Blog | The Jerusalem Intercultural Center

Garbage Commando – Coming to a Neighborhood Near You

Today, thanks to the day-to-day work of the Little Prince, garbage is high on the public agenda. In the recent municipal elections, all the mayoral candidates spoke about garbage, and what they’d do to clean up the city. The national news site YNET surveyed different cities in Israel, and Jerusalem was found to be the dirtiest city in the country. Indeed, one of Mayor Moshe Lion’s main campaign promises was to clean up the city.

Kiryat Menachem December 24

We’ve been there along the way in encouraging residents to take part in cleaning up their city. With assistance from active resident Dan Krakow, the record-holder in complaints to the 106 municipal hotline, as well as from Efrat Givaty and Moshe Cohen, we’re establishing Garbage Commando units throughout the city. These are active residents, who care about their physical surroundings, who are organizing within their own neighborhoods to flood the 106 hotline with requests to clean up the city, and to be there to follow up to ensure that the complaints are actually taken care of.

We had our first meeting in Old Katamon. You can read about it here.

We’ve since had meetings in Baka’a

Baka, on December 11

Here’s the clip of Gilo resident Dan Krakow, coined “King of the 106 Municipal Hotline” providing tips to residents:

In Kiryat Menachem

Improving strategy in Kiryat Menachem

And in the Gonenim.

Talking garbage in Gonenim on December 30b

Dan has introduced us to how the municipal complaint system works, who is in charge of what, the most effective ways to follow up and with whom, and how to take things to the next level.

Everyone has been very enthusiastic and are excited to get started. Neighborhoods next in line – Gilo and possibly the Bucharim neighborhood.

Many thanks to the Rayne Foundation for their support of this program, and to the Jerusalem Foundation for their support in advancing cross-cultural activism in Jerusalem.

Naomi Roff2019-01-19T14:36:32+00:00January 20th, 2019|Blog, Effective Activism, The Little Prince - Cleaning Jerusalem Together|

Our Michal Sherez Shilor – one of Yediot Achronot’s 50 Heroes of Social Change in 2018

We all knew she’s great and a powerhouse of social action, but now it’s gotten outside recognition: Yediot Achronot, Israel’s largest national daily newspaper, has chosen our Michal Sherez Shilor, Coordinator for our Grassroots Campaign for Tolerance and co-founder and Chair of 0202 – Points of View from Jerusalem, as one of Israel’s 50 Social Movement Heroes for 2018. The article was published in the print edition:

Michal, in the newspaper

Online on Ynet,

And of course, on 0202 – Points of Vew from Jerusalem:

Mazal Tov, Mabrook, and Congratulations Michal!

Naomi Roff2019-01-19T16:06:53+00:00January 18th, 2019|Blog, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem|

Santé Israël – Helping French-Speakers on a Personal Level

We’ve spoken before about Santé Israël, which seeks to assist Francophone residents navigate the Israeli health system.

Frequently, Santé Israël Project Manager Marie Avigad receives individual questions and requests. She tries to help out as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Wheelchair for illustrative purposes

Just as an example, a few weeks ago, someone, part of a group of Christian pilgrims, used to “contact form” of the website about their need to borrow a wheelchair for their aunt. Marie quickly answered that Santé Israël was unable to provide equipment, but she referred them to the Yad Sarah organization, which does lend wheelchairs and other medical equipment, to residents as well as tourists. She also referred them to the page on the Santé Israël website about Yad Sarah to receive some background information, as well as contact information for them. Eventually she made sure that they used the info in an effective way.

Many thanks to the Pharmadom Foundation for their continued support of Santé Israël over the years.

Naomi Roff2019-11-16T11:11:08+00:00January 14th, 2019|Blog, Cultural Competence, New Immigrants, Santé Israël - French internet platform on the Israeli healthcare system|

Santé Israël – At Macabbi Health Services in Rishon Lezion

Last week, our Marie Avigad, Director of the Santé Israël project that helps to make Israel’s health care system accessible to French speakers, was in Rishon Lezion.

Marie Avigad at Maccabi Health Services in Rishon Lezion

She participated in an event that was organized by Maccabi Health Services and the coordinator for Olim services in Rishon Lezion. The goal was to provide information about the Israeli health care system in general, and about Maccabi Health Services in particular.

Maccabi in French

Marie presented the Santé Israël web site, as well as described the Bikur Olim project that she is leading together with the Qualita organization. She also answered questions from the audience and showed the 25 participants how to find information on the Santé Israël web site.

About the Shfela region

The audience was very interested in the subject of health care and asked a lot of questions. One question was from a young pregnant woman, about the recent changes to health care coverage for pregnant women. She received answers, which Marie also published a new page on the Santé Israël web site and linked to a post on the Santé Israël Facebook page. That post received 4,500 views!

Many thanks to the Pharmadom Foundation for their continued support of Santé Israël.

Here’s the Facebook post from Maccabi Health Services in French:

Naomi Roff2019-01-26T15:53:43+00:00January 12th, 2019|Blog, Cultural Competence, New Immigrants, Santé Israël - French internet platform on the Israeli healthcare system|

In the News: MyNet Article on New Coalition

As Jerusalem settles in to a new routine with its new mayor and new city council, our Michal Shilor had a few words of advice for the new administration, based on the Jerusalem Covenant. It was published on the local web site MyNet, which is associated with the Ynet news giant.

Here’s the link to the Hebrew article.

And here’s the English translation.

They all gathered in one room. 90 activists from Jerusalem. Those who voted for Moshe Leon, those who voted for Ofer Berkowitz. Haredim, religious, secular, Arabs, leftists and rightists. They all came with one goal: to think about how we will work together during the next five years. All the residents of the city – for a better city, where both its administration and its residents see everyone. They split up into working groups to promote issues of joint interest such as cleanliness, public transportation, mixed neighborhoods, economic development, urban planning and more.

Activism is a central part of the second principle of the Jerusalem Covenant, which states that those who work for the improvement of the city are a critical resource, and the establishment must see them as such, and even assist them, even when they report hazards or problems. Jerusalem needs to be a city that is attentive to everyone. It needs to be a city that sees its activists as a resource, as those who care about seeing a city that is good for them and their neighbors, as those who understand what should be advanced, because the municipality’s decisions will affect their daily lives. And we – the residents, activists in some cases – know what is better for us than anyone else.

The meeting of activists from the entire spectrum of the population is the real Jerusalem. In fact, each of us can be an activist and promote what is important in Jerusalem. Because our city should be led by women and men like those who came together [in late November] to think together how to take Jerusalem forward, who are active and initiating and changing our reality every day, every minute, in the public sphere. We must demand that the city’s leadership work together with us – together with all of us – to advance the city in a way that will benefit everyone.

Now is the time to remind the new city council that it must work with us, the residents, the activists. That we are an essential resource for leading the city and making decisions that will affect all of our daily lives. Close cooperation between the Jerusalem activists and the Municipality will turn our city into one where everyone feels they can influence and change. A city where everyone feels like they belong, so they smile a little more, walk with confidence, and take interest in their neighbors. A city that engages its residents, because it understands that we know best what is good for us, and our neighbors, together.

Many thanks to the Schusterman and Leichtag Foundations for their support of the Jerusalem Covenant activities, and to Natan and the Jerusalem Foundation for their continued support of our efforts to advance tolerance in Jerusalem!

Naomi Roff2019-11-16T11:13:30+00:00January 5th, 2019|Blog, Effective Activism, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem|

Window to Mount Zion – Merry Christmas in an Exciting Yet Uneventful Christmas Eve Mass

Merry Christmas from Mount Zion!

Celebrating Christmas Eve at the Dormition Abbey

This was the fourth year in a row that the dedicated volunteers from Window to Mount Zion were at the Dormition Abbey’s Christmas Eve Mass – in their telltale yellow vests – to explain and help guide visitors through the ceremony.

Look for the volunteers in their yellow vests

In this way they were able to help the monks host hundreds of Israelis and foreign tourists for the wonderful ceremony that took place in three languages and was adapted for the visitors.

Helping the many visitors enjoy Christmas Eve Mass

Volunteers also helped the police in ensuring that the ceremony took place calmly, without a hitch, enabling that cooperation that we’ve built among the different faiths and neighbors on Mount Zion to continue.

No incidents for four years

Many thanks to Father Daniel, from the Dormition Abbey, to the local policemen who covered the event, and to the many volunteers!

Here’s the Hebrew Facebook post from Window to Mount Zion:

Naomi Roff2019-01-19T15:50:51+00:00January 3rd, 2019|Blog, Mount Zion|

Celebrating a Decade of Cultural Competency and Looking to the Future

Over the past year we, together with the Alyn Rehabilitative Hospital, the Jerusalem Foundation, and numerous partners in the field, have been celebrating a decade of cultural competency. (You can read about this here, here, here and here.)

On Monday, December 17, 2018 we held the final event – a panel entitled, “Where do we go from here?”

