Grants Awarded
Healing Across the Divides supports projects that promote the health of Israelis and Palestinians while helping to forge inter-agency cooperation that furthers mutual understanding. Projects are chosen based on their ability to most efficiently impact health in the communities in which they operate and their potential to function independently following a period of support by Healing Across the Divides. Our support comes in the form of financial, technical and organizational assistance.
Current List of Grantees
Ahli Balatah El-Balad Club – Improved Care for Palestinian Diabetics in the Nablus, Palestinian Authority
The is program uses self-management and other techniques to improve the health of diabetics in the Nablus area in the West Bank. They help with diabetic nutrition, social support for diabetics, physical exercise, and prevention awareness.
Atid Bamidbar – Improved Nutrition in the Southern Negev, Israel.
This is a joint farming and additional activities venture between the Israeli Jewish town of Yeruham and the unrecognized Israeli Bedouin village of Rahme. Objectives: Improved nutrition and Improved communication between Jews and Bedouin.
Diabetes Palestine – Chronic Disease Self Management for Type 1 Diabetic Teens in Gaza. East Jerusalem/ Gaza, Palestine Authority – New 2019
This initiative uses the Stanford CDSMP program together with mobile applications for 200 type 1 teenage diabetics in Gaza, our first ever program in Gaza. The program is managed by Diabetes Palestine. This program started in December 2019.
The Family Defense Society (FDS) – Obesity Among Palestinian Women, Nablus Palestinian Authority
FDS has expanded its longstanding commitment to improve the life of women subject to domestic abuse to now include prevention of obesity. This is taking place in Palestinian refugee camps near Nablus and the city of Nablus. This intervention uses, in part, the Stanford CDSMP. They have completed two years.
Kuchinate – Improved Resilience and Economic Support for African Refugee Asylum Seekers, Tel Aviv, Israel– New 2020.
African asylum-seeking women endured torture and other traumas en-route to Israel; and in Israel, they are highly susceptible to homelessness, poverty discrimination and domestic abuse. They suffer from a wide range of trauma-related mental health difficulties. Kuchinate is a resilience-based community that was founded in order to offer vital support and empowerment to women asylum seekers through a unique project which combines income generation with psychosocial support.
Yes Theatre Drama Therapy – Southern Hebron Hills , Palestinian Authority – New 2019
This drama therapy initiative in the Hebron area will contribute to the improvement of the mental health status of Palestinian children, youth and women. The target group 100 10-15 year old children; 100 16-18 year old teens; 100 20-35 year old women. Each person needs to have been in conflict with Israeli law and detained by Israelis; or loved ones whose relative was arrested and/or killed by Israelis; or exposed to different kinds of violence such as harassment from settlers or Israeli soldiers.
Ahli Balatah El-Balad Club – Improved Care for Palestinian Diabetics in the Nablus, Palestinian Authority
The is program uses self-management and other techniques to improve the health of diabetics in the Nablus area in the West Bank. They help with diabetic nutrition, social support for diabetics, physical exercise, and prevention awareness.
Atid Bamidbar – Improved Nutrition in the Southern Negev, Israel.
This is a joint farming and additional activities venture between the Israeli Jewish town of Yeruham and the unrecognized Israeli Bedouin village of Rahme. Objectives: Improved nutrition and Improved communication between Jews and Bedouin.
Diabetes Palestine – Chronic Disease Self Management for Type 1 Diabetic Teens in Gaza. East Jerusalem/ Gaza, Palestine Authority – New 2019
This initiative uses the Stanford CDSMP program together with mobile applications for 200 type 1 teenage diabetics in Gaza, our first ever program in Gaza. The program is managed by Diabetes Palestine. This program started in December 2019.
The Family Defense Society (FDS) – Obesity Among Palestinian Women, Nablus Palestinian Authority
FDS has expanded its longstanding commitment to improve the life of women subject to domestic abuse to now include prevention of obesity. This is taking place in Palestinian refugee camps near Nablus and the city of Nablus. This intervention uses, in part, the Stanford CDSMP. They have completed two years.
Kuchinate – Improved Resilience and Economic Support for African Refugee Asylum Seekers, Tel Aviv, Israel– New 2020.
African asylum-seeking women endured torture and other traumas en-route to Israel; and in Israel, they are highly susceptible to homelessness, poverty discrimination and domestic abuse. They suffer from a wide range of trauma-related mental health difficulties. Kuchinate is a resilience-based community that was founded in order to offer vital support and empowerment to women asylum seekers through a unique project which combines income generation with psychosocial support.
Yes Theatre Drama Therapy – Southern Hebron Hills , Palestinian Authority – New 2019
This drama therapy initiative in the Hebron area will contribute to the improvement of the mental health status of Palestinian children, youth and women. The target group 100 10-15 year old children; 100 16-18 year old teens; 100 20-35 year old women. Each person needs to have been in conflict with Israeli law and detained by Israelis; or loved ones whose relative was arrested and/or killed by Israelis; or exposed to different kinds of violence such as harassment from settlers or Israeli soldiers.






