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Interview Questions for Michal Zak

When did you first become involved in Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam?

What was it like at Neve Shalom/Wahat al Salam when you first moved here?

You said it was your first encounter with Arabs, and that it was something completely new, that before you only went to demonstrations. What surprised you?

Can you give me an example of a time when you discovered you had these assumptions about Palestinians?

Did you and your coworkers do anything formal to work together, to build equality?

And is something being done about the inequalities in knowledge of language?

Are you talking about yourself, do you speak Arabic?

Are there Arabic lessons here at Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam?

What’s your job here at Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam?

Are the programs for adults in Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam?

Can you explain what you mean by stressing the interaction between groups not individuals?

How did this change emphasizing group dynamics over interpersonal relationships affect you?

What’s hard now?

Are you referring to what happened in October 2000?

What do you mean when you say you used to be a Zionist but now you’re not?

I’m not sure I understand what you do, are you responsible for training facilitators?

Where does one find work in facilitation after graduating from the School for Peace?

Who do you approach to participate in the facilitation program?

Was it trial and error or did you have experts to help develop the facilitation program?

What did you study in university?

Your family lives in Neve Shalom. How do they feel about the community here, about your work?

How do you think the existence of Neve Shalom and the type of work you do affects the situation here?

How many families are there in Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam?

Is the village getting bigger? Do you have a permit to expand?

What are the criteria for living here in Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam?

How does the conflict affect your life, your family’s life?

How old are your daughters?

Is your eldest daughter going to do military service?

Where do you do humanitarian relief work?

Have you been to Gaza?

How many people were there at the demonstration trying to get in to Gaza?

Among the members of the international community, whom would you want to influence most?

What would you say to Jewish communities abroad?

What would you like to see here five years from now? What kind of solution?

At which points do you think earlier peace processes failed?

Where do you situate yourself: within the peace process, or alongside it?

What does the word ‘peace’ mean for you?

Do you see any hopeful signs?