September 24, 2026
MGSDII wanted to share with you the exciting news that MGSDII is launching a first-of-its-kind, innovative visiting peace scholar program in partnership with the University of San Diego’s Joan B. Kroc School for Peace Studies.
In January 2027, MGSDII and Kroc will for the first time offer courses co-taught by Jewish and Arab experts from Israel in conflict resolution and peace studies.
Our inaugural team of professors will be Dr. Maya de Vries and Mariam Kabaha, Esq., two incredible educators who hold senior leadership positions at the Hebrew University aChord Center, a non-profit organization specializing in the social psychology of social change to foster equity and shared spaces between Jews and Arabs in Israel.
We are honored to welcome Maya and Mariam to San Diego, and we are grateful to Dean Darren Kew for his collaboration on this meaningful initiative.
And, we are extremely excited that our future leaders will be receiving timely, in-depth knowledge about the complexities of modern Israel and avenues for building peace between Israelis and Palestinians, and cutting-edge practical tools for future careers in peacebuilding worldwide.
Thank you so much for your support of our mission.
We look forward to sharing more with you as the courses unfold.
Dr. Maya de Vries teaches in the Department of Communication and Journalism at the Hebrew University and is the director of the Academia Department at the aChord Center specializing in the social psychology of social change to foster equity and shared spaces between Jews and Arabs in Israel. She specializes in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, intergroup relations, diversity and inclusion in higher education, digital communication, and political activism.
Attorney Mariam Kabaha is the Deputy CEO of the aChord Center. She served an eight-year term as Israel’s National Commissioner of the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC), as the highest-ranking Arab woman in the Israeli civil service. Twice named one of Israel’s 50 most influential women by Globes newspaper, she was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Open University in 2024 for her ongoing contributions to systemic equality and social change.
October Events
Thursday, October 1, 6 PM
Lawrence Family JCC
“Facing the Sea” Artist Talk
with MGSDII Visiting Professor Daniel Tchetchik exploring resilience and healing in his portraits of individuals directly affected by October 7, shown against the endless horizon of the sea
Join Daniel and Nova Festival Survivor Eden Shmuel for this intimate discussion
“Eden”
Thursday, October 8, 6 PM
Private Home in La Jolla
Fall Welcome Reception for Visiting Professors and Salon Members
Thursday, October 8th
6 PM
Private home in La Jolla
Please join MGSDII for dinner with our exciting Visiting Israeli Professors arriving for Fall term, whose expertise ranges from international security, film, photography, and Israeli economics, cities, and modern history.
Not yet a Salon member? Click Here to learn more and join.
