Cultural Competence | The Jerusalem Intercultural Center

HoliGame – Playing All the Way to Diversity in Organizations

We’ve spoken about our cooperation with the Israeli Forum for Employment Diversity here, and here we discussed our joint project, the HoliGame, which deals with dilemmas and issues related to holidays and cultural events in organizations, especially when the different commemorations conflict or lead to a conflict between identities and individuals in the organization.

The HoliGame at Kfar Shaul on September 3, 2020

The month of September was full of HoliGame events in a variety of organizations. On September 3, we used the game in a diversity management workshop at the Jerusalem Center for Mental Health at Kfar Shaul, which dealt with the way cultural competency coordinators are responsible for leading culturally sensitive measures – and constant dialogue regarding potentially flashpoints throughout the year in order to maintain a respectful and inclusive work environment.

The HoliGame for Businesses September 9, 2020

On September 9 the HoliGame was used in a workshop for nearly 30 human resources managers and diversity managers in leading companies. Here, too, the issues need to be dealt with sensitively and in a way that the shows the important role of the management in creating a sense of belonging to the organization. Above is a glimpse of the meeting for business and companies.

Israeli Hope in Academia September 10, 2020

The issue of diversity and cultural competence affects academia as well. On September 10, 2020 we held a workshop for Coordinators for the Israeli Hope in Academia program, which seeks to integrate all the ‘tribes’ in Israel into Israeli higher education. We spoke about everyone who works on campus – from the lecturers to administrative staff, must still be careful not to exclude populations from different identities, and how issues can be addressed even in an age where the campus has become primarily virtual.

Invitation to play the HoliGame

We’ve seen the different issues that the HoliGame has raised and enabled leaders from a variety of different types of organizations to create deeper understandings of both the issues at hand as well as processes to resolve those issues in a respectful and inclusive manner. So thank you to those who’ve played, and we can’t wait to play more!

rachelly2020-10-23T10:46:36+00:00September 23rd, 2020|Blog, Cultural Competence|

HoliGame – A Million Ways to Improve Cultural Competence in the Workplace

In Israel it seems that there is a holiday or national commemoration for each of its identities or communities – nearly every day. How should it be celebrated? What’s the best way to commemorate in a culturally competent manner?

In other words, how do we create an inclusive and culturally competent environment in organizations and in the workplace?

Before COVID-19, we created HoliGame, together with the Israeli Forum for Employment Diversity at the Ministry of Labor and Welfare and the Israeli Forum for Employment Diversity. (You can read about it here.) The HoliGame is a great opportunity to become familiar with different communities’ holidays and commemorative days, and enables participants to deal with questions and dilemmas through an enjoyable and interactive game.

The original HoliGame

In the wake of COVID-19, we became even more creative, creating an online interactive version of the game, based on the popular television hit, Who Wants to be Millionaire. We launched the new game on July 27, in an event that integrated questions and dilemmas, with one goal – to be the first to reach a million!

The new online HoliGam, based on the popular, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

Just like on TV, the 20 particiants were asked increasingly difficult questions about different holidays, how to celebrate and commemorate them in a diverse workplace. Questions included: What do you do if different holidays coincide? How do you make everyone feel a part of company-wide celebrations? What do you do if someone isn’t satisfied?

The game includes dozens of questions, safety nets, fascinating discussions – and the opportunity to reach the top-prize question.

Discussion dilemmas of diversity and inclusion on the way to the million

The HoliGame targets diverse organizations and companies, who seek to become more culturally competent. Since its launch organizations have enthusiastically engaged participants to talk freely about diversity, inclusion and cultural competency, and improve practices in the workplace. We anticipate doing more and more of these kinds of online workshops.

So who’s up for a round of HoliGame?Here’s a post about it in Facebook (in Hebrew)

rachelly2020-09-04T16:59:53+00:00September 5th, 2020|Blog, Cultural Competence, Cultural Competence in the Workplace|

Intercultural Communication in Mental Health Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic

We wrote here about our first Zoom-based meeting for cultural competency coordinators in health care during the coronavirus crisis. The second meeting, held on June 24, focused on mental health.

Ofra, Director of Special Programs in Mental Health, Ministry of Health, opens the online session

The meeting included 25 professionals, most of them cultural competency coordinators and coordinators for patient experience in psychiatry, for hospital-based as well as community-based care.

It was important and helpful to pause for a moment during these exceptional times, and reflect upon the changes in interpersonal and intercultural communication that characterize the recent period. We saw that many of the challenges stemmed from the restrictions that prevent family or other visitors from being able to mediate or be extra support systems for the patients.