“Where now?” with leaders in the field

Panelists included: Nawal Aliyan – Nubader, from the Novader organization, Shaher Shabane, Chair of the Parents Forum for Children with Special Needs in East Jerusalem, Ariel Kandel, from the Qualita Organization for French-speaking Olim, Ella Mano, Director of Public Health Services and Early Childhood from the Jerusalem Municipality, and Dr. Maurit Be’eri, who began the journey with us a decade ago, and who today is the Director of ALYN.

“It was both exciting and sad to hear the personal stories from East Jerusalem,” noted our own Dr. Michal Schuster in her Facebook post afterward. “Parents who are not aware of their children’s rights, who, because of the stigma [against people with disabilities] are not integrated into society and are closed in at home.”

Ariel Kandel, spoke about the French-speaking population’s difficulties here. While they might not be as severe as those from East Jerusalem, there are difficulties nonetheless – language difficulties, economic difficulties as new immigrants, shock from Israeli bureaucracy, and more. Ariel told of someone who went to the emergency room with a headache, and the doctor told him that there’s nothing to worry about and that he take a pill. The man understood that he had a tumor…..

Relating issues and complexities of cultural competency

It is difficult for service providers as well. Ella Mano told about the issues and conflicts nurses in Well-Baby Clinics are facing now, as they try to prevent the spread of measles, even though the very nature of the Well-Baby Clinics must be culturally competent, in order for the clinics to gain the trust of the parents.

Dr. Be’eri described the frustration that jump started the process in 2008 at ALYN, when they stopped and started to ask why patients weren’t advancing from checkup to checkup, and were even getting worse. And they decided to see what they were doing wrong.

Sharing with other cultural competency professionals

What a change the hospital has gone through.

“Lots of circles were closed today, and I hope it’s the start of Cultural Competency, the 3rd Generation,” summed up Michal.

And of course, many thanks to our partners in the journey – the ALYN Rehabilitative Hospital, the Jerusalem Foundation, and our many partners in action.

Naomi Roff2019-01-19T16:04:08+00:00December 31st, 2018|Blog, Cultural Competence, Cultural Competence in Academic Institutions, Cultural Competence in Government Institutions, Cultural Competence in Health Services, Cultural Competence in Jerusalem Municipality, Identity Groups and Conflicts|

MiniActive – Growing by Word of Mouth

Our MiniActive project has grown and developed immensely over the past 5 years, but there is so much more to do. We seek to do more, to develop more, to grow more, to help the Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem. So, on Tuesday, December 18, we asked our MiniActive female volunteers to bring families members, neighbors, friends (all women, of course), to hear about the project, and the good it can do for neighborhoods throughout East Jerusalem.

Huge event with lots invested

In all, we had 400 women at the MiniActive offices in Wadi Joz, in a day that was organized entirely by the women. There were speakers and performers of all sorts.

There were speakers of all sorts

One woman spoke about overcoming obstacles in participating in MiniActive. This is definitely a delicate issue, since issues of being in touch with the ‘establishment’ are especially complex in East Jerusalem. However, the results speak for themselves: When streets are cleaner and more complaints are taken care of (now 50% of all requests from the 106 municipal hotline in Arabic are filled, as opposed to 30% only two years ago), and when the women themselves work in groups to advance topics, these obstacles are overcome.

Speaking about experiences in MiniActive

A second woman spoke about her experiences in MiniActive and how it changed her life. She is about 60 years old and had stopped working as a social worker about 10 years ago. Her children had married and were out of the house. She was lonely and depressed. She found MiniActive, and it brought her back to life. She feels that she can now contribute to society. She took part in MiniActive’s training for our Living Safer, Living Longer program that seeks to improve preventive health and home safety, and as a result, has been hired to encourage mothers of young children to immunize their children and to improve home safety.

There were also performances – on the oud

Performing with the oud

Debka dancing

Traditional debka dance

Displays and sales of women’s handicrafts

Women selling traditional handicrafts

From knitting, to ceramics to jewelry.

Lots of different kinds of handicrafts

And after that, everyone was so inspired that 100 new women joined MiniActive.

Here’s to more effective, women-based activism in East Jerusalem! Many thanks to the Jerusalem Foundation and Natan for their support of MiniActive.

Here’s the post (in Arabic) from the MiniActive Facebook page:

Naomi Roff2019-01-19T15:49:07+00:00December 25th, 2018|Blog, Effective Activism, MiniActive, Palestinians/Arabs|

Getting to Know your Rights with Atta’a

It’s time, and in fact, overdue, that we brag a minute about the Atta’a Center for the Rights of East Jerusalem Palestinians.

