JPB BELIEVES IN...
Summer Institute Application Extension Deadline
February 29, 2020
March:
March:
Holy Land and Jordan Pilgrimage
October 17 - 30, 2020
"Let's Talk About Jerusalem"
February 23, 2020
OUR TEAM
Our diverse staff team represents multiple generations, identities, and years of experience in the fields of leadership development, peacebuilding and conflict transformation.
Please read our bios to learn about who we are and what we bring to this important work.
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The Rev. Canon Nicholas Porter
President
Canon Nicholas Porter, is the Founder and Executive Director of
Jerusalem Peacebuilders (www.jerusalempeacebuilders.org), a non-profit, interfaith ministry that partners with Jewish, Christian and Muslim educators to provide emerging Israeli and Palestinian leaders with the skills, relationships, and confidence they need to be effective agents of change. In 2024 alone, Jerusalem Peacebuilders’ programs involved over 12,000 adults and youth.
A two-time graduate from Yale University, Canon Porter holds advanced degrees in Middle East Studies, Theology, War Studies, and Conflict Transformation. His pastoral ministry led him to Jerusalem, Paris, Geneva, Southport (CT), and Wilmington (VT). This former International Chaplin to the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem also teaches at St. Nersess Armenian Apostolic
Seminary, serves on the North American Committee of St. George’s College Jerusalem, and provides leadership to the Order of St. John, the largest provider of ophthalmic healthcare in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza.
The hallmark of his global ministry is the promotion of education and healthcare essential to human progress and interfaith understanding. In 1995, Canon Porter re-founded the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem. In 2008, he was knighted in the Order of St. John for his work supporting healthcare access in Jerusalem. In 2016, Dwight Hall at Yale University awarded him the Curran Prize for distinguished public service for his contributions to peace and leadership education among youth. In 2018, Porter launched the Porter Fellowship at the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale to advance teaching excellence and priestly formation in Jerusalem.
Nicholas is married to his college sweetheart Dorothy Meek and the proud father of three adult daughters. He and his wife live on Acer Farm in southern Vermont.
Dr. Elias Farah
Executive Director
Dr. Elias Farah brings more than 25 years of experience as an educator, having taught in a high school in Nazareth, Israel. Since 2016, he has also served as a lecturer in the B.A. and M.Ed. programs at Oranim Academic College of Education in Tivon, near Haifa.
As CEO of Retorika for Multiculturalism, Dr. Farah co-founded the EXCEL Institute, a peacebuilding and language enrichment initiative for English teachers, with Fr. Nicholas Porter. He also established and directed one of Israel’s largest Model United Nations (MUN) conferences, which convened 400 students from across the diverse sectors of Israeli society.
In recognition of his contributions to the educational community, Dr. Farah was awarded the Rothschild Prize for Education at the Israeli Knesset in 2017. In 2022, Oranim College honored him as a distinguished graduate who has left a significant imprint on
Israeli society, as part of its 70th anniversary celebrations.
Dr. Farah holds a Ph.D. in English Literature, as well as LLB and LLM degrees. He recently served as Chief Inspector of English for Israeli high schools. On August 1, he assumed the role of Executive Director of Jerusalem Peacebuilders.
Dorothy Porter
Co-Founder and Vice President
Dorothy Porter is the co-founder and Vice President of Jerusalem Peacebuilders. She is responsible for fundraising, volunteer-staff recruitment, and quarter-mastering at the camp. Also a long time resident of Europe and the Middle East, Dorothy holds a BA from Yale University and an MFA (London).
Sarah Benazera
Senior Educator & Curriculum Advisor
Sarah Perle Benazera the Senior Educator and Curriculum Advisor of Jerusalem Peacebuilders. She is a humanist, peace-activist, storyteller and educator, with years of hands-on experience in international and inter-cultural dialogue working at the people-to-people level for a better Middle East. After studying at the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies and meeting for the first time Jordanians and Palestinians, Sarah realized that cross-cultural dialogue and peacebuilding were her calling. She worked as a project manager and blog editor at YaLa Young Leaders for five years, developing and running a citizen journalism program. She has also been involved in various peace and cooperation projects, organizing conferences, participating in panels and programs about peace education and cooperation, and working and volunteering with Kid4Peace Jerusalem. She has studied Environmental Studies and Cross-Border Cooperation at Sde Boker and the Arava Institute, as well as Political Philosophy at the Université Panthéon Sorbonne in Paris.
Zak Adileh is the Jerusalem Regional Director for Jerusalem Peacebuilders and a dedicated leader in the fields of leadership development, peacebuilding, and conflict resolution. Born and raised in Jerusalem, Zak is a native Arabic speaker fluent in Hebrew and English. He has a strong background in peacebuilding, having served as Logistics & Operational Manager with Tech2Peace and as a board member of Meet the Israelis. Zak is also an alum and facilitator of several peace-focused organizations, including PIP, 50:50 Startups, Cyprus Social Lab, Encompass, Amal Tikva, B8 of Hope, and more. He has actively participated in numerous dialogues about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, seeking to better understand the perspectives of both sides. Zak is passionate about cultivating a new generation of young, skilled leaders dedicated to peace in the Middle East. He holds a BA in English Literature from the Arab American University and a Diploma in Environmental Studies from the Arava Institute. Zak is also a proud father to a beautiful son.
Blake Burns
Houston Site-Coordinator/Educator
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Born in Houston, Blake Burns grew up nearby in Baytown. Later, he earned degrees in Psychology and Religious Studies from the University of Houston. His professional background centers on designing and leading programs for students in grades 6–12. Blake has primarily worked within Episcopal churches in Texas and Louisiana, but he also has experience teaching abroad in a classroom in Somaliland. Recently, Blake designed a curriculum for MassCOSH’s Teens Lead @ Work program and trained their teachers on its implementation. Blake has also dived deep in the water polo world. Since beginning the sport at age nine, he has remained actively involved as a player, coach, and referee. Blake is incredibly excited to join the JPB team in Houston and contribute to the important work JPB is doing around the world.
Carol is the Financial Bookkeeper at Jerusalem Peacebuilders. With an inquisitive and proactive approach, she has a comprehensive background in accounting and business administration in both the private and nonprofit sectors. She holds a BS in Financial Accounting from the University of New Haven. Carol is also a board member and has been a volunteer for the nonprofit IWagePeace for nearly two decades. A lifelong resident of Connecticut, she is the proud mother of her greatest accomplishment, her twin children Amy and Daniel.