Vivian Silver has been active in social change work for the past six decades – first in her native city, Winnipeg, then New York and since 1974 in Israel. She is driven by three burning issues: advancing peace in the Middle East, feminism, and creating a shared society between Jews and Arabs in Israel.  She founded the Department Promoting Gender Equality in the United Kibbutz Movement, was a member of the Kibbutz Movement Secretariat, and is active in the Israel Women’s Network. From 1998-2014, she co-directed AJEEC-NISPED, a Jewish-Arab nonprofit organization based in Israel’s Negev, dedicated to strengthening active citizenship through education and socio-economic empowerment. This year, she was recognized as one of the 40 social changemakers over the past 40 years who made a major contribution to equality and social justice in Israel.

She has been active in the Israeli movement Women Wage Peace since its inception in 2014, is a board member of AJEEC-NISPED, and is on the directorate of the only women’s gym in the Bedouin city of Rahat.  She also volunteers for Road to Recovery, driving cancer patients from Gaza to hospitals in Israel.   

Vivian is a member of Kibbutz Beeri, bordering the Gaza Strip