Daud lecturing in Shuafat Refugee Camp

Over the past year, Atta’a has built on its past success, and grown even past its former capacity. Examples of accomplishments this year include:

1,089 one-on-one consultations, 1,004 e-mail, Facebook and telephone consultations. This is a 30% increase in individual consultations over last year.
At least 4,000 entrances to our web site per month. The Atta’a web site is so popular that an Arabic-language Google search for ‘Israel Ministry of Interior’ lists Atta’a second, only behind the official government site.
Our Facebook community has seen a 40% increase, from 14,000 ‘likes’ at the end of 2017 to 20,000 today, a 40% increase. Even more important than the number of likes is the high rate of engagement. Atta’a’s Facebook regularly reach 2-4,000 people, including 50 – 100 likes each (active engagement) and numerous ‘shares’. Atta’a generally has at least 2 original posts each week.

In addition to the regular one-on-one consultations, Atta’a provides lectures in the community. On Tuesday, November 27, Atta’a Director Daud Aliyan spoke in the Shuafat Refugee camp, on rights available from the National Insurance Institute, as well as on how to make an appointment in the Ministry of Interior’s (Hebrew-only) appointment system. Atta’a deals with these issues on a regular basis, both on a micro level – empowering individuals to wade through the ‘system’ by themselves – and on a macro level – advocating on behalf of Palestinian residents of Jerusalem when it comes to issues of status, welfare and health care rights, and more.

As a result of Atta’a’s assistance, residents received over NIS 25 million, through payments from the National Insurance Institute, the Welfare Department, the Ministry of Interior and more; from discounts on property taxes and other municipal fees; from being able to legally work in Jerusalem, and more.

Daud tells of one case, which is representative of Atta’a’s assistance:

A woman recently came to Atta’a because her son, who has CP and is in a wheelchair, was receiving a monthly disability stipend of NIS 1,000. We were shocked that a child with such a severe disability was receiving so little. While she was there we asked her about a number of other rights and subsidies she and her family are eligible for – discount on property taxes (worth several thousand shekels), increased disability payments (given the son’s severe disability), a one-time subsidy of NIS-3-4,000, different health care benefits, and much more. In total, she and her family were able to receive tens of thousands of shekels.

Many thanks to the Jerusalem Foundation and the Leichtag Foundation for their support of Atta’a.

Naomi Roff2018-12-29T10:40:20+00:00December 16th, 2018|Attaa, Blog, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Palestinians/Arabs|

Resident Activism Ensuring Accountability in Jerusalem

“A body of men who hold themselves accountable to no one, ought not to be trusted by anyone.” – Thomas Paine

Planning for the next five years

This guiding principle, written by one of the USA’s Founding Fathers, is also an underlying principle of the Jerusalem Covenant. It is what brought Ariella Bernstein, Chief of Staff at the Jerusalem Foundation, and 90 other active residents, including Arabs and secular, religious and ultra-Orthodox Jews, City Council members, municipal professionals, lay leaders, supporters of all the different mayoral candidates, to our “Jerusalem: Toward the Next Five Years” event that took place on Tuesday, November 27 at the newly-opened WeWork branch in Jerusalem. Their common goal: to make Jerusalem a city that is good for all its residents.

Yisrael Isaacs, on the need to work together on the things that unite

Participants created work groups on public transportation, mixed neighborhoods, cleanliness, social activism, economic development, urban planning, East Jerusalem and aesthetics in the public sphere. These groups will continue to advance issues and projects in these areas in the spirit of the Jerusalem Covenant, which has created guiding principles for civic action in the city. The Covenant will help us to devise what is the most worthwhile to do, how to do it, and to make sure we’re not forgetting anyone, and to work together to create a common good and well-being in our city. As our Director, Hagai Agmon-Snir, wrote in this MyNet article (in Hebrew): “The Jerusalem Covenant seeks to say one thing – that the city and the municipality need to take care of everyone and give them services in the most culturally sensitive way possible, just because they are city residents. This clean approach will enable Jerusalem to develop in the best way possible for everyone.”

Working to further East Jerusalem, public transportation, cleanliness, urban planning, resident activism and much more

Many thanks to Eli Yakobi, Yisrael Isaacs and Ariella Bernstein who opened the event. A special thanks to everyone who came and participated and contributed to the evening, paving the way for the next five years. More thanks go to the Leichtag Foundation, Charles and Lynn Shusterman Family Foundation, the Natan Fund and the Jerusalem Foundation for their support for our efforts to increase tolerance in Jerusalem.

Here’s the Hebrew Facebook post that sums up the evening:

Naomi Roff2020-06-16T05:00:41+00:00December 12th, 2018|Blog, Effective Activism, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem|