What We Do
Encounter equips the gamut of Rabbis, Jewish professionals, leaders, and philanthropists with first-hand knowledge of Palestinian life, seeding a multi-denominational cadre of Jewish leadership charged with a two-pronged mission: to transform the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to heal internal Jewish communal rifts formed in its wake.
In the Middle East, Encounter’s flagship program has brought more than 900 prominent and emerging Jewish leaders on trips to Bethlehem, Hebron, and East Jerusalem where they witness Palestinian life and gain a more nuanced, informed understanding of the conflict.
In North America, Encounter leverages the powerful impact of our Middle East program and empowers our participants to transform their own constituencies– from the Shabbat table to the pulpit and Capitol Hill. Our North America program provides ongoing capacity-building and training, so that our alumni-– leaders with access to hundreds of thousands of Jewish hearts and minds-– can work effectively to reshape Israel education, philanthropy, and advocacy.
