About aChord
aChord is a unique hybrid social-academic organization that develops and disseminates innovative scientific knowledge in social psychology in order to promote equal, tolerant and respectful relations between different social groups within Israel and between Israeli society and its neighbors in the region.
We use research, consulting, development, and training skills to help diverse organizations and entities integrate knowledge and tools from social psychology into their operations.
The Need and The Solution
Israeli society is characterized by powerful tensions and conflicts between social groups: national, ethnic, religious, ideological and socioeconomic. The social psychological knowledge of intergroup relations includes theories and research crucial to anyone wishing to promote changes in attitudes, perceptions and behaviors tied to the relations between groups.
Many institutions and organizations in Israel seek to promote equal, tolerant and respectful relations between different groups. Their practices in the field, however, are not always aligned with research-based knowledge or with expert recommendations on the optimally effective ways for changing awareness, reducing discrimination and racism and bringing groups closer. Thus all too frequently, well-intentioned programs and activities are unsuccessful at achieving the changes sought.
aChord was founded to bridge the gap between practices in the field of intergroup relations and the relevant research-based knowledge needed for their success. We believe that our ability to make social psychological knowledge accessible and to integrate and implement it will allow organizations in the field to be more effective in promoting respectful, tolerant and equal relations between different groups.
Modes of Action
aChord Center is a social-academic organization affiliated with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem that seeks to afford access to the most current theory and knowledge from social psychology for the most influential players in the field of intergroup relations. This mode of action enables us to enhance the effectiveness of initiatives and programs operated by actors on the ground. In consultation with them we build dedicated, effective and research-based practices for addressing racism, discrimination, stereotyping and other negative emotions.
Using our skills in research, consulting, development and training, we help organizations and agencies working in the field to integrate social psychological knowledge and tools into their practice, based on a preliminary sociopsychological diagnosis. In particular, we focus on the educational field, where we seek to promote education for a shared society in formal and informal education; employment and academia, where we seek to promote diversity, inclusion and equality; and the field of civil society that deals with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, where we aim to advance consciousness and practices that promote reconciliation and peaceful relations.
The research, consulting, development and training services offered by aChord are provided to civil society organizations, public institutions and government ministries, local government authorities, philanthropic foundations, and businesses, with the services tailored to their various challenges and areas of operation. Our aim is to help organizations in diverse contexts deal with the psychological barriers that impede the promotion of equal, respectful and tolerant relations between different groups in Israeli society.
Who we are
At aChord we are a team of over forty women and men, among them social psychologists and organizational consultants. Together we function as a professional, research-based organization that integrates social action promoting intergroup relations with proven academic theories, to create awareness and foster intergroup relations of equality, respect and tolerance.
aChord was founded in 2016 by Prof. Eran Halperin of the Department of Psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Eran, co-chair and senior social psychologist of the organization, is a world-renowned expert in social psychology. He has published over 120 academic articles and three books, and heads the Hebrew University Research Lab with more than 30 researchers from Israel and abroad working on developing effective psychological interventions to foster positive relations between groups in conflict.
Meet Our Staff
Headquarters Staff
_edited_edited.jpg)
Prof. Eran Halperin
Founder and Co-Director
eran.halperin@mail.huji.ac.il
Fields
Public Arena
Academia
Education
Inas Faruje
Leading instructor and leader of SEL project
Ellen Lev Shalem
Leader, Professional Development and Teacher Training Process
Lima Abusalah
Facilitator, Teacher Communities, Education for Partnership
Socio-Psychological Consulting
Peace and Reconciliation
Research
Shir Tankel
Research Assistant and responsible of the technological aspects of research
Corall Azouri
Leader of training and consultation in psycho-social measurement
Employment
Advisory Committee
External Researchers
