The Documentary Podcast ‘Oasis of peace’ in wartime
Feb 20, 2026
Adam Ben Shabbat, a young Jewish resident and filmmaker who served briefly in the reserves; Ramez Manna, a young Palestinian raised in the mixed community; Samah Salahim, Palestinian peace activist and educator whose family was displaced in 1948; Nava Zonenshine, longtime resident and founder of the School for Peace. They discuss the village’s origins, schooling and dialogue projects, strains after October 7 and the Gaza war, efforts to rebuild trust, and debates over the community’s future.
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Founding The Hilltop Community
- Nava Zonenshine and early families moved to a scrub hilltop in 1979 and built the community from huts and caravans.
- The School for Peace grew from that effort and hosted thousands of joint Jewish-Palestinian encounters.
A Mother's First Visit Sparks Commitment
- Samah Salahim first visited and saw Arab and Jewish children learning together under doves and olive trees.
- She moved in, enrolled her kids in the mixed school, and later became co-director of educational institutions.
War Creates New Lines In Coexistence
- The October 7 attacks and the Gaza war marked the most significant event for residents in their lifetimes.
- Ramez Manna says the crisis drew lines and made long-standing compromises suddenly much harder to sustain.