Identity Groups and Conflicts | The Jerusalem Intercultural Center

Third Annual Tolerance Week Hits the Streets

Some would say that it’s almost part of the daily conversation about Jerusalem – how much tension there is here, how difficult it is here, how divided it is in every direction. And then, in the middle of the election campaigns, despite all sides were pulling in different directions, we continued our tradition of Tolerance Week – an entire week of events dedicated to advancing tolerance.

Mention of Tolerance Week in a local Hebrew newspaper

We asked the general public to become a part of a wave of change and independent action. And the public has spoken – more than 30 initiatives, and many more events that popped up, that painted Jerusalem tolerant during our third annual Tolerance Week, between 16 – 23 of November. Initiatives ranged from “Jerusalem Mosaic” at the Old Yishuv Court Museum, a journey to 19th century Jerusalem within the Old City walls, to a Jerusalem Hyde Park, where a range of speakers spoke about a variety of issues;

Jerusalem Hyde Park

Climb4Change – mixed groups of Jews and Arabs demonstrating rock climbing in the Hinnom Valley. This event was produced in cooperation with hostels for mental illness in East and West Jerusalem.

Climb4change

Learning sign language, together with a teacher and student at the Kiach (Hattie Friedland) School for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired;

Learning sign language

Singing in the Garden, sing-along together with Israel Elwyn, which is a special needs village. The whole evening was produced at the Elwyn village.

Singing in the garden

The Meeting Place discussion in Zion Square focused on the tensions in the city as a result of the mayoral elections, and how we can continue working to make the city better together even if we are different. There were also events by the ArtShelter Gallery, which targets Haredi artists. They held a tour in the neighborhood and also hosted an evening for women, Haredi and secular.

At the ArtShelter Gallery

Tours of the Old City, commemorating the Holiday of the Birth of Muhammad, in cooperation with the Open Holidays initiative.

Tour explaining the Birth of Muhammad

Here’s a full list of activities that took place. Here’s a full list of activities in English. Our Michal Shilor, Coordinator of our Grassroots Campaign for Tolerance, summed it up:

“This is an important lesson for us, as people, as a society, as part of the city. All that was needed was to lend a helping hand in calling for tolerance, and it can almost stand on its own. We invite you to lend a helping hand to such an initiative, when it crosses the street, daydreams on the bus, sits next to you in class, in the office or on a park bench, every day here in Jerusalem. To dare to peek on the other side of the wall (the wall in our hearts), and to connect.”

Here’s the Hebrew Facebook post summarizing the week:

And another one too:

Many thanks to the Jerusalem Foundation, the Leichtag Foundation and Natan for their support of our efforts to advance tolerance in Jerusalem.

Naomi Roff2018-12-29T10:44:51+00:00December 2nd, 2018|Blog, Effective Activism, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Palestinians/Arabs, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem|

The Jerusalem Covenant – Ensuring that the New Mayor and City Council See All Jerusalemites

Jerusalem’s mayoral elections are over. There are those who are happy, there are those who aren’t. Two grueling rounds of elections, after (for some) months of campaigning. But what’s for sure, now it’s time to get down to work. We mentioned here about the Jerusalem Covenant, a document that was signed by all Jerusalem mayoral candidates before the first round of elections. We also reported about the exciting event we held with all the mayoral candidates before the first round.

Ofer Berkowitz and Moshe Lion, running in the second round of Jerusalem’s mayoral elections

Now it’s our – and your – turn to make sure that those who signed live up to their promise. We’re planning a post-election event we’re planning to make sure that the new City Council and mayor act in the residents’ interests. Leading up to that, we’ve made a little video (in Hebrew) emphasizing this need:

We plan to make sure that the Jerusalem Covenant was not only full of pre-election promises, but a real guide for the new mayor and City Council. Our Michal Shilor, coordinator for our Grassroots Campaign for Tolerance, wrote this opinion piece (in Hebrew) on MyNet, the local online news site for Jerusalem news, operated by the Ynet platform:

Now it’s our – the activists’ – turn to show that these elections didn’t break us, nor did they split us apart. We will continue to do our part so that City Council members will understand that we, the residents, own the keys. We need to be partners in everything that goes on here, every day. And our collective voice demands – put shallow identity politics aside and let Jerusalem, in its wealth of diversity, to develop…If we stand up and continue to work, we’ll forge a path for all Jerusalemites across the spectrum, together.

