Friedrich Naumann Foundation - Jerusalem

Happening now 📍

In times of uncertainty, when tomorrow feels impossible to predict, we create space to understand the world shaping around us.

This weekend, FNF Jerusalem is bringing together its Israel’s Liberal Voice (ILV) Alumni community for our annual seminar — and our first in-person gathering since the outbreak of the war with Iran.

Instead of standing on the sidelines, participants are stepping directly into the arena: taking on the roles of key geopolitical actors, navigating complex crises, making high-stakes decisions, and shaping possible futures in a dynamic war simulation.

Guided by the expertise of our outstanding facilitators from Germany, Sven Gerst and Michael Ruhrsuermann, this seminar challenges participants to think strategically, act decisively, and engage deeply with the realities of global politics.

Because in a world in turmoil, understanding the game might be the first step to changing it.

On Yom HaShoah, we remember the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust. We remember the evil of the perpetrators, but also the moral failure of those who did too little to confront it before it was too late.
After 1945, Germany built a culture of remembrance around one essential lesson: we must never again become perpetrators. That lesson remains indispensable.
But it is not enough.
Remembrance is incomplete if it teaches only self-restraint and not responsibility. “Never Again” must also mean that we do not stand by when antisemitism rises. It must mean the courage to defend Jewish life and human dignity, to confront hatred before it becomes catastrophe.
A democracy shaped by the memory of the Shoah must do more than condemn evil after the fact. It must be willing to resist it in the present, to actively fight it.
Today, we remember. And we affirm that the promise of “Never Again” is not only about the past. It is a responsibility in the present.

In a time when war has weighed so heavily on daily life, Easter speaks with special power. It reminds us that despair must not have the final word, and that hope is not naïve, it is courageous. 🕊️🌅✨

As a fragile ceasefire opens a narrow window for hope, we pray that this opening will lead to something greater: a chance for people to live in safety, dignity, and peace.

To our Christian friends and partners, we wish you a blessed Easter. 🌿✨

𝗢𝗻 𝗣𝗲𝘀𝗮𝗰𝗵, 𝘄𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲. 🌿
The Exodus story is not only about the past. It is about the human refusal to accept pain and fear as permanent. It is about the courage to keep walking toward freedom, even when the road is long.
This Pesach, as war continues to weigh on everyday life, that message is more urgent than ever. We long for the moment when all this destruction will end, when we can live freely, safely, and in peace. 🕊️
Freedom is not abstract. It means being able to live without terror. To raise children without fear. To build a future instead of merely surviving the present.
To our Jewish friends and partners: חג חירות שמח.
May this holiday strengthen our commitment to freedom, deepen our belief in peace, and remind us never to give up hope. ✨

We are proud to share that our partner, Dr. Iyad Ishtaya, President of the Palestinian Youth Forum for Freedom & Democracy (PYFD), participated in the Arab Liberty Forum 2026 in Marrakech. Bringing together leading voices from across the Arab world, the forum serves as a key platform for advancing freedom, good governance, and innovation.
PYFD’s participation highlights the important role of Palestinian youth in regional dialogue and collaboration.
🏆 We are also delighted to congratulate PYFD on receiving the Best Booth Award, recognizing their innovative and impactful presentation of their work and initiatives.
This achievement reflects the dedication of the entire PYFD team and their continued efforts to promote freedom, accountability, and youth empowerment across the region.

We are happy to share with you a small comforting highlight from last week ✨

Due to the outbreak of the war, we moved our planned physical event on the occasion of International Women’s Day online 💻. With our new cooperation partner, Women Champions for Change (WCC) 🤝, we placed inspiring women from across the MENA region 🌍 in the center of our online gathering and discussed how storytelling can serve as a powerful leadership tool in dialogue-building across communities 💬

In a reality which is shaped by conflicts and wars ⚔️, especially the young generation, who did not really experience more peaceful times and cross border interaction, is often lacking the imagination of how things could be different 💭. And imagination is an important prerequisite for making change and for creating a different and better future 🌱✨

In our discussion it became clear: women across the MENA region are making use of their female voices and perspectives 🎙️ and use storytelling - through film 🎬, podcasts 🎧, social media 📱, art 🎨, religion 🕊️, and community initiatives - to challenge stereotypes, build empathy ❤️, and create new possibilities for cooperation across cultural, political, and religious divides 🤝

Women have the unique skill to humanize the “other,” amplify moderate voices often overshadowed by extremism 🔊, and help societies imagine different futures by promoting dialogue and cooperation 🌍✨

Thank you to our wonderful panel speakers and the over 70 participants joining us in this conversation 🙏 You all are the light at the end of the tunnel 🌟

