Cultural Competence in Academic Institutions | The Jerusalem Intercultural Center

Continuing Cultural Competency Training with Sapir College Staff

We’ve written here and here about our activities in cultural competency in academia, and here about our work with Sapir College. In early October, 2021, we held another session about teaching remotely and in a culturally senistive manner. The session focused on the the challenges resulting from Covid-19 and its implications, including remote study, which added to the complexity of teaching in a culturally competent manner.

More about teaching culturally competently

Online conference of Cultural Competence and Diversity in Online Teaching

We were invited by the Coordinator of the Israeli Hope initiative at Sapir College to lecture on “Cultural Competence and Diversity in Online Teaching”, at a digital learning conference held by the Unit for Advancing Teaching and Learning.

Discussing different issues, including ‘camera on – camera off’ during Zoom classes

Dr. Hagai Agmon-Snir, JICC’s founding director and a lecturer at Bar Ilan University on multicultural and culturally competent community development, led a discussion on teaching online classes to a culturally diverse class, on the difference between inter-generational and age-based gaps, on open and closed cameras during Zoom meetings, and also about lecturers’ frustrations and thoughts about how to stay interesting enough and relevant enough for their millennial students.

This year, too, we will continue to advance cultural competence in academia, in collaboration with coordinators of the Israeli Hope in Academia initiative. Stay tuned for more updates.

And here’s the Facebook post of Orna Shani Golan, Director of our Cultural Competency Desk:

Naomi Roff2021-12-21T07:22:23+00:00October 15th, 2021|Blog, Cultural Competence, Cultural Competence in Academic Institutions|

Cultural Competency in the English Department

We’ve written before about cultural competence in academia (here and here, for example). On 21.6.21 we traveled as far as Sapir College in the south for a second meeting (the first took place on Zoom) about cultural competence in teaching.

Cultural competence in academic teaching workshop

The lecturers, who teach English in diverse classes, deal with cultural gaps in teaching on a daily basis, and were very interested in what can be done to bridge those gaps. Many of their students come from the Bedouin sector; for a lecturer born in the US, these gaps seems insurmountable.

During the meeting, the lecturers raised different incidents they’d encountered – entire groups that turn off their cameras during Zoom classes, copying as characterized by different groups, not doing homework, and and more.

Practicing cultural education

The lecturers also spoke about their experience of teaching under tension – such as during Operation Guardian of the Walls this past May. One lecturer shared that while teaching a class via Zoom the virtual background of one of the students showed a map of Israel with a keffiyeh. The lecturer did not know how to deal with the situation – should they say something or not? We discussed the issue in the meeting, and practiced how to use the model of effective dialogue model and tools for dealing with social and political tensions, which was developed at the Jerusalem Intercultural Center.

Simulation with a professional Actress

In the last part of the workshop we held simulations developed from the incidents shared by the lecturers. Hanin, a professional actress, simulated Muslim students, one was was afraid to make a presentation in front of the whole class, and the other was suspected of copying. The lecturers had an opportunity to use the tools for culturally competent teaching learned during the two workshop sessions.

orna2021-09-11T17:04:39+00:00July 2nd, 2021|Blog, Cultural Competence, Cultural Competence in Academic Institutions|

Cultural Competence in Academia

It’s no secret that Cultural Competence affects all areas of life – from healthcare, to welfare to businesses and academia. We’ve written here and here about our work with academic institutions.

Cultural Competency in Academia

Throughout Covid academic institutions have continued to hold class, online. And like many aspects of our everyday lives, post-secondary studies, as well as the online format, raise numerous inter-cultural and inter-identity issues, which cultural competence can help to address effectively. This year, we’ve been working with the Zefat Academic College, the Sapir Academic College in Ashkelon, Shenkar College – Engineering. Design. Art and Bar-Ilan University.

In February we led an online workshop for 20 participants, which dealt with issues such as culturally competent academic teaching, dealing with bias and stereotypes, cultural axes, adaptations that are necessary for different identities, and more.

In March we began a four-workshop series at Shenkar, and we’re scheduled to play the HoliGame in April with faculty and staff from Bar-Ilan University.