Sometimes solutions have been found. In psychotherapy, for example, the challenges of not being able to see facial expressions while wearing a mask has been solved by wearing plastic shields, or by remote therapy. However, technological barriers often prevent the transition to online therapy, including lack of physical access to computers and a lack of access to treatment in the appropriate language, especially among the older population. Many therapists and treatment centers are trying to provide treatment in different ways to protect the health of the patients, without sacrificing quality and cultural competence. At the same time, they fear for their own health and safety.

It was very exciting to hear about the solutions taken in the various organizations:

An effort to provide solutions for speakers of lesser-used languages through organizations and representatives from consulates in the Sharon area;
Tablets and training for patients in Acco;
Translation of explanatory pages on the isolation unit in various languages at Hadassah Ein Kerem;
Use of recorded and culturally adapted tutorials by phone or video at a hospital in Be’er Sheva, and more.

At the end of the session, all felt that they had learned a great deal. The warm and positive responses that were sent afterward definitely reinforced this feeling.

rachelly2020-10-09T11:46:47+00:00August 25th, 2020|Blog, Cultural Competence in Health Services|

Culturally Competent Health Care for the Haredi Community in the Age of COVID-19: A Discussion with Rabbi Zvi Porat

We recently held a Zoom event that focused on caring for the ultra-Orthodox community during the COVID-19 outbreak in Israel. It was one of the most significant and exciting events – which is part of a series of Zoom meetings for cultural competence coordinators in healthcare organizations and in general – that we’ve had thus far.

Invitation to the online event

It is no secret that the ultra-Orthodox community is sensitive about being labeled, especially if it affects their healthcare, for better or for worse. For the better, this labeling sometimes helps to provide tailored and improved care, such as making sure that patients receive meals in accordance with their specific dietary (kashrut) regulations, or the best/ most culturally sensitive ways of communicating with them or those who accompany them. For the worse, for the ultra-Orthodox community, being labled also means that they’re being singled out, and they feel that they are being discriminated against based on stereotypes of the ultra-Orthodox population. This creates an especially sensitive situation since the community has been particularly hard hit during this pandemic, and causes feelings of inferiority and discrimination – and resentment – even when there is no such intention on the part of the caregivers.

About the complexity of inter-identity relations during health care

In addition, the heated public discourse fans the flames of an already sensitive situation. With the outbreak of the coronavirus, the media often portrayed the ultra-Orthodox community as disobeying safety regulations and crowding together in huge events despite social isolation guidelines that were set in order to protect the public. At the same time, positive aspects of the community’s behavior – from cooperation with and generosity to the police and the Home Front Command who were patrolling the neighborhoods during the lockdown – also extraordinary events – were barely noticed.

Inter-identity and intercultural questions that concern healthcare practitioners

Given this complexity, and in light of our familiarity with the diversity of communities within the different ultra-Orthodox populations in Israel, coupled with the necessity to engage all populations in working to both follow the current health guidelines and treat patients in the best way possible, we initiated a meeting specifically on the subject of Healthcare for Ultra-Orthodox Communities in the Shadow of COVID-19. In the meeting, which took place via Zoom on July 15, 2020, Rabbi Zvi Porat, an expert on delivering culturally competent healthcare to the ultra-Orthodox community, spoke about the complexities and experiences experienced by members of the ultra-Orthodox community in various healthcare settings. He also presented different examples of how to respond to different challenges in an appropriate manner that meets the needs of the ultra-Orthodox and does not create a feeling of being stygmatized.

Discussing the complexities of the intercultural encounter in healthcare

Dr. Michal Schuster presented the culturally competent perspective in treating ultra-Orthodox patients, as well as recommendations based on proven experience and veteran initiatives that have already provided successful responses, alongside the complexity of the ever-changing guidelines, especially for those who do not receive regular updates from television or social media.

Dr. Racheli Ashwell presented the transformative model for managing tension-filled events and inter-identity conflicts and the recommended way to avoid such events and manage them in a positive and empowering way.

One of the things that was exciting about this meeting was the number of participants: 48 people devoted their time in the middle of the day to an hour and a half session. Feedback was very positive, and the productive and constructive discussions that took place during the meeting demonstrated the importance and the need for such training during this complex period.

rachelly2020-09-11T05:01:28+00:00August 7th, 2020|Blog, Cultural Competence in Health Services, Ultra-Orthodox Jews|

Santé Israël – Go-to Site for Updates on the Coronavirus

We’ve posted here, here and here how Santé Israël has been helping French speakers – in Israel and even abroad – navigate the health care system in Israel.

Current page on coronavirus

Yesterday, on July 26, the Santé Israël web site broke its record – with 580 entrances to the site in one day! This was after posts on Facebook reached 7,500 people, with 600 engagements. This, too, was a record for the Facebook and website pages.

How did the word get out to so many people?

Well, there seem to be a number of factors. Over the previous week, Santé Israël director Marie Avigad shared the post to 50 groups and pages serving the French-speaking community in Israel. She also spoke about the coronavirus landing page at a Qualita Forum meeting. She also discussed it in a WhatsApp group for professionals and invited them to check out the web site. This was also just after many of the guidelines had changed, so there were a great number of people looking for reliable, comprehensive information, which can be found on the dedicated page for the coronavirus.

Keep up the good work Santé Israël!

Here’s the record-breaking post:

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

Naomi Roff2020-08-13T04:41:41+00:00July 27th, 2020|Blog, Cultural Competence, Santé Israël - French internet platform on the Israeli healthcare system|

Santé Israël: Helping French-speaking Olim during Coronavirus Pandemic

For many, dealing with the coronavirus included staying at home. For others, it entailed leaving an old home to find a new home in Israel. Santé Israël helped them get set up on the health care front. Moving to a new country is always difficult and learning the health care system is essential. Doing so during a worldwide pandemic, when health care systems are stretched to the max and rules and regulations are constantly changing and different in different locations, is even more critical. Santé Israël was and continues to be there to help.

Helping French-speaking Olim at all times

According to data from the Jewish Agency and immigrant organizations, there has been a significant rise in interest to immigrate to Israel among French Jewry. In order to provide information about life in the country to potential immigrants, the Qualita organization for French-speaking olim has created a website called Préparation à la alyah (preparation for aliyah): https: //www.preparation-alyah.com/

Through the website, applicants can schedule zoom meetings with people around the country, who can answer questions in a range of areas. who are in the country, and who can give answers to their questions in various fields. Santé Israël coordinator Marie Avigad invited to participate in the project to provide health information.

On Tuesday 30.6, she had her first Zoom session. It was with a woman who in the middle of the aliyah process. She’d heard about the website via an ad on Facebook. She had a very interesting aliyah story.

She, her husband and their 8-year-old daughter arrived in Israel on March 3, at the beginning of the coronavirus crisis. They thought they’d be in Israel for a short while, and would be able to wait out the crisis in Israel, in a place they felt was ‘theirs,’ near people ‘like them.’ The next day, all flights out of Israel stopped, and they couldn’t go anywhere.

They stayed in Tel Aviv, and as time went on they decided to stay and make aliyah. They’ve almost finished the process. She asked for information about the health system in general and how to obtain health insurance. During the Zoom session she wanted to write down everything Marie said, but she didn’t need to. Using Zoom’s ‘Share screen’ feature, she was able to show her in real time all the information she needed: how to register with the National Insurance Institute, registering with an HMO, how to pay for the HMO, what is covered by the different types of insurance, how to change HMO’s if necessary, well-baby clinics, French-speaking doctors that are listed on the Santé Israël web site, and more. She was very grateful for the help she received.

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

Naomi Roff2020-08-13T04:38:31+00:00July 10th, 2020|Blog, Cultural Competence, Santé Israël - French internet platform on the Israeli healthcare system|

Diversity and Inclusion at Work for the LBGTQ Community

The month of June is Pride Month. To help celebrate that month and to raise awareness about the LGBTQ community in the workplace, we held a Zoom meeting about diversity and inclusion in the workplace for the LGBTQ community on June 29, together with the Israeli Forum for Employment Diversity.

Including the LGBTQ in the workplace

The discussion, moderated by our own Rachelly Ashwall, included Hila Goldstein Porat, from the Optibus Company, Alon Madar, Director of the LGBTech, and Noa Tron, Director of the Israeli Forum for Employment Diversity. Hila spoke about the employer’s standpoint; Alon spoke about how the LGBT community deals with diversity in the workplace, and Noa spoke about the complexity of integrating members of the LGBT community alongside all the other identities in the workplace.

After the session Alon thanked us:

This was a significant opportunity to present and discuss the inclusion of LGBT people in employment, in a way that hasn’t been done until now…Thank you Rachelly and Hagai…who, together with Noa … brought the subject of inclusion of LGBT people in employment to light, and helped us bring it to the fore in a significant way.

Here’s a video (in Hebrew) of the Zoom meeting:

Many thanks to the many thanks to the Jerusalem Foundation, the Natan Fund and the U.S. Embassy Jerusalem, Tel Aviv Branch Office and U.S. Consulate General Jerusalem for helping us to advance tolerance and cross-cultural activism in Jerusalem.

Naomi Roff2020-08-08T05:15:17+00:00July 5th, 2020|Blog, Cultural Competence, Cultural Competence in the Workplace, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem|

Santé Israël on Olim and Migrant Communities during the Coronavirus Webinar

Santé Israël is known as a leader in caring for olim communities during the coronavirus crisis. Project Coordinator Marie Avigad was invited to speak at a Zoom webinar on Olim and Migrant Communities in the Corona Period, organized by the Institute for Immigration and Social Integration at the Ruppin Academic Center, which took place on May 13, 2020. Some 75 people attended the webinar.

Flyer from the webinar

She joined others from the French-speaking community in Israel, who spoke about the French-speaking community in Israel, about how they’re dealing with the coronavirus crisis here (both as patients and has medical personnel), about different initiatives launched by and for the French-speaking community.

Marie was asked specifically about problems that French-speakers encounter. She spoke about:

Language issues and access (or lack of access) to information – regarding Ministry of Health guidelines, regarding their rights (such as if they’ve been placed on furlough)
Coping with the Unexpected Situation: She experience two types of problems – French people with health issues who came to visit in Israel and were not able to return to France; or Israelis of French origin who were used to going back and forth to France for treatment. In both cases these people were left with an insufficient amount of medicine – what could they do? What were the local names of the medication? How could they obtain them? Or, if they needed treatment or lab test here to monitor their illnesses – what were they to do? Or, what were they to do if they’d recently made aliyah and were not yet able to register at an HMO or National Insurance Institute (NII – Bituach Leumi)?
Other questions she’s answered included: how to get medication without leaving home: dealing with problems of violence or fear of domestic violence during quarantine …

Marie spoke about the different activities that Santé Israël has done since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis, which included (and which we’ve written about here, here, and here):

Creating pages on the site that include translation of the Ministry of Health guidelines with regular updates, rights information, how to obtain medicines, etc.
Regular updates on Santé Israël’s Facebook page
Answering inquiries related to all these problems in email, Facebook, phone, and WhatsApp
Creating a WhatsApp group of French-speaking professionals, which facilitates information sharing

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

Naomi Roff2020-07-10T07:31:27+00:00May 31st, 2020|Blog, Cultural Competence, Cultural Competence in Health Services, Santé Israël - French internet platform on the Israeli healthcare system|

Santé Israël – Continuing to Provide Critical Information during the Coronavirus Crisis

Since the coronavirus crisis hit Israel – and especially the French-speaking community – in February, we’ve been updating you about the important work that Santé Israël has been doing. You can read about it here and here and here.

Marie interview withQualita

Santé Israël’s Marie Avigad continues to help French speakers in Israel get through the virus. In addition to ongoing work online and through the project’s Facebook page, Marie has also been providing important information via the Qualita organization, which seeks to assist French-speaking olim in Israel. She recently gave an interview, in French, obviously, she spoke about Sante Israel in general, and especially during the coronavirus period:

In a separate interview, Qualita Chairman Gérard Benhamou, thanked Sante Israel for its work (at 2.05)

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

Naomi Roff2020-05-31T15:22:05+00:00May 22nd, 2020|Blog, Cultural Competence, Santé Israël - French internet platform on the Israeli healthcare system|

Managing Diversity and Cultural Competence in a Mixed Society – Workshop for Unistream

We’d been working with the Unistream organization for a few months on ensuring that their programming is culturally competent. When Israel went on lockdown in response to the coronavirus crisis, all (or nearly all) of our previously scheduled workshops and training sessions went online.

Bar Biran, Director of the Shared Living program, Unistream, with Dr. Racheli Ashwal a few minutes before the workshop

So on May 10, we held a Zoom session with Bar Biran, Shared Society program manager at Unistream on Cultural Competence and Diversity Management in a Mixed Society, together with the project’s managers and instructors. Bar had asked us to help her with numerous questions that come up regularly when working with a multitude of identities and ethnicities. To help her and her staff deal with those dilemmas, we designed a workshop that would give special tools and skills to the program’s instructors and coordinators.

The concept that guides us when consulting and advising organizations

The workshop participants learned the guiding principles of cultural competency that should influence everything they do, as they lead programs with participants from diverse identities.

rachelly2020-07-31T09:59:44+00:00May 15th, 2020|Blog, Cultural Competence, Cultural Competence in the Workplace|