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September 2009
News in this Month’s Newsletter:
Message From Ellen Goldberg, NIF Executive Director
In our recently posted Rosh Hashana card we present 52 achievements supported by New Israel Fund that should make each and every one of our supporters proud of NIF AND proud of Israel. Every month, every week and every day of the year, our work continues. (If you have not received it, please let us know so we can update your address.)
Even on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, some of our grantees under our Religious Pluralism programme are holding traditional or alternative services or study sessions for people who are looking for a special way to connect to the Jewish High Holydays. Many of them are new immigrants and unaffiliated Israelis who throughout the year have been forming communities with programmes and activities that are spiritually meaningful for them. Read more about them in this newsletter.
We have been fortunate that many of our donors have continued to support us this year, despite the economic challenges we all face, and we are truly grateful. However, we are still striving to meet our commitments to our grantees and projects, and thus ask that you use the Rosh Hashana period to make a new gift or top-up your previous gift as generously as you can to enable us to reach even higher achievements and successes for Israel.
I hope you also take a look at the beautiful Rosh Hashana video in this newsletter prepared by our Israeli colleagues. May your new year be peaceful and productive, blessed both with giving and getting. Shana Tova!
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Secular Jewish Renewal Program
NIF's Jewish Renewal Program supports a growing trend in Israel today as unaffiliated Jews of all types are beginning to connect - or reconnect - to their Judaism. Young secular Jewish Israelis are flocking to new programs that combine study of Jewish texts with social action inspired by Jewish values, creating new Israeli-bred spiritual communities across the country, and developing new ways of connecting to their Jewish heritage and identity.
NIF’s investments in this area in the last 10 years reflect our understanding that the challenge to the Orthodox monopoly over Judaism in Israel will not come from advocacy efforts alone, but rather as a result of the development of grassroots institutions that will create “facts on the ground” - such as more civil and non-Orthodox weddings and burials and more active secular Jewish community groups.
A project called “Creating Jewish-Israeli Spiritual Communities” led by Midrasha at Oranim and Bet Tefila Israeli, has established over 30 secular “praying communities” around the country, for Shabbat and holiday services. The Shittim Institute: Secular Song project is working with graduates of secular youth movements to develop modern, innovative Kabbalat Shabbat and other ceremonies that enable young secular Israelis to deepen their Jewish identity. Havaya is training officiants, conducting hundreds of weddings, and marketing the alternatives to young secular couples, both veteran and immigrant.
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Land Reform – We Lost the Battle but will Continue the War
"Why did this Coalition form? It was formed to fight the biggest privatisation in the history of the state of Israel – the privatisation of Zionism. This reform threatens all that is dear to us." – MK Shelly Yachimovich.
Despite energetic efforts by a broad-based NIF/SHATIL-coordinated coalition of social justice and environmental groups, youth movements and concerned parties from all points of the social, religious and political spectrum, the Knesset passed the controversial land reform bill, which will privatise some state-owned land. However, the final version of the bill reduced the amount of land to be privatised by half the proposed amount, and includes clauses that protect the underprivileged and the environment.
"The fight was a meaningful one and full of lessons," said NIF/SHATIL 's Environmental Justice Director, Avi Dabush, who coordinated the Coalition. "The Coalition that was built around this issue will examine how to proceed, but will in any case continue to monitor and campaign for the responsible management of Israel's land resources."
Just last week, a visitor to the Knesset would have witnessed an amazing scene: nearly 30 Knesset members (a quarter of the Knesset) leafing through green NIF/SHATIL folders containing information compiled by the coalition detailing the negative consequences of the proposed law. The MKs – including Coalition members, members of all the other factions and opposition head Tzipi Livni -- were participating in an emergency conference organised by the Knesset's Social and Environmental Lobby ahead of Monday's special session vote on the proposed bill.
According to the coalition, the bill will increase social gaps and harm the environment. Indeed, a survey conducted by the ad hoc coalition found that nearly 60 percent of the public believe the reform will only benefit the wealthy and that it betrays the public interest.
The ad hoc coalition against the land reform bill, which received support from the NIF and the Green Environment Fund, includes Yedid, Green Course, the Israel Union for Environmental Defense, Greenpeace, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel and others.
