Jewish and Arab teenagers unite at 'Cooking Peace' summer camp

Organised by environmental education charity The Green Network, the initiative is aimed at young people, many of whom have never previously met peers from the other community.

Participants were selected through an interview process and will take part in workshops on climate change, sustainability, nutrition and cooking, alongside group discussions exploring identity, shared challenges and hopes for Israel's future.

The camp is being led by a mixed Jewish-Arab team of educators and professional chefs, including Jerusalem chef Hayat Bassem Mushasha, NVIDIA deputy catering manager Sharon Tolbowitz, chef Juliana Khalil and Ben Feldman of Kimmel BaGilboa.

All four chefs previously received scholarships to study at the prestigious Institut Lyfe culinary school in Lyon, France.

Myriam Darmoni Charbit, a shared-society educator at The Green Network who founded the project, said food offered a natural way to bring young people together despite political divisions.

"The vision behind the initiative sees healthy, sustainable food as a bridge that can bring Jews and Arabs together," she said.

"Food brings people together and brings joy. At the heart of the camp is the opportunity for young people to connect with themselves, with the place they call home and with the unique culinary culture that has made Israeli cuisine one of the most popular in the world."

The Green Network, which has worked in environmental education for nearly three decades, said the programme also aims to encourage cooperation on climate issues, arguing that sustainability is a shared challenge that transcends religious and cultural differences.

The organisers hope participants will leave with lasting friendships, practical environmental knowledge and a greater appreciation of Israel's diverse society.