Here’s the Facebook post from our Dr. Rachely Ashwal from the meeting in February with Sapir Academic College:

And this trend will hopefully continue in the next months and years! The message of cultural competence in academics will spread to more campuses!

Naomi Roff2021-03-30T16:04:43+00:00March 20th, 2021|Blog, Cultural Competence, Cultural Competence in Academic Institutions|

Cultural Competence Training for Academic Institutions during COVID-19

The COVID-19 crisis has changed so many aspects of all of our lives. Since so much of our communication has become less and less face-to-face, the need for cultural competence and cultural sensitivity is more critical than ever.

Teaching lecturers how to navigate diverse classrooms, especially during COVID-19

This includes, among other places, the academic classroom. Like many college and university campuses around the globe, COVID-19 has turned the bustling academic campuses into spaces that are largely virtual. In Israel, the school year began with full online academic learning, and, as part of the preparations, the JICC Cultural Competency Desk was invited to lecture at the Zefat Academic College on how to teach online courses, with diverse classes, in a culturally competent manner.

Raising questions, discussing answers

How can lecturers hold classes online that will be both culturally competent and culturally sensitive, taking into consideration the cultural differences between students and faculty, as well as between the students themselves?

What aspects should be taken into account vis a vis the students, where not everyone might have a suitable Internet infrastructure, but they do have a strong desire and motivation to learn? How do you take attendance when everyone can choose a Zoom nickname and / or turn off the camera?

And most importantly – how can dialogue and the skills of listening and recognizing intercultural differences help a lecturer overcome these challenges? The culturally competent perspective and these questions were raised by Dr. Rachelly Ashwall in the online lecture held on September 15, 2020 for academic staff at Zefat Academic College.

Naomi Roff2020-11-20T14:05:32+00:00October 11th, 2020|Blog, Cultural Competence, Cultural Competence in Academic Institutions|

The Jerusalem Intercultural Center – Hosting Bar Ilan’s Israeli Hope in Academia Diversity Forum

The Israeli Hope in Academia is one of President Reuven Rivlin’s initiatives to promote diversity and cultural competence in Israeli society. Although the president’s vision focuses on “four tribes” – four groups in Israeli society that will be prominent in formulating its future (Arabs, secular, religious-national and ultra-Orthodox Jews), but conceptually, this vision is very close to that of the JICC and its work to promote cultural competence in Israel.

Introducing the JICC’s work in cultural competency

Part of the work of the Israeli Hope in Academia at Bar Ilan University, led by Dr. Liat Netzer, includes activities to promote leadership within the university. The Gvanim (“Diversity”) group is a group of senior academic and administrative staff selected to promote cultural competence within the university. Our own Dr. Michal Schuster is part of this group.

Mount Zion as an example to cultural competence and diversity

On February 26, 2020, the JICC hosted this group at its offices on Mount Zion. They began their day at the Jerusalem Intercultural Center with an introduction to the topic of cultural competence. Dr. Hagai Agmon Snir, our Director (and lecturer at the Louis & Gabi Weisfeld School of Social Work at Bar-Ilan) presented cultural competency and the diverse activities at the JICC over the past 12 years. Dr. Netzer connected the concept of cultural competence to the mission of Israeli Hope in Academia, and showed thought-provoking examples of the academia’s blindness to student diversity, barriers to students and lecturers from minority groups to advance and integrate as equals in the system, and the motivations to improve the diversity and cultural competence of academic institutions in Israel.

Taking lessons from Mount Zion to academia

Afterward, the group toured Mount Zion, guided by Merav Horowitz, Coordinator of the Window to Mount Zion project. The tour illustrated how partnerships between people and organizations (sometimes those who do not hold official roles) succeeded in bridging disagreements and tensions in a place that is small but holds religious, political, and cultural importance to many, many groups. She described numerous examples of cooperation at the David’s Tomb complex, the Dajani family cemetery, and various events that take place on Mount Zion, sometimes routine and sometimes as surprises.

After the tour, the group met to raise questions and insights about the JICC’s work and how it can be applied to academia.

We were happy to host the Diversity group and to be part of the process of formulating and raising ideas to enhance cultural competency at Bar-Ilan University.

Dr. Rachely Ashwal, a lecturer on mediation at Bar Ilan (and who will replace Orna on her upcoming maternity leave) who is also posted about it on her Facebook page:

Many thanks to the Jerusalem Foundation for its support of Cultural Competency since its inception.

Naomi Roff2020-04-18T13:07:32+00:00March 8th, 2020|Blog, Cultural Competence, Cultural Competence in Academic Institutions, 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|

A Decade of Cultural Competency – Digitization of Health Care and Other Worlds in Haredi Society

Today many people manage much of their health care needs electronically – over the Internet, through mobile apps and various social media. Medical information, consultation with doctors and nurses and making appointments – all of these actions are often done today online or via mobile apps. How does the Haredi population, which often eschews the open Internet, deal with these means of communication? How do they receive information, which many in the non-Haredi world have instant access to simply by filling out telephone numbers or e-mail addresses and receiving occasional updates?

Our fifth lecture in the celebrating a decade of Cultural Competency (see here, here, and here for former meetings) focused on the Haredi sector – how it relates to the Internet and social media, relating to the world of health care and others. The speaker was Shmuel Drilman, Haredi social activist and CEO of the Webetter digital company.

Shmuel Drilman lecturing

He spoke about how so much of our daily lives revolves around the Internet, smartphone apps and social media, from health care to a range of other services, and how the Haredi world – which is often closed to technological advancements – deals with the challenges of everyday life in the 21st century. He spoke about possible ways that the health care world can make information available to Haredi society, without compromising its online systems or the Haredi society’s cultural norms.

Many thanks to the ALYN Rehabilitative Hospital for their partnership and hosting of this series of lectures. And of course, many thanks to the Jerusalem Foundation for its strategic partnership in cultural competency over the last decade!

Here’s the Facebook post on the meeting:

Naomi Roff2018-12-01T12:45:57+00:00November 26th, 2018|Blog, Cultural Competence, Cultural Competence in Academic Institutions, Cultural Competence in Government Institutions, Cultural Competence in Health Services, Cultural Competence in Jerusalem Municipality, Cultural Competence in Police, Cultural Competence in the Workplace|

Celebrating a Decade of Cultural Competency: New Practical Uses for Old Traditions: The Ethiopian Case

It’s incredible that we’ve been leading efforts to increase cultural competency for the past 10 years. To celebrate, as we’ve described here and here, we’re hosting a series of lectures in partnership with the ALYN Rehabilitative Hospital and the Jerusalem Foundation. The latest lecture was on Monday, October 15, 2018. In honor of the upcoming Sigd Holiday, which will take place on November 7, the lecture focused on the source of the holiday, and enabled a closer look at different traditions that the Ethiopian community in Israel brings to society. This community had been disconnected from the rest of the Jewish world for more than 2,000 years until coming to Israel, and still preserves its ancient traditions while also developing new ones.

Yuvi lecturing

The lecturer was Ms. Yuvi Tashome-Katz, who was born in Ethiopia and came to Israel via Sudan. Today Yuvi is a social entrepreneur and activist, with twenty years’ experience in community work and counseling, and today is a member of the southern city of Gadera’s city council. In recognition of her social activities, Yuvi was chosen to light one of the ceremonial torches on the 2011 Independence Day celebrations. Later that year she was awarded the Prime Minister’s Prize for Initiatives and Innovation and the Matanel Prize for Groundbreaking Leadership.

Lecturing to a full house

In addition to the Sigd holiday, Yuvi spoke about how women learned about womanhood and parenting from the ‘Women’s House’ – a place women stayed during ‘menstruation holiday,’ as well as for 40 days after birth. From a young age teenagers were shown how to care for babies, nursing, and more. Children were taught to strengthen their abilities, and tasks around the house and in the fields were assigned according to their abilities. In addition, information about medicinal herbs, nutrition and other health-related issues was passed along orally from one to another.

ALYN’s lecture hall was full to the gills, and the 50 members of the audience had a fascinating lecture. The participants were impressed by the sheer amount of knowledge the Ethiopian elders had, and how much knowledge Israeli society missed out on. Participants were enthusiastic to invite Yuvi back, to help them better understand how this knowledge can help the therapeutic process.