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Government Suspends Plan to Expel Foreign Workers
The Israeli government has suspended its plan to expel the hundreds of children of foreign workers and refugees who have spent most of their lives in Israel. The campaign against the expulsion was led by New Israel Fund grantee Hotline for Migrant Workers and many other organisations.
The campaign, which included weekly demonstrations, raising awareness of politicians and public figures and media coverage, was remarkably successful. From a statement opposing the expulsions by President Shimon Peres and cabinet ministers, to front-page headlines, to a clear groundswell in public opinion against the expulsions, the campaign enjoyed almost universal support.
Interior Minister Eli Yeshai has pledged to release dozens of foreign workers and some children who have already been detained by the immigrant police ahead of expulsion. Officially the government has suspended its planned expulsions for only three months, although following the power and popularity of opposition, it is unlikely the policy will ever being implemented.
An African refugee says no to expulsion at a Tel Aviv demonstration
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Mayors, Business people, Labor Union Reps and Social Organizations Tackle Employment Crisis in North of Israel
"Part of the weakness of the Galilee is that the authorities who try to help are politicized. To our luck, this time NIF/SHATIL is the organizer and it is perceived as an organization that has the trust of all the players." – Yona Fartouk, Histadrut Labor Federation delegate for the Galilee
The first Round Table Forum of its kind met August 5 to tackle the crisis of employment and the government's neglect of the Northern periphery.
Organized by NIF/SHATIL and the Histadrut Labor Federation, the meeting in Hatzor included Jewish and Arab mayors, the Northern chair of the Histadrut Labor Federation, representatives of business and industry, the Jewish Agency's Tzafona organization and social change organizations in the North.
The closing of the Pri Galil factory located near the NIF/SHATIL Galil office along with chronic employment problems and the financial crisis led the NIF/SHATIL staff to act on their belief that while the various players in the north might be weak on their own, together they would be a powerful force for change.
The picture painted by the 28 participants in the Round Table was a grim one: with 55% of northern residents subsisting on minimum wage, the financial crisis hit this area particularly hard. Factories and plants were closed and hundreds of people fired. Research showed 40% of northern residents aged 21-35 say they hope to leave the north and that 90% of the municipalities in the Galilee are on a lower socio-economic level than the center of the country. Small businesses, making up the economic backbone of the area, are also being hard hit by the crisis.
Suggestions for raising the quality of life in the North included building a planned medical school in Tzfat, working to keep talented students who come to the northern colleges in the area, relocating strong high tech firms to the north, government investment in small businesses, continuing Route 6 to Kiryat Shmona and building a strong campaign to pressure the government to legislate policies that would boost the development of north and the Negev in employment, education, transport and infrastructure.
Tuba-Zangariyye mayor Tzvika Fogel expressed fear that municipalities in the north could collapse due to the financial collapse of their residents. "We are in a downward spiral," he said. "If, God forbid, the Vita Pri Galil factory should close, Tuba Zangariyye, many of whose residents work in the factory, would also close down.
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Ethiopian Parents Confront Teen Challenges
On a recent hot and sticky evening, more than 100 Ethiopian-Israeli parents (many of them men) packed a hall of the Clore Community Center in Hadera, located in the Pe'er neighborhood, which houses the city's highest concentration of Ethiopian immigrants. The gathering, held in Amharic, was initiated, organized, planned and publicized by the 15-member Peers' Forum, a group of Ethiopian Israelis who work with the community in Hadera in various capacities. The Forum was set up by a NIF/SHATIL-led Ethiopian youth-at-risk coalition, part of our Back from the Edge project to strengthen immigrant youth.
In the Forum's meetings, it became clear that distress over what they perceive as the deterioration and alienation of Ethiopian Israeli teens in the town, topped everyone's agenda. While the Coalition has taken steps to ameliorate this problem – such as setting up a joint community-police night patrol, organizing a youth leadership group and monitoring projects for youth in the city –Forum members felt communication with parents was a top priority.
For much of the evening, the parents – of all ages, some with little ones in tow – listened with rapt attention (not one person left despite the heat and faulty air conditioners) to Melkamu Yacob an Ethiopian Israeli who supervises rural and boarding school education and Youth Aliyah for the Ministry of Education. Yacob spent much of his time contrasting life in modern Israel with life in traditional, rural Ethiopian, managing to touch on nearly all aspects of modern life, including finances, politics, culture, personal identity, interpersonal relations, the responsibilities of living in a democracy, multiculturalism, gender equality, quality of life, the medical problems encountered as a result of a changing life style and more. This may seem superfluous to westerners, but none if it is taken for granted by Ethiopian immigrants – who come from another world in terms of politics, values, freedoms, parenting styles…nearly every aspect of life.
