A sense of solitude and grief amid the Gaza conflict ignites a mission to foster inclusivity

Part of a series featuring profiles on community-driven initiatives aimed at facilitating dialogue throughout the campus.

At 15, Nim Ravid and his family relocated from their homeland of Tel Aviv to Woodbridge, Conn., for professional reasons, spending a couple of years there. He relished every moment of his time in that new environment.

“It was a life-changing experience for me,” declared Ravid, who is currently a senior in the College focusing on economics. “I adore the diverse essence of this area. In this nation, you find yourself among individuals who are incredibly varied and possess differing viewpoints. Even within the Jewish community, significant divisions exist … The cultural richness here motivated me to return.”

Upon his acceptance into Harvard, Ravid anticipated experiencing the same thrill he had encountered when he first arrived in the United States. However, circumstances took a different turn. Within his initial weeks on campus, he realized that some individuals were distancing themselves from him due to his nationality and his time in the Israeli Defense Forces, where he completed four years of obligatory service and a few months as a spokesperson for the chairperson of the legislative Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

Following the terror attacks on October 7, 2023, Ravid’s feelings of alienation intensified as campus tensions escalated amid ongoing protests regarding the Gaza conflict. He noted that many Israeli students faced social rejection inside and outside classroom settings.

“I resolved to undertake a mission to create spaces on campus that would allow individuals who share similar values, despite holding differing beliefs, to unite, listen to one another, and learn from each other.”

Besides feelings of isolation, Ravid endured profound loss — three of his friends at the Nova Music Festival fell victim to Hamas forces. He chose to channel his sorrow “as motivation for action” to alter the campus culture, striving to make it more inclusive and inviting for everyone. Another inspiration, he mentioned, was his aspirations for a hope-filled future in the Middle East, where Israelis and Palestinians could coexist and thrive together.

“In my early days here, I eagerly awaited sharing my experiences and envisioned connecting with others to collectively dream of a better future in the Middle East,” Ravid expressed.

“After going through such a harsh period of social isolation, I decided to initiate a quest to create spaces on campus that enable individuals who share the same values to come together, hear each other out, and gain knowledge from one another. Since that moment, I have been on this journey.”

Ravid’s endeavor incorporated informal attempts to unite Jewish and Muslim students, yet the conflict between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli groups made it challenging to gather individuals willing to engage in conversation.

With support from several professors, Ravid managed to connect with a few like-minded Arab and Muslim classmates who joined his initiatives, resulting in a group that now includes Israeli, Jewish, Muslim, and Arab students. Together, they have organized private dinners, small discussion circles, and dialogues featuring speakers from both sides of the divide. The group opted to keep their events off the public radar to encourage more candid participation.

Michael Sandel, Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of Government, who has moderated some discussions within the group, commended the students for their attempts to mend the campus divide. In an email correspondence, he reflected on the group’s beginnings and highlighted Ravid’s contributions.

“In the tense aftermath of October 7, a number of Harvard students from Israel alongside those from Arab and Muslim backgrounds came together, quietly and informally, to discuss the Israel-Palestinian conflict and explore pathways for dialogue,” Sandel shared. “Nim emerged as a remarkable leader of this initiative. He demonstrated a unique capacity to unite individuals and foster an environment where listening with empathy and mutual respect flourished.

“Nim has since expanded his undertaking to promote respectful conversation within the Harvard campus,” Sandel further noted. “He is a natural leader and an advocate for good — especially in a time when our campuses, and the globe, urgently require advocates for community, civility, and understanding.”

Ravid is a member of the Harvard Presidential Task Force focused on Combating Antisemitism and Anti-Israeli Bias, serving as one of its two student representatives. He has also participated in the Intellectual Vitality Initiative, dedicated to encouraging academic freedom, free expression, open inquiry, and civil discourse.

Despite Ravid’s dedication to fostering unity, he acknowledges that it is a formidable challenge.

“It has been incredibly tough to incentivize attendance at these gatherings, but I draw inspiration from some Arab acquaintances who, despite overwhelming social pressures, still choose to come,” he remarked. “This initiative is a culmination of the efforts of students committed to crafting a better Harvard for everyone. We aspire to create a Harvard where no individual is treated differently because of their identity, be it race, gender identity, nationality, or political perspective.”

After completing his studies, Ravid indicated his intention to persist in his mission of uniting individuals, which has evolved into a lifelong commitment. He stated that polarization could emerge as the primary obstacle of the upcoming century as democracies increasingly become racially, ethnically, and religiously varied, and posited that the solution lies in nurturing civil dialogues across differing viewpoints.

“For a multicultural democracy to thrive, one of its essential foundations is the capacity for individuals from varied communities to communicate effectively,” Ravid asserted. “When this communication breaks down because one community feels marginalized or excluded from discussions, it hinders a multicultural society from functioning effectively.”