About Us

Nes Ammim is a village in the Western Galilee, north Israel, situated between the city of Haifa and the border with Lebanon. What makes Nes Ammim different from other kibbutzim/villages in the country, is that the village was founded and is inhabited by a Christian community of European volunteers. In Nes Ammim, the Christian community lives and works together with its Israeli and Arab neighbors.

Center of Learning and Dialogue for Peace

Learning and Dialogue – both intercultural and interreligious – are important pillars of this community. In the Center of Learning and Dialogue for Peace (CLD) these pillars come into practice. The center organizes dialogue activities, local dialogue groups use the facilities of both the center and the hotel for seminars and workshops, and a study program is organized for the European volunteers. Also, Palestinian Arab Christians come to the Nes Ammim Hotel for community building activities.

The Center of Learning and Dialogue (CLD) is an amutah under Israeli law – an association. The board of the Amutah consists of two Israelis, two Germans and two Dutch. This board assures the continuity and the sustainability of the work done within the CLD. Two local dialogue coordinators organize yearly several dialogue activities and seminars. The European Dialogue Coordinator has the main responsibility for these activities, for the subsidy program and for the Christian Fellowship Program. This Christian Fellowship Program was established to foster fruitful relationships between Palestinian Arab Christian communities in the Galilee and the churches in Europe that are connected to Nes Ammim.

The Study Leader is responsible for the study program for the volunteers. In the study program a learning experience is offered to the volunteers, but due to the program relationships are established, awareness is created and people are empowered.

History of Nes Ammim

The development of Nes Ammim is closely connected to the history and the current political situation of Israel. During and after the Shoah – the genocide of six million Jews in Europe during World War II – many survivors sought refuge in Palestine. In 1917, the Balfour declaration promised a Jewish homeland and in 1948, the new state of Israel declared its independence. About ten years later a group of Christians in Europe decided to live in Israel to show solidarity and to contribute to the state of Israel.

Nes Ammim was founded in 1963 and has always been a place where volunteers from Europe meet Jews and Arabs. They come to find out firsthand how people in Israel and Palestine live, what they believe in and what they think about the conflict and the current political situation.

The aims of Nes Ammim

The aims of Nes Ammim have developed over the years, just like Israel has developed. Today Nes Ammim wants to:

• facilitate the reconciliation of Jews and European Christians after the Shoah;
• foster exchange between European and Palestinian Arab Christians;
• show practical solidarity with Jews and Arabs in Israel;
• inform volunteers comprehensively and in a well-balanced manner about Israel, Palestine, Judaism, Islam, local Christianity and other religions;
• support dialogue between Jews and Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians;
• free the Christian theology of antisemitism and of its compulsion to missionize Jews.

A logo that tells a story

The sign of the village is a symbol of agriculture with a Christian background. The ear of wheat represents an agricultural community, of which most of Israel was dependant on when the pioneers built Nes Ammim. The fish is the ancient symbol of the Christians. The ear of wheat and the fish overlap: Israelis and Christian volunteers meet in Nes Ammim.

Living in Nes Ammim

Nes Ammim is a community of around 15 volunteers between 18 and 75 years old. The volunteers are Christians of different denominations in Europe and live in Nes Ammim for a period from 2 months up to several years. Due to the historic development of Nes Ammim, many of them are Dutch or German citizens, but Nes Ammim surely welcomes members of all nationalities.

While everyone has their own room, studio or house, the volunteers like living together in the vivid community. They share communal meals in the dining hall, go on study trips together or work together in the village. Everybody is invited to join the ecumenical church services, which take place every Sunday evening and on special holidays. Festivities, the weekly bar evenings, and other spontaneous activities offer plenty of opportunities for encounter and celebrations together.

In 2014, Nes Ammim extended to a small village: around 90 local families started to move into newly built houses, turning the unique Christian village into an Israeli community with a population of Jews, Arabs and Europeans.