Last week we met in Haifa for our annual staff seminar. 🤝✨ We concluded our work on Thursday. Lucky timing, because since then, war with Iran has resumed. 💔 Now, with many of us back in our shelters, we’re thinking about what we took with us from those days together. 🏠🫂
In moments like this, resilience isn’t a slogan. It’s a set of choices we renew daily: 🌿
1. Keep safe: follow instructions, check on loved ones, and take shelter seriously. 🚨🛡️📱
2. Stay connected: as a team, as people, as citizens who refuse to let fear isolate us. 🤝🧡
3. Look to the future: “after the war” isn’t guaranteed; it has to be created by us, and the work starts now. 🌅🛠️
During our retreat, we practiced the skills that make normal life possible: listening across difference, learning together, and planning for impact. 👂📚📝 That work doesn’t stop in wartime. It mustn’t. If anything, it becomes more urgent. 🕊️⚖️
If you’re reading this from a shelter too: you’re not alone. 🫶 And if you’re wondering whether anything good can come after this, our answer is yes. ✅ But only if we commit to it together. 🌱🤲

FNF Jerusalem is hiring: Project Manager (Maternity Leave Replacement)
We’re looking for a Palestine Project Manager to join our Israeli–Palestinian team in Jerusalem for 6 months (with a possibility of extension), starting March 2026.

If you’re passionate about dialogue, human dignity, and liberal democratic values, and you’re fluent in Arabic and English, we’d love to hear from you.

🗓 Deadline: 5 March 2026
📍 Location: Jerusalem | Full-time
📩 Find more on our website:
https://www.freiheit.org/israel-and-palestinian-territories/call-palestine-desk-project-manager-maternity-leave

Ramadan Kareem to all our Muslim friends 🌙✨
May this month bring you peace 🕊️, warm your hearts 💛, and lift your spirits 🤲
May this Ramadan also carry a promise of better days will come 🌅🕊️

We are pleased to invite you to the first edition of the Jerusalem Short Film Festival, taking place from 11–14 February 2026.
Organized by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation in partnership with Al-Maamal Foundation, this special event celebrates independent cinema in the heart of Jerusalem.
The festival aims to promote Palestinian film culture, support emerging filmmakers, and highlight Jerusalem as a vibrant cultural hub.
Rooted in the values of liberalism that guide the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, freedom of expression, individual dignity, dialogue, and cultural openness, the festival creates a space where diverse voices and stories can be shared.

Festival Highlights:
• Screenings of Palestinian, Arab, and international short films
• Open panels and discussions with filmmakers
• Cultural exchange and networking opportunities

Locations:
• Al-Ma’mal Foundation for Contemporary Art – Jerusalem
• The French Institute Chateaubriand – Jerusalem
• Singer Café – Bethlehem
This year’s edition is presented in partnership with the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious short film festivals.

More information:
Follow the full schedule, venues, and featured films on the festival pages:
https://www.facebook.com/share/1FkFYYCsFf/

Registration:
All screenings are free and open to the public. To help us ensure seating availability, please register in advance:
https://jerusalemshortfilms.org/home-2/

We look forward to welcoming you to this first edition and sharing this celebration of cinema together.

🚨 𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗡𝗢𝗪 | 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵 & 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 🚨
With FNF support, as well as that of the Brandeis Institute, Inbal Orpaz is presenting new findings on Telegram’s surge as a breaking-news source after October 7 — and what it means for democracies. 🗳️📲

🔍 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵:
✅ Telegram fills a real “information gap” in emergencies when traditional media can’t keep up ⏱️
⚡ The information paradox: people often choose fast updates over reliable ones, even when they say credibility matters 🎯
🧩 The medium shapes the message: anonymity, channel structure, and comment arenas influence what spreads 🧱💬
📉 Resilience & anxiety: exposure to Telegram content may affect public resilience and anxiety levels 🧠📈

This first public presentation of the data and conclusions is happening now. 🎤📊

Read the full report:
https://www.freiheit.org/israel-and-palestinian-territories/filling-information-gap

Did you know that Telegram has become one of the main sources of information for Israelis since October 7th❓

What does this shift mean for the way we consume news, build trust, and understand reality? And what are the medium, and long-term implications for democratic systems?

Join us for a special event hosted by the Brandeis Institute in cooperation with FNF Jerusalem, presenting the results of a new research by our alumna, Inbal Orpaz, on Telegram’s rapid rise and its challenges for democracies, followed by a high-profile expert panel.

📅 February 4 | 10:00–12:30
📍 Brain Embassy TLV, Tel Aviv
🎟 Free entrance | Registration required (limited seats)

Registration Link:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/710-tickets-1981513522286?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl