Mourning Respectfully in Zion Square, Together

Two years ago, in light of the murder of the three Jewish boys and subsequent murder of an Arab boy, a group of diverse activists came to Zion Square to light memorial candles and to mourn. What they found was a downtown full of hate, racism and violence. But they didn’t give up and the Speaking in the Square initiative was born. The JICC became their mentors, provided logistical support and helped them develop. They also became one of the cornerstone initiatives – alongside our Neighborhood Tolerance Network and 0202, to name a few – of our Grassroots Campaign to Promote Tolerance in Jerusalem. With the assistance of the UJA-Federation of New York and the Jerusalem Foundation, the Campaign seeks to empower grassroots activists and their initiatives to fight racism and xenophobia throughout Jerusalem.

Unfortunately, on Thursday, June 30, a young Jewish girl was murdered in her bed. This time, however, things were different in Zion Square.

Zion Square, June 30, 2016

Our Director, Dr. Hagai Agmon-Snir, wrote this Facebook post about his experiences this past Thursday night, and sums up the past two years:

Exactly two years ago, even though they didn’t know it yet, a group of Jerusalem young people invented Speaking in the Square. They came to Zion Square on that awful night, right after the funeral of the three boys, to light memorial candles and to sing quiet and comforting songs, and to balance out those who sought revenge and wanted to hurt the Arabs who worked and walked through downtown west Jerusalem. Even though members of the Speaking in the Square core have both left and right wing political views, the fact that they wanted only to sing songs and be sad tagged them among many in Zion Square as ‘leftist traitors,’ and they were kicked, spat upon, and shouted at as they sat on the pavement at Zion Square. They came back the next evening, and every evening during Operation Protective Edge, despite the violence and hate. I wasn’t part of it then, but later I used the term ‘courageous activism‘ to describe their approach, and it became a part of my professional lexicon. It turns out that in order to effect social change, you need to learn not to run away when they curse at you, throw sunflower seed shells at you or even kick you. Those who thought that these university students would disappear from Zion Square with the threats discovered that it didn’t happen. And in time, the violence decreased significantly.

A month afterward, at about the middle of August 2014, the Effective Dialogue approach was born. It was invented by these young people in Zion Square. Instead of hurling insults at Lehava activists and others who expressed racist views, this approach encourages one to talk with them in a way that enables expression of complex thoughts and ideas, helping us to understand that reality isn’t black and white. The goals of the group were then defined. The goal isn’t to turn Lehava activists into Meretz activists (especially since about half of the Speaking in the Square initiative support the Jewish Home party), but to detach the political discussion from expressions of hate, violence, racism and incitement that are too common in Israel’s political discourse. And to understand that deep discussion enables more sophisticated solutions than slogans such as “Wipe out Gaza” or “End the Occupation.”

Speaking in the Square continues every Thursday night, and sometimes on Saturday nights as well. A routine has been created that has re-branded Zion Square and downtown Jerusalem as a place where dialogue is possible. Suddenly it was possible to sit on the floor on mats and talk….Zion Square also received special treatment from City Council members such as Elad Malka, Laura Wharton, and Tamir Nir, who gave a hand so that the police and the Municipality could be a part of the change there. It was not a coincidence that the evenings in memory of Shira Banky took place there, even though she wasn’t murdered in Zion Square, and that the weekly events of the Yerushalmim Movement and others take place there.

In October 2015, almost 1 1/2 years after the process began, there were demonstrations of angry mobs in Zion Square on the heels of the murder of the Henkin family in Samaria. An hour before that demonstration, more people were murdered in the Old City, and the atmosphere could be cut with a knife. Speaking in the Square sat in Zion Square. Thana Jawabreh, who had just returned from a television interview where she emphasized as a Palestinian Muslim her objection to these murders, sat with them. The activists sat in circles, lit memorial candles and expressed their pain. There were those who participated in the angry mob demonstration, filled with rage, and calmed down and sometimes even sat with us. There were others for whom it was difficult to be in a circle that didn’t call for revenge. The Border Police failed to act appropriately and in time, and the event to spiral out of control. But courageous activism is courageous activism, and the group stayed on the floor and sang, even when the atmosphere was difficult around us. The message was heard well – our approach, which encourages tolerance and opposes hate – will not be driven out of Zion Square.

And yesterday, a 13-year old girl was murdered in Kiryat Arba. And another angry mob demonstration was planned in Zion Square. And we came – just beforehand to light memorial candles and to sit in a circle and sing quiet songs. And then, the surprise. We found some Jewish religious girls, students in an Ulpana, from an organization called Or Eitan who got there before us. Members of this young organization, Adi from Mitzpe Jericho and her friends, with the help of Elchanan from Har Homa and others, tried to light candles and do exactly what we wanted to do. When they weren’t successful, we volunteered our candles, which also wouldn’t light….and then we came together. And then more and more arrived, especially teenage girls, especially teenage Jewish religious girls, and joined in on the efforts to light candles and sing, from 8:30 at night to midnight. The Yerushalmim Movement arrived and discovered that their set corner was taken, and then they, too, joined the circle. Once in awhile someone came along and shouted at the religious girls that they’re sitting with ‘leftist traitors,’ that they’re not OK and that they’re not shouting “Jewish blood will not be un-claimed.” (as if any one of the “leftist traitors” wouldn’t care about anyone’s blood…) The girls calmed them down as best they could and explained that they’re just doing what needs to be done, and that it needs to be done with everyone. From afar we occasionally heard the Lehava boys, not more than 20 – 30, shouting racist epithets, but they were no more than a curious anecdote in the Square – most of what was happening last night is what you see in the pictures here. And in the background, close to the circle, were the taxis of Zion Square, Arab drivers who told me afterward that from their standpoint they felt completely safe all night (as opposed to the summer of 2014, when they were being attacked frequently).

Lighting candles in Zion Square

At midnight we closed the circle, and some of us from Speaking in the Square found ourselves talking with Adi, Tamar and some other teenagers from the settlements, trying to examine the differences between us vis-a-vis the Arabs. And it was excellent to discover that there are gaps, yet we also have things to talk about. Because where else can these girls find people like us to talk to except for Zion Square? And where, except for Zion Square in the middle of the night, can we hear the frustration of girls who feel threatened by countless rock throwers and other acts and need to deal with the the hate these actions trigger, in their local environments and sometimes among themselves?

Hallel, a charming girl and gifted dancer, was murdered yesterday. I hope that someplace she sees what happened last night in the Square in her honor. Reality changes in the Square from day to day and from hour to hour. This change could be felt this year in the Square and in many other places in the city on Jerusalem Day, when we and tens of thousands of Jerusalemites re-claimed Jerusalem Day as A Different Day in Jerusalem. Maybe in the future, with the help of Or Eitan, Speaking in the Square and other groups of young people of another breed, from another generation, the change will also come to Tel Aviv and the Samaria.

Shabbat Shalom!

And here’s the post itself, in Hebrew:

Naomi Roff2017-03-21T10:56:31+00:00July 3rd, 2016|Blog, Effective Activism, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Jewish Religious Denominations, Jewish-Palestinian/Arab, Palestinians/Arabs, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem, Ultra-Orthodox Jews|

Jerusalem Art – Roof Top Tolerance

How is it to celebrate an interfaith Iftar (breaking-the-fast celebration during the Islamic month of Ramadan) on a rooftop in the Old City of Jerusalem?

Take a look and see:

This celebration was produced by Jerusalem Art, an independent initiative by Jews and Muslims, who re-claimed an abandoned rooftop for social events. They are part of a growing number of independent grassroots initiatives that we’ve identified throughout the city. Here’s the post in Facebook:

And here’s their short explanation of their activities:

On Monday we held our biggest event so far, an Iftar on the rooftop which gathered Muslims,Jews and Christians from many different places and cultures.
We took a part in a good will activity that gathered people from different faiths and cultures to give water to Muslims at the time of the Iftar to break the fast, at Damascus gate in the old city of Jerusalem.

At the end we had a wonderful magical musical event with Turkish music, Arabic music and Rap! we truly enjoyed clapping and singing together

After about a month of intensive and continuous work we managed to turn an abondand part of a rooftop in the old city of Jerusalem into a meeting point for people who wish to work together to create a better Jerusalem and a better world through activism and art. We are looking forward to turn other places into places of activism ,compassion ,human interaction and art !

We want to thank everyone who have helped us and attended to our Iftar , for the ones who were not able to come because of their schedule , not having a permit to enter Jerusalem or any other reason, we are looking forward to see you soon and we apologize that we couldn’t help you to be with us.

This is their fifth event. Thus far they’ve cleaned:

Cleaning an Old City rooftop

Painted (twice):

And held two Iftars. (Here’s the post about the first one, held on June 13):

Naomi Roff2016-07-25T17:45:42+00:00June 26th, 2016|Blog, Christians, Effective Activism, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Jewish-Palestinian/Arab, Palestinians/Arabs, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem|

Window on Mt. Zion – Keeping the Peace during Orthodox Pentecost Ceremonies

This past year has been full of challenges for Window to Mount Zion, trying to enable all faiths and all groups to engage in their respective prayers and religious rituals, without infringing upon the rights and religious rituals of others, while maintaining mutual respect for all.

Armenian Pentecost ceremony

Last Sunday – Monday, June 19-20, was a case in point. It was the Pentecost for the Greek Orthodox and Armenian churches, the day according to Christian tradition that the Holy Spirit descended to the Apostles and other followers of Jesus. For many this is the moment when the church was created, and when the Apostles began spreading the Christian religion, and visiting the Cenacle, the Room of the Last Supper, is a vital part of the holiday’s celebration. (You might remember that we discussed the Pentecost recently. That is because the Pentecost for the Eastern Churches is different than that of the Catholic church, which was a month ago.) The ceremony for the Armenian church took place on Sunday June 19, and for the Greek Orthodox church, on Monday the 20th.

Greek Orthodox leaving David’s Tomb

The procession set out from the Armenian Quarter of the Old City toward Mount Zion and the Cenacle in the late afternoon. They prayed there for about 1/2 an hour, accompanied by a small number of members of the Armenian community. At the same time, Jews prayed in David’s Tomb without disturbance. For a moment Mount Zion was a symbol of inter-religious tolerance that enables everyone to fulfill his or her religious traditions.

The challenge came the next morning, on Monday morning, June 20, when the Greek Orthodox church held its ceremony. According to the ancient status quo agreements, during the Greek Orthodox ceremony a small number of priests go from the Cenacle on the second floor, via a special staircase that is opened only on this day, into David’s Tomb on the ground floor for a very short prayer. King David is a holy and important character for Jews, Christians as well as Muslims, and it is important for the Greek Orthodox to pray next to his grave. However, this event often creates a great deal of tension between the Orthodox Christians and Jews, who see this Christian prayer as defiling the holiness of David’s Tomb.

The police were prepared, with reinforcements in place, to ensure that order was kept. Window on Mt. Zion volunteers were there as well. They not only helped the police in keeping order, they were able to explain what is going on to both those involved and passersby, diffusing some of the tension that is sometimes inherent in interactions with the police.

This is from the Facebook post (in Hebrew).

The morning was not without incident. Over the two days a number of Jews tried to barricade themselves in David’s Tomb, in an effort to stop the Green Orthodox service. These people were arrested. Because of these events, the police closed off David’s Tomb to visitors in the morning, except for a small number of Rabbis. During the service some Jews demonstrated outside. Those who were violent were arrested as well.

We can’t emphasize enough that most of the Jews living, working and praying on Mount Zion throughout the year staunchly oppose violence against Christians in the David’s Tomb and Cenacle complex. Over the last year, thanks to the Window on Mt. Zion program, we have reached important understandings with all those who live and work here that have great improved relations between neighbors. And the more we are there, we see what a difference our presence makes.

On the morning of the 20th, a large, official Greek Orthodox procession, including the Bishop and many members of the Greek Orthodox community in Jerusalem, arrived at the Cenacle. There they held a short prayer service, during which a number of priests and the bishop descended into David’s Tomb as planned. Shortly afterward, they left the complex. Window on Mt. Zion volunteers were there to explain what was going on to passersby and to those demonstrating against the service. Except for a few incidents of violence, which were handled quickly by the police, the event finished peacefully and respectfully. Here’s the video of the Greek Orthodox praying in the Cenacle:

And here’s a video of their prayer in David’s Tomb:

Eetta Prince-Gibson, also a Window on Mt. Zion volunteer, wrote about the experience in the Ha’aretz daily. Here’s the link to the full article.

And here’s the article from the Window on Mt. Zion blog (in Hebrew).

Many thanks again to the Window on Mount Zion volunteers! Without your help, we are sure events would have ended more like they did last year. Just for comparison, Eran Tzidkiyahu, one of the co-leaders of the Window on Mount Zion project, posted a year ago a short video:

Here are some past news reports to show the contrast:

From the events in 2015 International Business Times
Also from 2015, as reported in Ha’aretz. Here’s a .pdf of the article if you’re unable to open it.
From Arutz Sheva, in 2014

Naomi Roff2019-11-16T12:37:41+00:00June 25th, 2016|Blog, Christians, Effective Activism, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Jewish Religious Denominations, Mount Zion, Ultra-Orthodox Jews|

A Tribute to Svetlana Fedotenko – From Project Manager’s Course to True Activism

Sometimes events make you take stock. We were forced to do that a few weeks ago, with the passing of Svetlana Fedotenko.

Svetlana Fedotenko

We first met Svetlana in the interviews to one of our first Project Managers Course some 12 years ago. She was the Absorption Coordinator in the Katamonim neighborhood, and it was she who accepted herself into the course, not the other way around. Within a short time Svetlana taught us a chapter on activism. She came with a dream that had nothing to do with her job – she wanted to establish a music center in the Katamonim.

We learned a lot about effective activism from Svetlana, even before we coined the term. People rejected her idea left and right. But when they threw her out the front door, she came back in through the window, finding ways to advance her ideas despite the rejections. Instead of fighting with people (a very ineffective technique that many activists love), she always found a way to bring people over to her side.

At the end of the course she caused us to convince the Partnership 2000 project of the Jewish Agency and the UJA Federation of New York to give her $20,000 for the project. Eran Ovadia, a hi-tech professional and music lover, was a consultant in our course and became her personal mentor and mentor to the project, and she was on her way. Year after year she gritted her teeth and raised a little more money each time. Even when the going was tough, she managed to find just one more partner, and then another, who couldn’t resist her charms. It was always just enough to keep it all going.

The events in the Katamonim were amazing – one minute a Persian singer, another a rock band of Russian youth from the neighborhood, and then a flute ensemble of Ethiopian children, and then the neighborhood Kurdish dance troupe. She and her team built a music center to be proud of.

It wasn’t by chance that when the Community Center Director had to suggest how a new community building would be used, he suggested it be a music center. Today, the Gonenim Music Center is a huge and impressive building that attracts residents from the neighborhood and throughout the city to study and to experience music. And all this because of Svetlana’s amazing activism, that continued to be the spirit of the Center.

While this was happening, she became sick and it developed into cancer. She would rest and work, work and rest, and not give up. Six months ago we found out that it was the end, that she had days, maybe weeks, to live. We helped to quickly organize a tribute in her honor. Very quickly we organized an amazing evening. We were all very emotional. She looked so healthy then.

And Svetlana being Svetlana, those weeks turned into months, and a few weeks ago she passed away. She left behind a memorable heritage – an amazing music center, and a spirit of stubborn activism that insists on outcomes and uncompromising success.

And on that evening six months ago, she told us that the only thing she’s sorry about is that she won’t realize her next dream. “Jerusalem is so dirty,” she said. “I already have a name for a project in which children and youth in Jerusalem work to ensure that the city is clean – The Little Prince.”

Why?

Because this sentence from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s story had stuck in her head:

“It’s an issue of discipline,” the little prince explained afterward. “After we finish the morning washing up, we must dutifully make sure that the planet is clean.”

So now we’ve been left with Svetlana’s project, and we know that since no one can stand in her way, it’ll have to happen, even if she’s passed away. The little prince is making sure that the Jerusalem planet is clean. May we be able to fulfill that dream, for her, and for ourselves.

May her memory be blessed.

Naomi Roff2016-06-25T13:07:57+00:00June 15th, 2016|Blog, Courses, Effective Activism, Ethiopian Jews, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Jewish Religious Denominations, New Immigrants|

MiniActive – Communicating to Improve Activism

Activists who can effectively communicate with service providers are can improve the efficacy of their activism.

The graduation ceremony

That was the reasoning behind the Hebrew Courses that over 150 Palestinian MiniActive women and girls took this past year at Hebrew University, as part of the Speaking Hebrew initiative.

Class picture

This past week, on June 2, they received graduation certificates.

Another class poses for pictures

Many thanks to the Jerusalem Foundation for their continuing support of the program.

And here’s the Facebook post in Arabic:

Naomi Roff2018-09-01T07:20:19+00:00June 12th, 2016|Blog, Courses, Effective Activism, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Language Center, MiniActive, Palestinians/Arabs|

Jerusalem Day in 3D – Summary of the Day’s News from Three Viewpoints, by 0202

Israelis, especially Israeli Jews, are always hungry for news. We listen to it on the radio, every hour on the hour. We read it daily in numerous daily and weekly printed newspapers, on mainstream and alternative Internet sites, in our Facebook and Twitter feeds. But have we ever really thought about the different agendas and views that these media outlets are trying to put forward? Have we ever looked at the ‘other’s’ media? Have we ever thought about the way the media we follow affects the way we view our reality?

0202 in 3D

The closing event of A Different Day in Jerusalem – Jerusalem Day in 3D – Summary of the Day’s News from Three Viewpoints – showed just that. Presented by 0202 – A View from East Jerusalem at the Jerusalem Cinematheque, the evening examined the ways in which Jerusalem Day is represented in media outlets from West Jerusalem, East Jerusalem and Haredi Jerusalem.

The event began with a demonstration of news items by media people, followed by an open discussion with the audience.

Speakers included: Nisreen Alyan – Jerusalemite, lawyer at the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI); Batel Kolman – Jerusalemite, poet, editor, and journalist at the NRG web site; Pnina Pfeufer – Jerusalemite, political activist, member of “Ultra-Orthodox for Peace,” and a writer in the Jerusalem Post and in various Ultra-Orthodox papers; Roi Yanovsky – Jerusalemite, journalist for the YNET web site.

Interestingly, all four panelists, each from their own viewpoint, agreed that the media doesn’t really portray the entire picture, that reality is too complex to fit onto paper (or a website or a Facebook page).

So keep this in mind when you follow the media, all media – yours, the ‘others’ and everyone else’s. What you’re reading is only part of the entire story, the rest is really quite multi-dimensional. Just like Jerusalem and now Jerusalem Day – A Different Day in Jerusalem.

Naomi Roff2018-09-01T07:29:29+00:00June 11th, 2016|Blog, Effective Activism, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Jewish Religious Denominations, Jewish-Palestinian/Arab, Palestinians/Arabs, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem, Ultra-Orthodox Jews|

Debating in the Square – Jerusalem Day Edition

Of the 50 initiatives that took part in A Different Day in Jerusalem – events on Jerusalem Day, Speaking in the Square was one that is especially close to our hearts. It is one of the first initiatives that we began mentoring as part of a citywide effort to fight racism and xenophobia in Jerusalem some 2 years ago, and they’ve come a very long way since then. They’ve even changed the dynamic of Zion Square as we wrote here.

Speaking in the Square

On Saturday night, June 4, the eve of Jerusalem Day, they were one of the main events in downtown Jerusalem as part of A Different Day in Jerusalem. Here are some impressions of the evening by one of our core participants, Giora:

In the year in and a half that we’ve been coming to Zion Square, the only constant is that it’s always changing. It doesn’t matter how many times I go, every night there’ll be something that will surprise me. Sometimes it’s something small, like a new street performer, and sometimes it’s a surprising arrest of [Lehava founder] Benzi Gopstein, which will completely change the dynamic in the Square, and after a few tense minutes deep discussions begin that weren’t possible in the 6 months beforehand.

So each time we produce a “Debating in the Square” event in Zion Square it’s a risk. We’re never sure if the event will succeed, and sometimes we can do everything right and the event will still be a flop. The Square has its own life, and we can only adapt ourselves to the dynamic of Zion Square. This is even more true in and around the time of Jerusalem Day. In Jerusalem the political tension is constant, and it only increases as Jerusalem Day and the Flag Parade come closer.

On Saturday night, June 4 – the eve of Jerusalem Day – Zion Square surprised us again – this time, a good surprise. From the moment we arrived it was clear that even though the next day was Jerusalem Day, even though it was very hot, and even though Shabbat was over very late, the Square was thirstier than ever for a deep political discussion. If on a regular night we need to look for speakers to represent the different stances, this time the audience asked to speak up and express its opinions. They discussed the Flag Parade, mixed neighborhoods, Jews going up to the Temple Mount. We always found impassioned and eloquent speakers who wanted to take the podium. Some of these speakers were youth who we’re familiar with – we know them from their activities with Lehava on Thursday nights. While the debates were going on, there were private conversations in the circles surrounding the “center stage” groups of 2-3 people, all having deep discussions. On the outer circle, we saw additional familiar faces, youth who usually come to Zion Square late at night, walking by slowly and watching and listening to what was going on. When we usually have a debate evening, I’m a little tense, trying to see where the best place is for me at any moment – if we need a speaker, if there is something outside the circle that might disrupt the discussion, making sure that everything is working. On the eve of Jerusalem Day, from the moment that the event began, I had the opportunity to take a few steps back, to speak with people in the audience, and to see people who choose to listen respectfully to different opinions.

The evening was so successful that it was almost a shame to wrap it up. But at around 23:30 we decided we needed to finish up the event. All of us, the regulars, the night’s participants and the audience, left with a feeling of elation and great achievement. We knew that it was an especially successful evening. One of the reasons that the energy in the Square was so positive was because of the variety of events produced by A Different Day in Jerusalem for Jerusalem Day. People came to the Square whom I had known only on Facebook, and it was especially nice to connect faces with names.

Here’s the Facebook post (Hebrew):

Here is what an onlooker had to say about Speaking in the Square, and A Different Day in Jerusalem in general:

Naomi Roff2016-07-09T12:47:32+00:00June 7th, 2016|Blog, Effective Activism, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Jewish Religious Denominations, Palestinians/Arabs, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem, Ultra-Orthodox Jews|

“A Different Day in Jerusalem” – Painting the Town Tolerant on Jerusalem Day

Thank you Jerusalem. Thank you Jerusalemites. You helped us to re-claim Jerusalem Day via a variety of activities designed to promote tolerance, and we lit up the city!

Finally, a day that enables us, Jerusalemites, to respect one another and for us all to have a voice. Indeed, with all the sensitivities surrounding this day, Jerusalem Day is the most important time to emphasize the need for a more tolerant Jerusalem for all the various identities and groups living here. It was about Jews and Arabs, Jewish denominations, Christians and Muslims, transgenders, asylum seekers and refugees, Jewish Olim, etc.

“Tarbuth” tour on the Haredi-non-Haredi seamline

It was a tidal wave of tolerant events in Jerusalem. More than 50 projects, programs, initiatives, events, concerts, tours, activities, discussions, readings, yoga and more, all showing respect to other people in Jerusalem. Tens of thousands of people (probably even more, but who’s counting?) were exposed to and participated in lectures, tours, discussions and events; saw us and our signs and exhibits on the streets, heard us on the radio, debated with us, read about us in the newspapers and on Facebook.

Most important – it was not just us – it was a mass effort of vastly diverse people and initiatives. The many events were produced and organized by many groups of activists all around the city who responded to our call and made it happen. We helped, mentored, supported, integrated, solved issues, coordinated the combined internet site, Facebook event, flyer etc. We worked really hard…. but most of the energy was put out by the hundreds of activists who did the work. It is extremely important, since this makes it sustainable (people are already sure that it will become an annual tradition…) and also because it means that the success belongs not to us, but to all the residents of Jerusalem.

“Another Day in Jerusalem” Flyer

We started on Saturday afternoon, with a different tour of Katamon, as well as a tour on Jerusalem’s seam line between east and west.

A Different Katamon

Later on, we heard doctoral student Eran Tzidkiyahu and journalist Elhanan Miller at the Nocturno Cafe, discussing the national influences of local ideologies. Here’s a video of that event (in Hebrew):

After stopping for coffee we moved on to Zion Square, where Speaking in the Square held their famous debate. The debates were about the Temple Mount, Jerusalem Day parades in the Muslim Quarter, and dividing Jerusalem with walls. There were people representing the entire political and religious spectrum, and the energy was incredible! Throughout the night several hundred people passed by, stopped for a few minutes, and listened, spoke, discussed, debated. All in a very Jerusalemite way, respectfully.

Speaking in the Square

“It was fascinating to see people from very different political and religious views sit down and debate the issues in a constructive and respectful way,” said Daniel, an onlooker. “Wonderful to see great positive energy pushing back at the too often feelings of despair.”

The next morning we were on Israel Radio’s Reshet Bet drive time morning show, “Seder Yom with Keren Neubach,” together with representatives from the Yerushalmim Movement and Machon Shacharit, who also participated in A Different Day in Jerusalem. Here’s the link to the interview. It was also posted on Shacharit’s Facebook page (in Hebrew):

At 11, we went to a Ju Jitsu workshop entitled, “The Connection between Mediation, Ju Jitsu and Acceptance of the Other,” which was held together with Mosaica – The Center for Conflict Resolution by Agreement and the Jerusalem School of Traditional Ju Jitsu.

Between Ju Jitsu, Mediation and Acceptance of the Other

After a short break, activities started up again in the afternoon. At 2:30 pm, our own Merav Horowitz, Director of the Window on Mt. Zion project, led a tour of Mt. Zion entitled, “Status Quo and Tolerance.”

Learning about relations between the religions on Mt. Zion

Meanwhile, downtown, the Ruach Nachon Mechina Post Secondary Leadership Academy stationed themselves opposite Safra Square, a key location that many tourists and visitors passed by as they made their way toward the Old City. They greeted the throngs of passersby with music, inviting them to share their visions and wishes for Jerusalem. They also led tolerance activities on the Jerusalem light rail.

With music and blessings for Jerusalem

For those wishing to send messages of peace to Israel’s neighbors, Hamabul Collective’s “Jerusalem Says Hello” project enabled them to do so.

A little later, events gained momentum and were happening simultaneously. Downtown, members of Tag Meir distributed flowers to Palestinian residents of the Old City. And huge placards of poetry in Hebrew and Arabic, written by Jewish Israeli and Muslim poets, and translated into the ‘other’ language, could be seen along Jaffa Road. Anyone and everyone walking or marching down Jaffa Road that day, saw those signs.

Jewish and Muslim poets for all to see

At the same time, in the south of the city, the Yerushalemim Movement held its Jerusalem Day Family Parade along the Jerusalem Railway Park. A thousand men, women and children celebrated the day. There was also a workshop for children at the Reading Station on the Railway Park, as well as a story hour operated by the Talpiot Tolerance Team.

Jerusalem Day Family Parade

As evening descended, events continued – multicultural parties, salon meetings, musical performances and concerts, including a “Chafla” at the Tahrir Bar and a discussion on: The Temple Mount: An Opportunity for Inter-religious Tolerance, with (newly sworn in) Likud MK Yehuda Glick and Yariv Oppenheimer, General Director of the Peace Now movement, moderated by veteran journalist Peggy Cidor.

Inter-religious Chafla at the Tahrir

Rounding out the evening was the event by 0202 – A View from East Jerusalem – which interviewed journalists from different sectors about their individual sector’s news coverage of Jerusalem Day. We heard the point of view of the local Palestinian population, the local Ultra-Orthodox population, the religious population and others. It was fascinating.

And this was just a sampling of the 50 events and activities that took place throughout the city. Here is a selected list of main events in English, and here is a complete list in Hebrew.

Our dedicated web site, jerusalemtolerance.org, also helped people know about and navigate the different events.

We received a good deal of press coverage as well. Some can be seen in previous posts we had here:

Another example was in the Ha’aretz daily newspaper. You can read in in PDF format here.

Elhanan Miller Haaretz article

We also appeared on the home page of the Washington Times! Here’s the link to the article. You can read a .pdf of the article here.

Washington Times front page

And, of course, in the Jerusalem Post, after as well as before the event:

Pride not Prejudice, Jerusalem Post

Did you see our Michal Shilor on TV describing “A Different Day in Jerusalem”? Here it is, in case you missed (in Hebrew):

And this was just a sample of the press coverage…

Many, many thanks to our partners in this project: UJA-Federation of New York, the Jerusalem Foundation, This is Jerusalem, Jerusalem Center for Young Adults.

Naomi Roff2017-05-02T07:11:23+00:00June 6th, 2016|Asylum Seekers, Blog, Christians, Effective Activism, Ethiopian Jews, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Jewish Religious Denominations, Jewish-Palestinian/Arab, New Immigrants, Palestinians/Arabs, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem, Ultra-Orthodox Jews|

Dr. Hagai Agmon-Snir, in an Op-Ed Article for NRG

As we get ready of Jerusalem Day, and “A Different Day in Jerusalem,” we’ve been very active in promoting the great variety of events that are going to take place.

Now our Director, Dr. Hagai Agmon-Snir, weighs in in an Op-Ed piece that was published on the NRG web site on Thursday, June 2. Click below for the full article in Hebrew:

Article from NRG

And here’s an English translation:

We Can Change the Culture of Hate on Jerusalem Day

The fight for tolerance must be waged throughout the year. But we must not desist from fighting for tolerance on Jerusalem Day. When the hatemongers try to turn the national pride into an opportunity for incitement, we must re-claim the message of tolerance in the city.

One, two, three or four Jerusalems; Israeli, Palestinian, French or international sovereignty. In any future scenario, the metropolis called Jerusalem will need to function, both in the short and long term. But without tolerance and without a consistent fight against hate and racism in Jerusalem, the city will decline and collapse. It will be bad for the Palestinians, it will be bad for the Jews, it will be bad for those who are more religious and even for those who are less so. It will be bad for the citizens, it will be bad for the permanent residents, for asylum seekers and for tourists. Even if we disagree on the “correct” future for the city, we must come together and raise a voice for tolerance and calm in the city – today.

After 49 years, Jerusalem is a city torn apart. Arabs, Jews, Ultra-Orthodox, Reform, immigrants from Ethiopia, France, Russia and USA, asylum seekers from Eritrea, millions of Christian pilgrims. In other cities in the western world, this diversity is seen, alongside the challenge, as an asset. As an opportunity to create a lively, interesting, attractive city, rich in human, social and cultural resources, a place for the development of the arts, a place for the development of thought.

In Jerusalem, on the other hand, a culture of hate, incitement, racism and violence causes us, residents of the city, to look around us in fear and ask, what will our next trip on the light rail look like? What political maneuvering will be done tomorrow in the Municipality by the groups that hate me? Who will be my scary neighbor next year?

There are those for whom hate is good. Most of them don’t live here. Politicians who sacrifice Jerusalem for their fight for a seat and along the way create divisions among us. World leaders who get involved in Jerusalem matters that they don’t understand. Official armies and terrorists whose job it is that we hate one another.

We, who live in Jerusalem day by day, pay the price. The fire of hate is lit within us all too easily. We become committed to incitement easily, too. We don’t feel how racism and violence hurt us and eat away at us – from the inside.

And then comes Jerusalem Day – a day that is oh so tense, socially and politically. This year it comes on June 5, a day on which the Palestinians, one third of the city’s residents, commemorate, Yom Hanaksa (Day of the Defeat). Defeat creates hate – one doesn’t need to be a brain researcher to know this. Simultaneously, the Jews celebrate the liberation of the city, often in a way that rejoices in the others’ defeat. And their joy is mixed with anger, since despite the perfect victory, we still watch our backs when we’re walking in the street, in case someone comes at us with a knife.

And there are many on the Jewish side who are ashamed of the atmosphere of gloating, and lower their heads in hopes that the day will be over. And I know a significant number of Palestinians who are ashamed that the atmosphere of defeat causes a caustic hate on their side.

Of course, the fight for tolerance must be waged throughout the year. But we must not desist from fighting for tolerance on Jerusalem Day. When the hatemongers try to turn the national pride into an opportunity for incitement, we must insist, even on Jerusalem Day, to re-claim the tolerant message of the city.

Yes, we will continue to argue over liberation or occupation, if an open button is considered too immodest for a woman, and on shops closed on Shabbat. We will debate in sign language and in Braille, in Arabic, in Tigriniya, and in Hebrew. But on Jerusalem Day we, lovers of Jerusalem, will demonstrate that in our special city, one like no other in the world, there is a strong and stable core of tolerance that stubbornly declares: “Jerusalem will be all that we dream for it, for us all!”

Naomi Roff2016-06-12T14:30:34+00:00June 4th, 2016|Blog, Effective Activism, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem|

A Different Day for the Capital – Article in Jerusalem Post

Ahead of Jerusalem Day and “A Different Day in Jerusalem,” (and also here) we were written up in the Jerusalem Post. Click here to view the PDF version. (Click here for the online version.)

Jerusalem Post article

And here’s the text of the article:

A different day for the capital
By LAURA KELLY
June 3, 2016
Spearheading alternative initiatives for this pivotal day in an effort to show ‘Jerusalem knows how to be tolerant.’

The first time Michal Shilor attended the Flag March – the annual parade on Jerusalem Day from the city center to the Western Wall – she was horrified.

“There’s this image that on Jerusalem Day, the city gets bombarded by all these foreigners,” Shilor says in an interview with In Jerusalem, “and then they leave, and we’re left to pick up the pieces of the ‘wars’ that happen here during that day.”

While the day is supposed to celebrate the reunification of Jerusalem, it highlights deep divides in the capital. As thousands of revelers march through east Jerusalem, many Arab residents feel the parade is a provocation – the message being that Israel is for the Jews, and Arab residents are not welcome.

Last year, a petition to change the route of the parade to avoid Arab neighborhoods – where instances of vandalism, racist chanting and violence have been documented in the past – was rejected by the High Court of Justice. However, the judges did write in their decision that there should be a zero tolerance policy for racist acts.

Shilor, 26, works at the Jerusalem Intercultural Center and this year, is spearheading the first A Different Day for Jerusalem program as an answer to the Flag March.

From Saturday evening to Sunday evening, A Different Day for Jerusalem has a roster of nearly 50 events by grassroots organizations and activists who want to show the tolerant side of the city. Events range from neighborhood tours, parlor talks in bars and restaurants around Jerusalem, a public tent to hear stories of the bereaved families from both sides of the conflict, to street debates, community theater and even an Iranian embassy. All seek to give Jerusalemites and visitors an opportunity to see the patchwork of people that make up the city.

“The idea is to say on Jerusalem Day – which is something that most of the civil society in Jerusalem just doesn’t know how to deal with – that we want everything we’ve been doing all year to come together on this day specifically because this is the most important day to show that Jerusalem knows how to be tolerant,” she asserts.

In addition to her work at the JICC, Shilor is the founder of 0202, a Facebook page that translates Arabic news from east Jerusalem into Hebrew and English.

Shilor says the idea for 0202 was born out of frustration, simply wanting to know and understand a third of the population she was living with.

The organization has a staff of 20 people, all of whom are working partly on a volunteer basis – “I’m volunteering completely,” Shilor says – that follow 150 Arabic Facebook pages. They include some of the bigger news media, such as the Gaza-based Shahab news agency or Al Quds Aulan [Jerusalem First]. But more interesting, says Shilor, are the community-based pages.

One in particular is Mini-Active, a group of 1,000 women from east Jerusalem who document municipal failings in their community, bring it to the attention of the municipality, and then post on Facebook when the problem is resolved.

The challenge, says Shilor, is to be able to develop a comprehensive picture of what people are really concerned with in east Jerusalem.

“If you look at daily life in east Jerusalem, it consists of very basic needs that aren’t being met, but you’re not going to read about that in the news. You’re going to read about how ‘The Occupation Forces did this and this and this.’” Most difficult for the group were the months leading up to October 2015, the start of more than six months of terrorism that saw attacks by Palestinians – shootings, stabbings, car rammings and a bus bomb – targeting Israelis. Thirty Israelis and four foreigners were killed in such attacks, and more than 200 Palestinians were killed while carrying out attacks or in other violent confrontations with the IDF.

As they continued to follow the media, the cycle of violence became increasingly clear. With an attack came the coverage by the media. The sharing on social media of graphic images, often without context, would incite more people to undertake attacks. While in the Hebrew and English media there is more background information, in the Arabic media this is lacking.

“They [the Arabic media in east Jerusalem] also don’t say why people were arrested. When people are released, they don’t say what they were arrested for,” Shilor explains.

She adds that no matter what the facts are, it’s the divergence in narrative that is significant. She gives the example of an east Jerusalem Palestinian friend who’s afraid she’ll be accused of having a knife on her, and an Israeli-Jewish friend who’s afraid to walk in the street or go to the Old City.

“Whatever the facts are doesn’t really matter because it affects people differently.”

Shilor’s vision for the project, however, goes beyond the Jewish-Arab divide.

Eventually she would like to open up two other translation pages – a Jerusalem page following the ultra-Orthodox community and one for the more secular or modern-Orthodox west Jerusalem.

“The same event can be seen through so many different lenses, and it affects different people in so many different ways. We don’t have to agree with the other people, but we have to understand that they see it differently,” she maintains.

“That’s the first step toward living better in this city.”

Many thanks to the UJA-Federation of New York and the Jerusalem Foundation for their support of this project.

Naomi Roff2016-06-12T13:10:12+00:00June 3rd, 2016|Blog, Effective Activism, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem|

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Effective Activism

We Can Change the Culture of Hate on Jerusalem Day

The fight for tolerance must be waged throughout the year. But we must not desist from fighting for tolerance on Jerusalem Day. When the hatemongers try to turn the national pride into an opportunity for incitement, we must re-claim the message of tolerance in the city.

A different day for the capital By LAURA KELLY June 3, 2016 Spearheading alternative initiatives for this pivotal day in an effort to show ‘Jerusalem knows how to be tolerant.’

A different day for the capital
By LAURA KELLY
June 3, 2016
Spearheading alternative initiatives for this pivotal day in an effort to show ‘Jerusalem knows how to be tolerant.’