Rina co-manages the Jordan-Israel Center for Community, Environment, and Research at the Arava Institute, in collaboration with the Dead Sea and Arava Science Center. She also directs regional cooperation with Jordan on behalf of the Eilot Regional Council. She teaches various courses and lectures on her areas of research and fieldwork including a master’s course about development in conflict zones at the Hebrew University as part of the International Development MA program.
Rina Kedem is an environmental peace entrepreneur who directs cooperation projects with Palestinians, Israelis, and Jordanians for the past 19 years. A wholesome perspective including social-economic and environmental wellbeing of communities and tangible, long-term peacebuilding opportunities guides her work. International and national conflict mitigation and development agencies, as well as government ministries, support her work.
She started engaging in peace work after life-changing experiences in the land of Israel-Palestine while marking hiking trails and learning about the people of the land and their narratives through personal encounters. She realized her love of nature and peace work are a productive combination. Rina studied at the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, received her undergraduate degree from Prescott College in Arizona, and holds a master’s degree in International Community Development from Hebrew University. She is currently working on her Ph.D. in community development and transboundary environmental cooperation in the Department of Geography and Environment at the Hebrew University.
Rina's professional experiences include outdoor and environmental education and curriculum development, teacher's training, youth facilitation and mentorship, academic teaching, consultancy, resource development, management of multicultural events, body-based and movement experiences, and water movement therapy (Watsu). Rina co- developed unique initiatives such as EcoME center (a center for peace and ecology for Palestinians and Israelis) and GEN Israel (The global ecovillage network) and has an extensive network of communities and projects around the world that focus on environmental and social change, peace work and development.
https://arava.org/2019/10/jiccer-a-new-research-center/
https://walking-water.org/the-team/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nImXlYlA8aQ
https://goldenbridge.org/somasource/leaders/
Teaches: Development in Conflict Zones: Theoretical Exploration and Practical Tools