Our Projects
2004 – 2019






Empowering Women Through Health Initiatives
Helping women gain better access to healthcare and education to insure that the voices, skills and knowledge of women are incorporated into the discussions and decision making in their families and communities.
Grants Awarded:
- Al – Tufula: Promoting nutrition-based wellness and expansion of health rights for Arab women in northern Israel.
- Al-Manal/Kokhav/Mifras b Galil: (Head to Toe) Empowering disabled Arab and Jewish women to take control of their health and sexuality while promoting disability rights in northern Israel.
- Atid Bamidbar: Improved Nutrition in the Southern Negev, Israel.
- Beit Natan: Increasing mammography rates and supporting breast cancer awareness among Orthodox Jewish women in Jerusalem.
- Beterem: Empowering Arab and Jewish grandmothers to prevent childhood domestic accidents in their communities.
- Dar Al Kalima: Expanding health and wellness through exercise and nutrition for young women in the Bethlehem district of the West Bank.
- Family Defense Society (FDS): Prevention and treatment of obesity in Nablus, OPT.
- Hadassah Optimal: Supporting health and wellness of young mothers and their babies with the help of neonatal nurses in northern Israel.
- Hiyot: (Amharic for “life”) Training Ethiopian Jewish teens and mothers in sexual health and wellbeing.
- Ilabun: Promoting women’s health and wellness for Arab communities in northern Israel.
- Israel Association of Community Centers: Promoting women’s health and health awareness for orthodox women outside of Jerusalem.
- Kayan: Expanding health rights of Palestinian women in northern Israel through civic engagement.
- Ma’an: (Arabic for “together”) Preventing domestic violence against Bedouin women and girls in southern Israel.
- Mesila: Providing family planning services and women’s empowerment training for African refugees in Tel Aviv.
- Ne’eman: Increasing awareness about the risks of stroke among women in Israel.
- One In Nine: Saving lives by increasing mammography rates and breast cancer awareness among ultra-Orthodox Jewish women.
- Physicians for Human Rights Israel: Expanding health promotion activities among marginalized Russian women in Beersheva.
- Palestine Working Women’s Society for Development (PWWSD): Providing psychosocial support to combat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among Palestinian women and children in the West Bank.
- Rahat: Working to educate Bedouin women in southern Israel about the importance of healthy lifestyle habits.
- Women Against Violence: Promoting women’s health rights among Arab women in Nazareth and the Galilee.
- Women’s Studies Center: Providing psychological support to Palestinian women living in East Jerusalem and Silwan.
- Yasmin El Negev: Empowering Bedouin women in Israel to create social change that will impact the overall well-being of their community.
- Yes Theatre Drama Therapy: Southern Hebron Hills, Palestinian Authority – New 2019 – Learn more.
Ending Domestic Violence Against Women and Girls
Battling domestic violence and sexual abuse through awareness campaigns, local intervention programs and personal empowerment training, especially among Bedouin communities.
Grants Awarded:
- Al-Manal/Kokhav/Mifras b Galil: (Head to Toe) Empowering disabled Arab and Jewish women to take control of their health and sexuality while promoting disability rights in northern Israel.
- Ma’an: (Arabic for “together”) Preventing domestic violence again Bedouin women and girls in southern Israel.
- Mesila: Providing family planning services and women’s empowerment training for African refugees in Tel Avi
- Women Against Violence: Promoting women’s health rights among Arab women in Nazareth and the Galilee.
- Yasmin El Negev: Empowering Bedouin women in Israel to create social change that will impact the overall well-being of their community.






Supporting African Refugees in Israel
Establishing family planning and other women’s health services for African refugees and asylum seekers and advocating for community members who are HIV-positive.
Grants Awarded:
- IATF/ASSAF: A partnership between IATF (Israel AIDS Task Force) and ASSAF (Association for Asylum Seekers in Israel, Hebrew for “gathered”) supporting HIV-positive refugees from Africa and preventing further spread of the virus.
- JACC: The Jerusalem African Community Center (JACC) is psychosocial support program in Jerusalem providing group therapy for RAS women survivors of torture in Sinai. The program will provide them with an understanding of the symptoms they experience, along with ways of coping with their trauma.
- Mesila: Providing family planning services and women’s empowerment training for African refugees in Tel Aviv.
Treating and Preventing the Spread of AIDS
Providing treatment and support to HIV-positive refugees and their families while preventing further spreading of the virus.
Grants Awarded:
- IATF/ASSAF: A partnership between IATF (Israel AIDS Task Force) and ASSAF (Association for Asylum Seekers in Israel, Hebrew for “gathered”) supporting HIV-positive refugees from Africa and preventing further spread of the virus.






Safeguarding Children and Youth
Supporting preventative efforts that promote physical safety, combat drug addiction, expand family planning programs and prevent domestic violence.
Grants Awarded:
- Beterem: Empowering Arab and Jewish grandmothers to prevent childhood domestic accidents in their communities.
- Hadassah Optimal: Supporting health and wellness of young mothers and their babies with the help of neonatal nurses in northern Israel.
- Hiyot: (Amharic for “life”) Training Ethiopian Jewish teens and mothers in sexual health and wellbeing.
Promoting Empowerment and Self-Management of Diabetes
Lowering rates of chronic disease by empowering individuals to take greater responsibility for their health and promoting active engagement in the improvement of one’s well-being.
Grants Awarded:
- Ahli Balatah El-Balad Club: Improved Care for Palestinian Diabetics in the Nablus, Palestinian Authority.
- Bet Shemesh: Promoting health rights for Israeli Jews.
- Caritas: Preventing chronic disease and diabetes among underserved Palestinian men and women in and around Jerusalem.
- Diabetes Palestine: Chronic Disease Self Management for Type 1 Diabetic Teens in Gaza. East Jerusalem/ Gaza, Palestine Authority – New 2019
- Friends by Nature: Using local gardens to help Ethiopian Jewish women improve their health through nutrition.
- The Galilee Society: Lowering diabetes rates among Arab communities in northern Israel.
- Palestine Medical Relief Society: Improving diabetes care for men and women in 14 West Bank villages.
- Sha’ab: Raising awareness about the genetic impact of interfamilial marriage.
- Tene Briut: (Amharic and Hebrew for “health”) Preventing diabetes among Ethiopian Jews in northern Israel.



Former Grantees











