From the Mosque to the Community: Imams Take on a New Role in Preventing Violence
Violence in Israel’s Arab communities has reached alarming levels, creating an urgent need for new approaches to prevention and community resilience. In response, the Open University of Israel, together with the Ministry of Interior, has launched an innovative initiative that places religious leaders at the heart of the effort.
The program has trained 58 imams from communities across Israel in conflict resolution, mediation, civic responsibility, and violence prevention. The goal is to equip them with practical tools to help resolve disputes, support young people, and prevent conflicts from escalating into violence.
The program’s first cohort recently completed its training and marked the completion at a closing conference held at the Open University’s campus in Ra’anana, attended by President Isaac Herzog, who addressed the participants and highlighted the national importance of confronting violence in Arab society.
At the heart of the initiative is a simple idea: sustainable change must come from within communities themselves. Imams often serve not only as religious leaders, but also as counselors, mediators, and trusted figures in their communities. This places them in a unique position to help defuse tensions, encourage dialogue, and promote safer communities.
The training combines academic study with practical experience, covering the roots of violence and crime, conflict mediation, civic responsibility, democratic values, and Islamic perspectives on peace and justice. Participants also developed local initiatives designed to address specific challenges in their communities.
Among these initiatives is a school-based program in the Arab town of Jatt, bringing together educators, parents, and religious leaders to identify young people at risk of involvement in violence and provide them with mentoring, conflict-resolution skills, sports activities, and opportunities for volunteering.
Other graduates have established local sulha mediation committees near mosques. Sulha is a traditional form of community mediation in Arab society, in which respected community figures work to resolve disputes before they develop into cycles of retaliation.
“Imams have a central role in shaping community life,” said Prof. Leo Corry, President of the Open University of Israel. “We sought to strengthen their leadership and provide them with the tools to help reduce violence, foster responsibility, and encourage mutual respect.”
The initiative reflects the Open University’s broader commitment to connecting academic knowledge with some of the most pressing challenges facing Israeli society. By bringing together education, community leadership, and practical action, the program is helping participants turn their influence into a resource for building safer and more resilient communities.
