Haifa Committee of Religious Leaders

This initiative began with the gathering of twenty esteemed religious leaders, men and women, from various religious communities in Haifa —Jewish Orthodox, Jewish Reform, Christian Maronite, Greek Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Muslim, Muslim Ahmadi, and Druze. They united to form the Haifa Committee of Religious Leaders.

Through the collaborative efforts of the Haifa Laboratory for Religious Studies, the Religious Communities Branch in the Ministry of Interior, and Search for Common Ground, these leaders participated in a series of six two-hour sessions hosted at the University of Haifa. During these sessions, they worked collaboratively to lay the foundational framework for the establishment of a pact and a steering committee. Their collective efforts focused on conceptualizing initiatives aimed at nurturing and fortifying Haifa’s rich tapestry of religious and cultural diversity.

Over the past few months, the Haifa Committee of Religious Leaders has successfully transformed from these collaborative sessions into a formal, multi-religious committee. With official endorsement from the Municipality of Haifa, the committee, supported by HLRS and the Ministry of Interior, now meets regularly, working diligently to enhance ties among the city’s diverse religious communities. Their goals include not only fostering interfaith dialogue and understanding but also forming a dedicated task force to address and resolve conflicts between Jews and Arabs in Haifa, thereby promoting peace and cohesion within the city.