We recently wrote about our redoubled efforts, together with the Jerusalem Foundation and other partners, to help grassroots activists in fighting racism and promoting tolerance in Jerusalem. And believe it or not, just a week after our second meeting for activists, one of these initiatives has already been successfully launched – 0202. 0202 is a brand-new Facebook page that translates Arabic-language news items about East Jerusalem into Hebrew. It seeks to give Hebrew-speakers a peek into everyday life in East Jerusalem, through the eyes of the Palestinian residents.
In less than a day, the page garnered over 1,000 likes! Three weeks later, we celebrated 2020 likes to 0202….
How did the page come about? During the summer months and into the fall, when the situation in East Jerusalem was particularly volatile, it seemed to many activists that the lack of knowledge and understanding of East Jerusalem is an important obstacle to tolerance. Here and there, there were efforts to translate important news items from different major East Jerusalem pages, and the very positive feedback showed that this is indeed a real need.
In mid-November, Michal Shilor, one of the activists, suggested starting such a page. It took a few months, and with a bit of help from us and many others, she managed to create an activist-based mini-news-agency that emphasizes the re-humanization of East Jerusalem Palestinians. It is very hard to make such a dream come true, and it is harder to maintain it afterwards, and we are there with this committed group to help.
In the few days since it’s been up, 0202 has covered a wide range of subjects – from reports of police activity in Issawiya to activities at the Palestinian Heritage Museum to the filming of new television programs.
In fact, 0202 becomes fast an important source for main-stream press, as can be seen in April 7, 2015 Haaretz citation: “This Sharia decision (that was first published in hebrew on 0202 Facebook page)…” .
Haaretz Newspaper – citation of Page 0202
We wish all those involved in 0202 the best of luck, and look forward to further posts.
