Interfaith Peace-Builders

Interfaith Peace-Builders was founded in 2001 and became an independent organization in 2006. We have sent almost 60 educational and solidarity delegations to Israel/Palestine. Interfaith Peace-Builders is not affiliated with any government, political party, or special interest group. We are funded primarily through individual donations. Ilise Bens... hushan Cohen has her PhD in Social and Cultural Anthropology focused on Mizrahi Jews and their experiences of war and eviction in Israel, and is a long time scholar-activist on the Middle East, particularly on Israel/Palestine and Mizrahi Jews. She is a Sephardic Jew herself, an Atlanta native, and has lived and worked in Israel with Jews and Palestinians. This is Ilise's second stint on Interfaith Peace-Builders' board and is past board chair of Interfaith Peace Builders. She has has led multiple IFPB delegations to Israel/Palestine meeting with nonviolent and human rights activists. Ilise is also a founder of the Jewish Voice for Peace chapter in Atlanta. Manal Fakhoury is a Palestinian American, born in Anabta, Palestine; her family immigrated to the US when she was 6 years old. Manal earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Southern California and her MBA from Webster University. She is the founder and president of Fakhoury Leadership International, a consulting, training and coaching company. She and her family travel to Palestine regularly, are IFPB delegates, and have volunteered in several humanitarian efforts. She is Co-Director of CDI (Citizen Diplomacy Initiative), a non-profit organization whose mission is to encourage American, Israeli and Palestinian people to acquire a consciousness and understanding of one another as individuals, as members of their communities, as citizens of their countries and as part of the family of nations, through the formation of three-way sister city relationships in an effort to end the occupation. Manal serves on a dozen boards and is very active in her community in Ocala, Florida. She and her husband ...Read More