member of Sharaka-Bahrain.
Al Rawahi is a patriotic Bahraini, serves on the volunteer board for IISS Manama Dialogue, and works in the ministry of education. She has experience in the fields of banking and accounting, and holds a degree of bachelor’s in accounting from University of Bahrain. Al Rawahi is a board member of Sharaka Bahrain.
Aysha Jalal works as an administration support head at Bahrain National Commission for Education, Science and Culture for UNESCO – Ministry of Education. She graduated from AMA – International University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Informatics. She was part of the first Bahraini delegation to Israel and the first Sharaka delegation to March of the Living, and is a Sharaka Bahrain board member.
Hasan Al Jassim works at the King Fahad causeway. He is a social media influencer with thousands of followers, and entrepreneur of many ventures. Al Jassim is passionate about volunteering, and has taken part in many youth and cultural events throughout Bahrain and GCC area. Al Jassim was a member of the first Sharaka delegation to March of the Living, and is a Sharaka Bahrain board member.
Avital Shneller is an American-Israeli citizen who has worked in travel, tourism and sales for the last 15 years. She has been an active member of the Jewish community of the UAE since the signing of the Abraham Accords, and has worked to build bridges between\ the different communities in Israel and the UAE.
As an active volunteer of Sharaka, Avital helps shape the relationship between Israelis and Emiritis by initiating and hosting events, workshops and other activities that promote cohesion and understanding between the two communities. She is passionate about women in leadership and has embarked on personal mission to connect with Emirati women who play a vital role in realizing the UAE’s vision for economic and social development.
Saudi-born Loay Alshareef works as a journalist and a social media influencer. He also happens to speak fluent Hebrew. Loay developed his keen interest in the Hebrew language through the Biblical prophets such as King David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel”. "As a Muslim [he] believes in the continuity of the Biblical prophets." Loay, has a great interest in cultures, languages, and education as he started his “Loay Academy” where he teaches Hebrew besides other different languages.
Ahmed has cross-industry experience ranging from managing regional marketing campaigns with international names like HSBC Bank. Prior to partaking his current post, he lead several political initiatives and campaigns world wide.Ahmed speaks Arabic, English and German.He published ‘The Book of Management,’ ‘Contractum Trinius’, ‘Political Campaign Planning Manual’ and ‘Kingdom of Bahrain: Political Review.’
Al Harbi is a youth activist with experience in culture & youth empowerment. She has volunteered in many projects in Bahrain & Malaysia, where she worked with refugees, and on a project supporting families affected by COVID-19 with the Yemeni Women Refugee Organization. She currently heads public relations efforts in the international student society. She is a security operations center analyst and holds a degree in Cybersecurity from Malaysia. Al Harbi is a former football player in the Bahraini women national team and played in the Asian championships. She is a board member of Sharaka-Bahrain.
Al Rawahi is a patriotic Bahraini, serves on the volunteer board for IISS Manama Dialogue, and works in the ministry of education. She has experience in the fields of banking and accounting, and holds a degree of bachelor’s in accounting from University of Bahrain. Al Rawahi is a board member of Sharaka Bahrain.
Aysha Jalal works as an administration support head at Bahrain National Commission for Education, Science and Culture for UNESCO – Ministry of Education. She graduated from AMA – International University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Informatics. She was part of the first Bahraini delegation to Israel and the first Sharaka delegation to March of the Living, and is a Sharaka Bahrain board member.
Hasan Al Jassim works at the King Fahad causeway. He is a social media influencer with thousands of followers, and entrepreneur of many ventures. Al Jassim is passionate about volunteering, and has taken part in many youth and cultural events throughout Bahrain and GCC area. Al Jassim was a member of the first Sharaka delegation to March of the Living, and is a Sharaka Bahrain board member.
After 10 years of service in the IDF, Amit was discharged with the rank of major and since 2011, has been engaged in entrepreneurship, management, and social-educational activities with an emphasis on youth and teens. Amit studied civil engineering at the Technion and has a BA in political science from Haifa University.
Dan Feferman is an Israeli-American author, speaker, researcher, and thought leader who focuses on Israel, the Jewish world, and the Middle East. He publishes and speaks regularly in Israel and around the world, and is co-host of the Jewanced Podcast. He also consults on international intelligence and public relations campaigns. Fellow at Jewish People Policy Institute and Founder of Gulf-Israel Policy Forum
Dr. Fadila is the joint CEO of Atidna NGO for promoting the successful integration of Arab citizens in the state of Israel and is the founder of Q Schools: Education, Consultation & Development, an institution for promoting quality education in the Arab society in Israel. She is an organizational development and educational entrepreneurship expert and consultant, and an international speaker on the issues of minority women, identity and education.
Dr. Einat Wilf is a leading thinker on matters of foreign policy, economics, education, Israel and Zionism. She was a member of the Israeli Parliament from 2010-2013, where she served as Chair of the Education Committee and Member of the influential Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.Born and raised in Israel, Dr. Wilf served as an Intelligence Officer in the Israel Defense Forces, Foreign Policy Advisor to Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres and a strategic consultant with McKinsey & Company.
Yahya Mahamid is an Israeli speaker, educator and activist. He serves as a mentor in various programs and works to empower, and integrate youth from Israel’s Arab minority into society. Yahya was raised in the city of Um Al Fahm and grew up with a negative image of Israel and the Jewish people, having been misinformed about the Arab-Israeli conflict. After meeting Israeli Jews, he chose to volunteer as a combat infantry soldier in the IDF – one of the few Israeli-Muslims to have done so. Yahya has since dedicated himself to educating others about anti-Semitism and misinformation about Israel.
Founder and CEO of the "Yerus" Project, which works to develop and strengthen the Ethiopian Jewish community in Israel and help educate the broader community about Ethiopian history, culture and heritage. Naftali holds workshops and lectures around the world, and leads tours of Israelis to Ethiopia as well.
Anila Ali is an American civil rights advocate who challenges stereotypes and bigotry, a Muslim philanthropist committed to empowering female leadership, and a Democratic Party activist. A retired public-school teacher, and Muslim faith leader, Ali’s work with interfaith communities stemmed from her work as a teacher in a post 9/11 classroom.
Haisam Hassanein is an Egyptian-American Middle East analyst focusing on relations between Arab states and Israel. He has published in several media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Foreign Affairs, the New York Daily News, and the Jerusalem Post. He obtained an M.A. in Middle Eastern & African History from Tel Aviv University, where he was named the graduate school valedictorian.
Avi Jorisch is a seasoned entrepreneur and the author of five books, including Thou Shalt Innovate: How Israeli Ingenuity Repairs the World (2018), translated and published into over 40 languages. A former official in the U.S. Departments of Treasury and Defense, Avi is a senior fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council, a member at the Council on Foreign Relations and the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO). He is also the founder of IMS, a merchant processing company that works with clients nationwide. In the past two decades, Avi has lectured around the world and has published articles in nearly 50 influential outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Foreign Affairs, and has appeared on CNN, CSPAN, Fox News, MSNBC and the 700 club.
Youssef Elazhari is a Moroccan marketing and advertising entrepreneur who is passionate about tech and education and peacebuilding, especially after visiting Israel in May of 2022. He is the founder of Fihria, a non-profit project that works to prevent girls from dropping out of school across Africa. Youssef is also a member of the World Economic Forum Global Shapers program. He holds a master’s degree in Marketing and speaks fluently Arabic, French and English.
Rawan Osman is a Syrian-Lebanese peace activist, currently writing a book about her perception of the Jewish people and Israel before and after leaving the Middle East. Formerly with the PeaceComms Institute, Osman is studying Jewish and Islamic Studies at Heidelberg University, Germany. She is fluent in Arabic, French, English and German.
Enis Aydın is a journalist and researcher from Istanbul, Turkey. He reports for news platforms including El-Shaffaf and Serbestiyet and has been actively involved in international efforts to promote dialogue between Jewish and Muslim societies in the Middle East and Europe. Aydın started his career covering stories for TRT News and Associated Press. He later worked as a research specialist in social and business networking models. He is a graduate of Political Science and International Relations from Marmara University.