Malka Haya Fenyvesi's Page

What motivated you (or your organization) to become involved in peace and conflict resolution?

I think social transformation is possible and understanding how we can interact in constructive and authentic ways to build a more peaceful and just society is critical. I have been a part of social movements (environmental, peace and justice, etc) for many years that were all full of conflict. I wanted to understand how conflict functions and what its dynamics and potential solutions/resolutions/transformations were on a intra personal all the way to global scale.

Please feel free to provide a short bio about yourself or the work of your organization (no more than 3 paragraphs)

Malka Haya Fenyvesi is the Director of Interfaith Programming at Progressive Jewish Alliance (PJA) and co-directs NewGround: A Muslim Jewish Partnership for Change. Malka is a first-generation American and the daughter of Hungarian immigrants. She has a M.S. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University’s Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (ICAR), where she graduated with honors. She also studied Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding from the Abrahamic faiths traditions at Hamline Law School’s Program at Hebrew University in Jerusalem and at the US Institute of Peace.

Malka has been active in the domestic Jewish peace movement for many years. She has participated in a number of local and national coalitions and interfaith efforts to bring a peaceful and just resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has traveled throughout Israel and the Palestinian territories. She has led workshops on Judaism, Reconciliation and Conflict Resolution in Washington DC and at the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center. In addition she has presented workshops to International Fulbright Scholars, local interfaith conferences at the Interfaith Youth Corp national Conference in Chicago. She is also the founding teacher of Yavneh on the Hill, a Hebrew school program on Capital Hill in Washington DC.

Malka is a trained mediator. Prior to working for PJA, she worked at Search for Common Ground, an International Conflict Transformation organization based in Washington DC.

Please list the countries and/or regions in which you (or your organization) have direct and significant expertise

Israel/Palestine
United States (Mid-Atlantic and Southern CA)

What is your current country of residence (or location of your organization)?

United States

What is your current job (and organization) and/or where and what field are you studying?

Co-Director NewGround; A Muslim Jewish Partnership for Change

How many years professional experience do you have ?

6-10

What is your personal or organizational website?

http://www.newgroundproject.org

What is one of your favorite websites in the field? (please provide one answer per box)

http://www.crinfo.com

Which are your primary sectoral areas of expertise (or the primary sectoral areas of your organization) ?

Conflict Resolution, Culture, Dialogue, Facilitation, Gender, Organizational Development, Peacebuilding, Youth

Which are your primary skills areas(or the primary skill areas of your organization)?

Curriculum Development, Fundraising, Program Design, Program Implemenation, Research, Training

What are some of your current areas of research (if any)?

Muslim Jewish Relations, Diaspora Communities, Inter/intra religious conflict, evaluation and reflective practice