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Monthly Archives: March 2016

Window to Mt. Zion – Fostering Interreligious Agreement?

The diversity in the room was striking – Franciscan monks, policemen in uniform, Orthodox, Armenian and Catholic monks, Ashkenazi and Sephardi Rabbis, men and women, “Window to Mt. Zion” organizers from the Jerusalem Intercultural Center (JICC) and Search for Common Ground. On Wednesday, February 17, the entire diversity of residents of Mt. Zion gathered at the JICC offices to discuss and listen to a presentation by officials from the Jerusalem Development Authority (JDA) on their plans to develop parts of the Mountain.

Meeting with all Mt. Zion's residents in one room

Meeting with all Mt. Zion’s residents in one room

The JDA officials described their plans to develop the area of the Greek Garden during 2017, on the southern slopes of Mt. Zion. This corner is particularly loved by all of us, since it is the only open space on Mt. Zion. The plans seek to create a pleasant and safe space for residents and visitors, and will include paving walkways, new lighting, garbage cans and security cameras.

Listening to Jerusalem Development Authority

Listening to Jerusalem Development Authority

Such cooperation on Mt. Zion is not to be taken for granted. We’ve worked very hard to be able to get everyone into one room. Read more about “Window to Mount Zion” on our blog category and at the dedicated site on it (in Hebrew). We hope for much future cooperation between and among all the residents of Mt. Zion. May our cooperation be an example for inter-religious cooperation in Jerusalem, and throughout the region.

Thanks to the USIP for their support to this project!

The JDA presentation

The JDA presentation

2016-10-21T09:08:34+00:00March 4th, 2016|Blog, Christians, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Jewish Religious Denominations, Jewish-Palestinian/Arab, Mount Zion, Palestinians/Arabs, Ultra-Orthodox Jews|

Building Community, Building Playgrounds – from Blocks to Mortar

A few months ago we described a fascinating process that we facilitated in a number of neighborhoods, helping community professionals and local residents plan local themed playgrounds. The process took several months, during which both residents and professionals discussed concepts that it was important for the playgrounds to convey.

Inviting to the planning process

Inviting to the planning process

Together, plans were drawn up and submitted to the planning architects. The beginning, brainstorming stage, looked like this:

Plans on paper in Gilo

Plans on paper in Gilo

Translated into professional sketch...

Translated into professional sketch…

Now, several months later, the plans have become real! A few weeks ago the municipal planners’ southern region posted the following pictures:

Persimmon St. Playground today

Persimmon St. Playground, Gilo, today

As they describe the park: “Two levels were developed, one for the younger ages and one that will serve the older population, with an emphasis on a safe environment for the children. Equipment was installed that will combine and develop children’s creativity in swinging, sliding, jumping, hanging, climbing and spinning around.”

More fun in Gilo

More fun in Gilo

 

It looks like so much fun!

2016-03-05T11:23:22+00:00March 3rd, 2016|Blog, Deliberative Democracy, Gilo, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Ultra-Orthodox Jews|

0202 – Toward First Birthday Celebrations

Happy Birthday!!!!  0202 – A View from East Jerusalem is getting ready to celebrate its first birthday! Here’s the link to the Hebrew Facebook event, which will take place on March 9.

Over the past year, 0202 has garnered more than 15,000 likes and reaches tens of thousands of viewers each week, including prominent and influential local and national officials and journalists. A few months ago 0202 established an English Facebook page, which itself has over 1,200 likes in just over 2 months. There is also an internet site for those who prefer to read 0202 without Facebook!

Shira, one of the page’s initiators as well as translators and editors, was recently interviewed on the Shalem College’s web site:

“I’d like it if the page piques people’s curiosity and causes them to research and to want to get to know the other culture, because today neither side is deeply acquainted with the other. We need more glasses to see reality through,” says Shira. The 0202 volunteers make sure not to take a stand [on what they translate], but translate the articles as close as possible to the original. “Last year I translated articles about the stabbing at the Gay Pride Parade. I took articles from four sources, including a news site that is identified with the Hamas and a Facebook page of young students. There were those who called the event the “Pride Parade” and those who called it “Pervert Parade.” If I soften what they write and adapt it to what I’d like to see written, I wouldn’t be doing my job. We want to bring the authentic Arabic-speaking voices to Hebrew speakers, and we spend a lot of time and discussions among the staff how to translate controversial phrases.”

Shira, 0202 translator and editor

Shira, 0202 translator and editor

Here’s the link to the full article, in Hebrew.

Want to learn more about the behind-the-scenes work at 0202? Come to the event next Wednesday!

Many thanks to the UJA-Federation of New York and the Jerusalem Foundation for their general support of 0202, and to the Leichtag Foundation, which enabled the launching of the 0202 – A View from East Jerusalem in English.

2016-03-11T18:51:45+00:00March 2nd, 2016|Blog, Effective Activism, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Jewish-Palestinian/Arab, Palestinians/Arabs, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem|
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