The House of Hope International Peace Center is the first Arab-initiated peace center in Israel. Located in the picturesque village of Shef'Amer, or Shefar'Am, in the Galillee, the House of Hope has been conducting programs in coexistence and tolerance for over thirty years.
HOH Director Elias Jabbour and MEP Executive Director Matthew Lakenbach standing on the roof of the House of Hope, in the Galillee. Elias Jabbour, Director of the Center, is one of the world's foremost experts in the practice of Sulha, the indigenous Arab form of conflict resolution. In Sulha, a trusted delegation of peacemakers hears the grievances of the parties, works to absorb the anger, and continues to engage with the parties until an equitable solution is found and agreed to by all parties involved.
A traditional ceremony marks the culmination of the Sulha process in which the families of the victim and the perpetrator share a meal together. In Sulha, the issues are resolved on such a deep level that wholeness and integrity are totally restored and the agreement is accepted and embraced by all involved.