By Amichay Findling, Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor
This is a summary of an interview conducted between Amichay Findling of the Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor and Dr. Arik Cheshin, a University of Haifa professor currently visiting at University of Michigan. The interview was the first community program in a series exploring Jewish-Arab relations within Israeli society, particularly post-10/7. It was hosted by the Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor, which prioritizes financial support in Israel to shared society organizations. This conversation’s focus was on navigating Arab-Israeli relations in academia.
The next engagements in this series will take place online on the mornings of Sunday, March 9 and April 6. Click here to register.
Dr. Arik Cheshin and Amichay Findling speak with event attendees
The Setting
The University of Haifa sits perched above a city known for its diversity, a melting pot where Jewish and Arab students come together in a unique academic environment. But beyond its striking views, University of Haifa tells a compelling story of coexistence, resilience, and the delicate balancing act of managing cultural tensions in times of conflict.
A Campus Like No Other
University of Haifa is home to one of the most diverse student bodies in Israel, with close to 40% of its students coming from Arab communities. Unlike many Israeli universities, where Arab students remain a small minority, here, Jewish and Arab students share classrooms, coffee lines, and research labs. The campus hums with a blend of Hebrew and Arabic, a rare microcosmos of shared society within an otherwise deeply divided country.
But this diversity is not without its challenges. Language barriers persist, as many Arab students are less proficient in Hebrew due to Israel’s separate education systems. Social divides remain, with Jewish and Arab students often forming separate friend groups. And in moments of national crisis, such as the war that erupted on October 7, the strains become palpable.
Dr. Arik Cheshin
Enter Dr. Arik Cheshin
Dr. Arik Cheshin, a professor at University of Haifa and director of the Emotions in Organizations Lab, has spent years studying social dynamics in diverse spaces. His own journey—growing up with minimal exposure to Arab communities and then finding himself teaching in one of Israel’s most mixed academic institutions—has given him a front-row seat and a meaningful role in the complexities of Jewish-Arab relations.
“When I arrived at Haifa, I was struck by how much Arabic I heard around me,” he recalls. “It was a stark contrast to my previous experiences in Israeli academia. And yet, despite the proximity, real social integration remains a challenge.”
The War Changes Everything
October 7 threw an already delicate balance into turmoil. With Jewish students called up for reserve duty and Arab students suddenly under a microscope for their political stances, the university faced an existential question: Could it continue to function as a shared space amid a war that deepened national divides?
Some Arab students were arrested for social media posts deemed sympathetic to Hamas. Others withdrew, fearing hostility from their Jewish peers. The usual bustling campus felt subdued, tense, uncertain. University leadership knew they had to act.
The University’s Response: Bridging the Divide
Determined to keep the university from fracturing, University of Haifa launched initiatives aimed at fostering dialogue and mutual understanding. Faculty members—both Jewish and Arab—produced video messages emphasizing the importance of education and coexistence. A symbolic campaign that distributed wristbands reading “Continuing to Learn Together” in Hebrew and Arabic sought to reinforce solidarity.
Behind the scenes, professors like Cheshin worked to ease tensions in classrooms. “We had to prepare for the moment when students who had been in uniform—some literally coming straight from the frontlines—sat next to Arab students who had spent the past months fearing discrimination, and might have relatives in Gaza” he explains. “It was an unprecedented situation.”
An Historic Election Amidst the Tensions
In the midst of this turmoil, University of Haifa made history by electing its first Arab rector, Professor Mona Maroun, an Arab-Christian neuroscientist. Maroun’s election, while celebrated by many as a triumph of meritocracy and inclusion, was also met with skepticism. Some questioned whether the timing—during a war when Arab-Jewish relations were at a breaking point—was ideal. Others saw it as a powerful statement of what the University of Haifa stands for.
“For most of us, her Arab identity was secondary to her qualifications,” says Cheshin. “But we can’t ignore the symbolism. In a time of division, her election showed that this university remains committed to shared society.”
Lessons for Multicultural Organizations
The University of Haifa’s handling of this crisis offers valuable lessons for any organization navigating cultural or political divides:
- Create Spaces for Dialogue – Open, facilitated conversations can help prevent misunderstandings and build trust between divided communities.
- Offer Institutional Support – Providing additional resources—language programs, mental health services, mentorship—ensures that all members of a diverse community can thrive.
- Balance Neutrality with Action – Avoiding political engagement may seem like the safest route, but sometimes, institutions must take a stand for inclusion and coexistence.
- Use Symbolism Wisely – Actions like electing an Arab rector or distributing bilingual wristbands may seem small, but they send powerful messages about belonging and equality.
- Acknowledge and Manage Emotions – People bring their emotions into shared spaces. Recognizing and regulating these emotions can prevent conflicts from escalating.
Dr. Cheshin emphasized the role of both channeling and regulating emotions:
“One should find a place to let your emotions manifest and feel them and use them, but be conscious of where and what the goal is. Emotions are not just felt inside, but also manifested outside and affect people’s behaviors. So really be conscious of the emotions that you want to bring in because it has an impact on others as well”.
“There are action tendencies associated with emotions. So you act in certain ways when you feel specific emotions. Try to think of which emotions you should bring to your shared space of society or work that would be good for you and for others, and try to regulate your emotions accordingly because they do have a lot of social impact.”
Conclusion: A Model for the Future?
University of Haifa is far from a utopia. Social divisions still exist, tensions still flare, and the road to genuine integration remains long. But in a country often defined by its conflicts, this campus represents something rare: a space where Jews and Arabs continue to learn, work, and—against all odds—find ways to move forward together.
At a time when division feels inevitable, University of Haifa stands as a testament to the power of education in bridging societal gaps. It is an “island in the storm,” a place where hope for a shared future still flickers, even in the darkest of times.
As he closed the interview, Dr. Cheshin left participants with one final important message for the Ann Arbor area Jewish community: he hopes to strengthen the relationship between both of his universities—his Alma Mater (University of Michigan), and his academic home (University of Haifa). Please feel free to reach out to him for additional inquiries: acheshin@univ.haifa.ac.il
To learn more about Israel-related programming locally or to get involved with allocating Annual Community Campaign funds to Israeli and other overseas organizations, contact Amichay Findling at amichay@jewishannarbor.org.