Our director, Hagai Agmon-Snir, also wrote about this on Mynet, two days before the second round:

The Jerusalem Covenant proposes a new language. It talks about a flourishing and developing city, benefiting all its residents. It seeks to recognize that Jerusalem has a cooperative good, far beyond identity politics. The Jerusalem Covenant entrenches that approach that there can be social solidarity in Jerusalem – and that it really is important for the modern orthodox population that life be good for the Ultra-Orthodox, for secular Jews, and for Arabs. (You can change around the order of the different groups if you like.) It says that in a city like Jerusalem, resident involvement is a resource that the Municipality needs to encourage, and not to discourage. And of course, it expects the Municipal leadership to be human, fair, decent, mentchadik.

Journalist Peggy Cidor quoted Hagai in this Jerusalem Post article, which speaks about what the new mayor should do in his term:

HAGAI AGMON-SNIR, director of the Jerusalem Intercultural Center on Mount Zion, emphasizes the need to include civil activists, valuing them “not as annoying individuals but rather as partners for the sake of the city.” He says that new approaches to some of the major issues in the city are required.

“The status quo has become a way to freeze everything and prevent any initiative. We, at the Center, have been working on a new pact that will provide the tools necessary to promote more understanding, more options and opportunities to meet the needs of all the sectors. That is what this city needs now.”

We’ve already had a number of city council members, from a range of parties and lists, sign the Covenant, from the Ultra-Orthodox Agudat Yisrael

Agudat Yisrael signing the Jerusalem Covenant

To the left-leaning secular Meretz party.

Meretz signing the Jerusalem Covenant

Many thanks to the Leichtag Foundation, Charles and Lynn Shusterman Family Foundation, the Natan Fund and the Jerusalem Foundation for their support for our efforts to increase tolerance in Jerusalem.

Naomi Roff2020-06-18T04:34:45+00:00November 22nd, 2018|Blog, Effective Activism, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem|

MiniActive – Beginning a Successful Year Studying Hebrew

This year, for the fifth year running, MiniActive women are studying Hebrew. The Hebrew they learn will enable them to better navigate municipal and other public bodies, helping them to better self-advocate for their rights to a clean Jerusalem, for proper education, and much more.

MiniActive women studying Hebrew

This year, some 130 women and youth are studying Hebrew, in our long-standing cooperation with the Lissan organization. Most classes take place at the Hebrew University Mount Scopus campus.

Different levels, beginning, intermediate, advanced

Look how much fun they’re having!

Different ages, younger, older – all learning to communicate with the ‘other’

Many thanks to the Jerusalem Foundation and Natan for their support of MiniActive.

Naomi Roff2018-12-01T12:51:16+00:00November 7th, 2018|Blog, Effective Activism, Identity Groups and Conflicts, MiniActive, Palestinians/Arabs|

Little Prince – We’re Talkin’ about a Garbage Revolution

At the JICC, it is our mission to ensure that residents from all Jerusalem communities are equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to effect change, on a local and larger level. The Little Prince – Cleaning Up Jerusalem Together seeks to do this, focusing on cleaning up Jerusalem. This past week we had two such opportunities – and we raised public awareness along the way.

The Jerusalem Garbage Commando

Last Friday (October 26) we held the first of a series of ‘expert training’ meetings, which aim to engage residents to become a part of the Garbage Commando. Gilo resident and the official record-holder for reports to the 106 municipal hotline (where you report excess garbage and other hazards), Dan Krakow, explained the ins and outs of reporting hazards, whom to turn to in the Municipality, and more. This was the first such meeting, and we intend for there to be many more. The meeting was covered in the local Hebrew Jerusalem newspaper, Yediot Yerushalayim (article above).

Little Prince activists not only made news locally – they were also in national news. The article pictured below, “Rich Trash, Poor Trash,” (see here for the article in Hebrew) which was published on the national news web site YNet, describes the gap in response time between rich neighborhoods and poor neighborhoods after trash and other hazards are reported. In [the well-to-do] neighborhood of Ramot, hazards were cleared away only 1 /2 hour after being reported,” notes the article. “While in the [less well-to-do] neighborhood of Nahlaot…reports from October 9th had still not been handled.”

What’s for sure is that Little Prince’s activists, from all sectors and all groups in Jerusalem, will keep on the watch to make Jerusalem a clean city.

Many thanks to the Jerusalem Foundation for its support of our effective activism efforts and to the Rayne Foundation for its support the Little Prince initiative!