In Ethiopia, child rearing was done in the context of the extended family and was completely different. "In Ethiopia," he said, "we used to monitor the kids who took the cows out to pasture – we knew where they went, when they would return. Here, our kids go out and we don’t know where they are. We have to go into schools, become part of the PTA, have influence." Yacob also encouraged his audience to talk about their problems and not "keep it in the stomach" as is their wont.
Yacob peppered his talk with familiar agricultural proverbs and parables and references to life in Ethiopia and to the immigrants' values system. His main message: We need to take responsibility for our children and for their future, which includes taking an interest in what they do and to act as models. An example: We can't demand our children stay away from alcohol if they see us drinking.
Yacob emphasized the importance of not giving up on teaching their children Amharic – without it, communication would be nearly impossible for the many Ethiopian immigrants who don’t manage to master Hebrew. "If we don’t teach our children our mother tongue, it can cause major problems later" he said. He also said Ethiopian parents would have to change some of their habits like taking children to celebrations without regard for homework or exams.
Yacob encouraged his audience: "We can succeed just like any other group. We are in a difficult place economically but we don’t have to interpret this as being inferior. We're defined as being at risk. We have to act to improve our situation."
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Women Protest Gender-Segregated Buses
Dr. Zvia Greenfeld fears that the segregation of buses is the thin end of the wedge. She said, "Ultra-Orthodox society already restricts the role of women in the family and community. Now they want to restrict women in public places starting with buses. This is a dreadful problem and it must be stopped."
Dr. Greenfeld, chairperson of former NIF grantee Mifne Institute, which promotes democracy and pluralistic Jewish education, was one of more than 50 women who took part in a recent demonstration against segregated bus lines in which women are compelled to sit at the back of the bus.
Holding banners that said, "Free transport today – end discrimination in public spaces", the women boarded buses en-masse and sat in the front half of the vehicle on ‘kosher routes,’ which is reserved for men only.
Dr. Zvia Greenfeld: Segregated buses legitimize discrimination.
"We behaved sensitively towards the passengers," said Dr. Greenfeld, who describes herself as modern ultra-Orthodox, "and although we sat at the front of the bus, we did not sit next to ultra-Orthodox men. For decades the bus companies ran lines through ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods and because people behaved sensibly and sensitively there were no problems."
The protest came as a special Ministry of Transport committee began discussing the issue of the gender segregated bus lines and preparing formal legislation on the topic. The Ministry was ordered to regulate the matter following a petition to the High Court of Justice in 2007 against segregation by veteran NIF grantee Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC) of the Movement for Progressive Judaism in Israel (Reform). IRAC represented five women including Naomi Ragen, the orthodox American-born novelist, who live in neighborhoods served only by segregated buses.
Rina Bar-Tal, Chairwoman of former NIF grantee Israel Women’s Network (IWN) said, "It is unthinkable that in a county claiming to be democratic and forward-thinking, women are being violently pushed to the back of the bus and are subject to insults and humiliations simply for being female."
Erez Lachovsky of IRAC’s legal department said, “We want choice and not coercion. Women have the right to travel on gender-segregated buses if they want. But those buses must be clearly marked so that a woman has the choice not to board the bus and an un-segregated bus must travel the same route.” IRAC expects the Ministry of Transport committee to adopt these demands for any legislation which is ultimately enacted.
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Linking Diplomatic Service to Military Service is Unfair Discrimination
Flagship NIF grantee Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) has protested Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman ’s plans to restrict the diplomatic service to candidates who have served in the security forces or performed national service.
ACRI Legal Counsel Dan Yakir wrote to Lieberman, “This policy discriminates not only against Arabs and ultra-Orthodox Jews, but also against those with physical or mental disabilities. Attempting to make a distinction between those who "evaded" military service and those who were granted an exemption from military service is unacceptable.”
He added, "As long as there is no law making national service compulsory, it cannot be used as a condition for being accepted into the diplomatic cadet course. Since entering the Foreign Service is conditional on having passed the cadet course, discrimination in acceptance to the course is in fact discrimination in employment opportunities.”
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