Many thanks to Yuvi, to ALYN, and of course, to the Jerusalem Foundation for its ongoing support of cultural competency since its inception!

Naomi Roff2018-10-27T06:29:44+00:00October 21st, 2018|Blog, Cultural Competence, Cultural Competence in Academic Institutions, Cultural Competence in Government Institutions, Cultural Competence in Health Services, Cultural Competence in Jerusalem Municipality, Cultural Competence in Police, Cultural Competence in the Workplace, Ethiopian Jews, Identity Groups and Conflicts|

Cultural Competency within the Haredi community?

When we talk about cultural competency, it’s usually about helping service providers serve a range of minority groups better. Or it’s about one minority group learning to work better within the majority’s ‘system.’ But what about one minority group within itself?

This was our focus when we held a cultural competency workshop for women lecturers at the Jerusalem College of Technology (JCT) in early July. The JCT is an institute of higher education that targets Orthodox and Haredi men and women, in separate campuses and in single-gender classes, focusing on engineering and computers, management and life and biological sciences (such as nursing).

Teaching cultural competency at the JCT

The lecturers came from a range of disciplines – business administration, mathematics, law, nursing, and more, and themselves represented a variety of cultures and religious observances.

From the outside, the Haredi world might seem monolithic and singular. But when you look more closely that world is extremely diverse, and cultural competency skills are necessary in teaching, especially if the lecturers do not come from that world, which was the case for some in the workshop. Some lecturers spoke about how they looked for course content that was appropriate for the students, including examples that the students could relate to. Another lecturer spoke about how her students address her in the third person, as is the norm in the Haredi world. Yet another told that the teaching style expected in the Haredi world leaves little room for spontaneity in the classroom, which is quite different than what she’s used to in other ‘general’ frameworks. And yet another, a lecturer in economics, told about an incident of a male colleague. He wanted to present the Brazilian economic model to his female students. He typed in “Brazilian model” into Google, and got quite a different result than he’d planned. While everyone in the class was quite embarrassed, workshop participants agreed that the matter would have been considered much more serious if it’d been a class of only male students….

This is just one example of our continued work in the field of cultural competency, in Jerusalem and throughout Israel. We would like to extend our gratitude to the Jerusalem Foundation, for its continuing support of Cultural Competency in Jerusalem since its inception a decade ago.

Naomi Roff2018-08-31T11:26:56+00:00August 30th, 2018|Blog, Cultural Competence, Cultural Competence in Academic Institutions, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Jewish Religious Denominations, Ultra-Orthodox Jews|

Celebrating a Decade of Cultural Competence

It’s really been 10 years, a decade since we began our Cultural Competency project in the health system. In March 2008 we held what turned out to be the first conference on Cultural Competency at the ALYN Rehabilitative Hospital. In the 10 years since, we, and ALYN, have been trailblazers in cultural competency in Israel. ALYN was the first hospital to strive for full cultural competence on an everyday level, and we have become national leaders in cultural competency not only in the health care system, but in a range of different areas – from the work place to welfare and other municipal departments.

Dr. Maurit Be’ere and Daud Alian, addressing the first lecture celebrating a decade of Cultural Competency

We decided to celebrate this accomplishment with a series of lectures on Cultural Competency. The first focused on a lecture by Daud Alian, Director of the Atta’a Assistance Center for the Rights of Palestinian East Jerusalem Residents, on accessibility of Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem to health, welfare and education services.

The audience, listening attentively

ALYN’s lecture hall was full. Dr. Adit Dayan, Director of Community Projects from the Jerusalem Foundation, our strategic partner in Cultural Competency since its inception, opened the conference, along with Dr. Maurit Be’ere, Director of ALYN and the person responsible for bring cultural competency to the hospital, and Tal Cohen, who today is the coordinator for cultural competence at ALYN.

We can’t thank the Jerusalem Foundation enough for their partnership over the years.

Naomi Roff2018-10-27T06:29:06+00:00March 24th, 2018|Blog, Cultural Competence, Cultural Competence in Academic Institutions, Cultural Competence in Government Institutions, Cultural Competence in Health Services, Cultural Competence in Jerusalem Municipality, Cultural Competence in Police, Cultural Competence in the Workplace, Identity Groups and Conflicts|