Naomi Roff2019-11-16T11:19:42+00:00November 4th, 2018|Blog, Effective Activism, Identity Groups and Conflicts, The Little Prince - Cleaning Jerusalem Together|

The Jerusalem Covenant – All Mayors for All People in Jerusalem

We believe that the gospel will come from Jerusalem – how to operate a complex city, with diverse populations living side by side, even if not always together, but in peace with and with compassion for my neighbors from other groups and identities.

Hard at work at the Inbal Hotel on October 28

On Sunday, October 28, a day and a half before the mayoral elections, we held a special meeting for future City Council members and residents from the entire spectrum of Jerusalem to discuss practical implications of the Jerusalem Covenant, and its future influence on our city and our everyday lives. Over 70 people gathered at the Inbal Hotel, and we talked, political opponents and people from all sectors of society. We discussed a range of issues in respectful manner. We reached a number of practical understandings that we believe will guide the future City Council in their work for Jerusalem – and for all Jerusalemites – on an everyday level.

The Jerusalem Covenant

What is the Jerusalem Covenant?

In this local election year, we felt that it is especially pertinent to put tolerance on the public agenda. Not only for all candidates to work to better all parts of Jerusalem, but also for them to see, hear and attempt to understand the needs of all Jerusalemites, no matter their political platform. For this purpose, we have created the Jerusalem Covenant. We brought the Covenant to all four mayoral candidates, who signed wholeheartedly.

All four mayoral candidates signing the Jerusalem Covenant

The Jerusalem Covenant has four parts:

As I begin my term as Mayor of Jerusalem, I promise to adopt the following four principles, which will help me as Mayor to see all Jerusalem residents, and to integrate these principles into all everyday activities of the Municipality:

See everyone. People from different groups need different services. Thus, Jerusalem will be adapted to the needs of all residents and welcoming to all people.
Listen to everyone. In Jerusalem, residents are involved and are an important source of varied initiatives. Thus the Municipality will encourage the partnership of residents. It will be transparent in its actions and will encourage respectful public discourse.
Leader of everyone. Jerusalem has national and international importance, and there are many social complexities among its residents. Thus, Jerusalem will be run in the utmost professional manner, for the benefit of its residents, not by political or identity-driven agendas.
Mayor of everyone. Jerusalem will blossom under a leadership that is respected by everyone. Thus, the city leaders will show integrity and fairness.

“See me” Jerusalem Covenant

We’ve been running a local ad campaign (see above), which also included a video (see further down this post). Since all candidates signed the Covenant, after the elections we aim to have it included on the front page of the coalition agreements, and to continually follow up with city council members to encourage them to operate according to the Covenant.

Ofer Berkowitz and Moshe Lion, running in the second round of Jerusalem’s mayoral elections

The October 28 event, with all the major mayoral and city council candidates and active residents from around the city, was a peak event. “It was pretty amazing that [many of the mayoral and city council candidates] sat together with residents and wrote our future together,” noted our own Michal Sherez Shilor, one of the event’s organizers. “It was an exciting demonstration of democracy that I’ve never seen before, and the best – and most natural – part, is that it took place davka in Jerusalem. Davka the place that everyone thinks is torn and divided, violent, angry; where each sector builds walls. It was amazing how each and every one – both residents as well as candidates – really focused on how he or she could make others’ lives better. To break out of his or her own personal box and think of others.”

Shaike El-Ami, Director of the Ginot Ha’Ir Community Council and one of the initiators of the evening, said, “That so many candidates came out – and just one and a half days before the elections – it was a miracle. It didn’t happen for no reason – it happened because people understand that something special is happening here.”

Journalist Peggy Cidor commented on Facebook, “These are really amazingly positive things….And flowers to you, the organizers…That is how you love Jerusalem.” She even opened her Jerusalem Post column, “This Week in Jerusalem” with a summary of the Covenant’s four principles (see here for the link):

A coveted covenant

A group representing several organizations in the city drew up a declaration of principles to guide mayoral candidates this year. Michal Shilor and Hagai Agmon-Snir of the Intercultural Center on Mount Zion played a leading role in the drafting of the document, whose four key principles are:

1) The mayor should take into consideration and provide for the needs of all residents in terms of municipal services. No resident or sector should be excluded.

2) The municipality should be attentive to initiatives promoted by activists, should encourage activists and include them in its projects.

3) The leadership should avoid being rooted in narrow political interests.

4) The mayor should seek to work with a large team that includes as many parties active in the city as possible.

Only candidates who accepted the covenant would get the support these associations; all four final candidates endorsed and signed it.

Fay Sukenik, one of the facilitators, noted, “To come together around joint needs – because in the end that’s what Jerusalem residents want. It was a fascinating evening. I was happy to take part!”

And here’s the Hebrew Facebook post summarizing the meeting:

As promised, here’s the video with a short but poignant message for the next mayor: “See us!”

Thank you everyone for your support and participation, and to the Leichtag Foundation, Charles and Lynn Shusterman Family Foundation, the Natan Fund and the Jerusalem Foundation for their support for our efforts to increase tolerance in Jerusalem.

Naomi Roff2018-12-05T05:27:55+00:00November 1st, 2018|Blog, Effective Activism, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem|

Modern Mount Zion Featured in Houses from Within Festival

We just love talking about how much the Window to Mount Zion has accomplished over the past 3 years.

On tour with Window to Mount Zion

During last week’s Houses from Within Festival, this Mount Zion was featured. The Israeli public loved it as much as we do – and 60 people (!) came to a tour about what’s been going on recently on the Mount on Friday, October 19.

This is what the program had to say:

Mount Zion has known inter-religious conflict for centuries. Each culture left behind religious traditions, human stories and unique architectural legacies. Nowadays, Jews, Christians and Muslims all live on Mount Zion and Jewish, Christian and Muslim organizations and institutions are located and operate there. In recent years, the relations between them have been steadily improving. The two-hour tour, led by the Window to Mount Zion project of the Jerusalem Intercultural Center, will offer a contemporary and optimistic look at what is happening on Mount Zion today. It will include the Dormition Abbey, the Dajani family burial plot, David`s Tomb, the Greek Garden, the Jerusalem Intercultural Center, and more.

Many thanks to the partnership of Search for Common Ground and the Jerusalem Foundation in this project!

Naomi Roff2018-10-27T06:31:50+00:00October 26th, 2018|Blog, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Mount Zion|

Making Souls Festival – Making Room for Mental Health Issues in the Public Sphere

When we talk about increasing tolerance in Jerusalem, we’re not just talking about tolerance for different cultures, ethnicities, and religions. We’re talking about everyone in society, including those who are coping with mental health issues.

Making Souls Festival

Over the past year and a half, as part of our Grassroots Campaign for Tolerance, our Michal Shilor has accompanied – Nefashot (souls in Hebrew) – a group seeking to break down stigma about mental health issues by creating spaces for awareness and dialogue in Jerusalem´s public sphere. For the past two years Nefashot has held events on Jerusalemite Day of Diversity. This year, in celebration of World Mental Health Day on October 10, Nefashot, with the support of the JICC, produced Ossim Nefashot – the Making Souls Festival. The festival featured 19 events, beginning Sunday, October 7, and running through Friday, October 12.

Mental health issues affect all segments of society

The events included: talks, discussions, lectures, exhibits, performances, and more. About how mental health issues affected motherhood, their people’s personal journeys and experiences, their art, their stories, and even a baking workshop.

Don't know what this is but it looks cool

Double sitgma

All were organized by organizations, places and especially people who have joined forces together to achieve one goal: to raise public awareness about mental health in our city while reducing stigma against people coping with mental difficulties.

Speaking about how mental health issues touch lives everyday

Many thanks to the organizers. Here’s what some of them had to say:

R onni Diler, one of the organizers, noted, “This might sound over the top, but I feel like my life has completely changed since I’ve become involved with [the JICC’s tolerance efforts]. I’m a purebred Jerusalemite and I always felt connected, but over the last year I’ve come to know more and more people and initiatives that are doing amazing things, with lots of good will and cooperation. There’s no doubt that without our guide (we are only 1 1/2 years old), Michal Shilor we wouldn’t have gotten to this place.”

“Mom Is Not Crazy” performance at AACI

Yaniv Rosenfeld Cohen, another organizer, said, “A year and a half ago Nefashot was born. I didn’t know how it would turn out, and if I’d have the strength to develop it. But I hoped that I would have enough courage to try something completely out of the mainstream. Nefashot was born with a goal to fight stigmas associated with mental health, and was an attempt to create a human and authentic encounter. Since then those who know me know that I am very passionate about this initiative and it’s one of the most significant things that I’ve been involved with. I’ve had the fortune and honor to have a number of extraordinary people helping me. They are the people working day and night to try and create a better and more tolerant city in Jerusalem. The missing part of the puzzle is Michal Shilor [and the JICC], who decided to accompany us despite her crazy schedule. Without her un-ending optimism and energies I have no doubt that the picture would have looked entirely different. The 19 special events that [took place] this week would not have been possible without the people who decided to make this city better. I take my hat off to every one of them.

Performance at Beit Taylor, Kiryat Hayovel

Sivan Regev said, “So excited that this week is here! So many partners, [including the JICC]. And to all those who came with initiatives, those that we’re implementing now and those that we’ll continue to develop, and to those to ask me, and spread the word, and ask me to send them a flyer so they can tell others. A sea of wonderful people. Thank you everyone!”

Full house at the Clubhouse

Here’s a little summary video with the highlights of all the events (in Hebrew):

Click here for the entire list of events (Hebrew).

Many thanks to the Jerusalem Foundation, to the Natan Fund, and to the UJA-Federation of New York for their support for our efforts to increase tolerance in Jerusalem.

Naomi Roff2018-12-03T19:06:34+00:00October 24th, 2018|Blog, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem|

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|

Zion Square – Open for Tolerance

Zion Square is the heart of downtown Jewish Jerusalem. All of our efforts to advance tolerance and fight racism in Jerusalem began in Zion Square. We’ve reported here and here about the Jerusalem Municipality’s recognition of the importance of the Square, and of its recent re-design and renewal of the Square according to principles that foster connecting with one another, and tolerance.

Picturing a re-designed Zion Square in the news

“The new design of Zion Square turns it into a place that makes connections, and advances tolerance and mutual respect,” noted Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat in a recent article on the opening. “The renewal of the Square is another stage in strengthening the city center.” You can read the Hebrew article here and here.

Many thanks to the Jerusalem Foundation, the UJA-Federation of New York, and Natan who are helping us advance tolerance in Jerusalem.

Naomi Roff2018-10-27T06:39:16+00:00October 19th, 2018|Blog, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem|

One Common Priority: A Clean Jerusalem

“Our standards of what is and isn’t a clean city have gotten confused,” Said our Tal Kligman in this Hebrew article, published on the popular Ynet web site. She continued, “when residents from other cities visit me and say, ‘See how dirty it is here,’ I don’t see it. For me, it’s considered clean. But the truth is that the ground beneath the garbage can on the street isn’t supposed to be black. We, residents of this city, want a clean city.”

‘Garbage Tour’ in central Jerusalem

As we’ve noted here, here, here and here, the Little Prince – Cleaning Up Jerusalem Together is using trash to bring people together. Orthodox, secular and Haredi Jews, Christians and Muslim Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians – all wish to see a clean Jerusalem and all are struggling with the current reality. The Little Prince seeks to empower residents from all sectors to work together and within their own communities to make Jerusalem a clean city. The goal is to build broad networks on the grassroots as well as professional and political levels that can solve problems on both a one-time and system-wide basis.

Concentrating on different areas in central Jerusalem

Over the past year and a half the Little Prince – Jews and Arabs from across the ethnic and political spectrum – has been working to raise awareness about the need for a clean Jerusalem. They have even succeeded in making the subject one of the main issues discussed in the upcoming Jerusalem mayoral elections.

Discussing issues of sanitation and a clean city

Last Saturday night, 15.9.18, we held a ‘Garbage Tour’ of central Jerusalem for activists and for mayoral candidates. Nearly all the candidates or their representatives took part. All promised to take steps to improve the situation. Residents who led the tour stressed a number of crucial points, including: changing the definition of what is considered clean, taking responsibility for a clean city, expanding infrastructure, increasing enforcement, changing the organizational culture with regards to having a clean city, and changing the city’s image. In addition to the ynet article, the tour was also covered on the Hebrew-language Kipa web page, which targets the Orthodox public.

All mayoral candidates signed the Clean City Platform

In addition to the Garbage Tour we, together with our partner activists in action, have written a Clean City Platform, which summarizes the main points needed to improve cleanliness in the city, and all of the mayoral candidates have signed! The Platform holds the mayor responsible for sanitation in the city, through the allocation of resources, through supervision and enforcement, through education and awareness raising for all residents of the city. The Platform raises the standards for accepted levels of sanitation and cleanliness in the city. Here’s a few pictures of candidates signing the Platform: