The Interfaith Encounter Association is dedicated to promoting peace in the Middle East through interfaith dialogue and cross-cultural study. Rather than being seen as a cause of the problem, religion can and should be used as a means for solving the conflicts that exist in the region and beyond.

They maintain on-going interfaith encounter groups that bring together neighbouring communities across the country. The goal of these groups is to develop into a “mini-community” that will show the desire people have for mutual respect and friendship while respecting and reinforcing the unique identity of each community. The backbone of the groups’ process is the monthly session of joint study, dedicated to a different theme everytime.

By the end of 2019 the IEA had held more than 3200 programmes, with many thousands of participants. A most significant fact is that the participants in IEA programmes include people of all political and religious views, as well as all ages, genders, walks of life, and that the vast majority of them have met 'the other' for the first time through IEA. As of this date the IEA has founded 102 ongoing community-groups of Interfaith Encounter – from the Upper Galilee to Eilat, including twenty  groups that bring together on a regular basis Israelis and West Bank Palestinians.