Palestinians/Arabs | The Jerusalem Intercultural Center

New Rights Booklet for Arab residents of East Jerusalem from Atta’a

‘Awareness is the first step toward change,’ is the adage that guides Atta’a, the Center for Rights Realization for Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem. Atta’a was founded in 2005, and recently came under our aegis.

And now they’ve published a booklet on the rights of East Jerusalem Palestinians at the Ministry of Interior. It goes over the different types of forms that exist, the different legal definitions of residency (most of the Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem are permanent residents and not Israeli citizens!), navigating the Israeli complex bureaucracy when it gets to specific statuses, the rights of the couple and the kids after marriage of a permanent resident to a Palestinian from the West Bank, etc.

Cover of rights booklet

The publishing of this booklet was cross-posted on the English 0202-A View from East Jerusalem Facebook page.

A second booklet is in the works – about physical accessibility. It will cover what a person’s rights are, how to access them, which forms are necessary, which offices are responsible, and more. Stay tuned!

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

Naomi Roff2016-03-19T12:27:53+00:00March 12th, 2016|Attaa, Blog, Effective Activism, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Palestinians/Arabs|

Happy First Birthday 0202 – A View from East Jerusalem!

“I can’t believe it’s been a year. One year ago this week, after hard work on a ‘pilot’ 0202 Facebook page, Eran and I pressed ‘publish.’ Almost simultaneously, we began to receive ‘likes.’ We quickly passed the 100, 200, even 500 marks, until we crossed the 1,000 “like” in 24 hours! And then 0202 became an astronomical wind storm.”

Thus describes Michal Shilor, founder and volunteer director of “0202 – A View from East Jerusalem.” She goes on to describe how the page came about:

It all started in November 2014 when I found myself asking on Facebook if there’s a place that can give me a real peek into East Jerusalem – without Jewish left or right-wing commentary, without the filter of someone who is not a local resident. What does the East Jerusalemite see when she wakes up in the morning? What really happens at the checkpoints, in education, during arrests, at cultural centers? What do East Jerusalemites talk about in general, the regular people – not only political activists and not those who are better known than others? At the time I could only get the answers from Facebook pages in Arabic, or Jewish pages that either a) only gave part of the story, according to a certain political agenda, or b) always, always, always presented their understanding of the situation (also according to their political agenda). I then began a journey of meeting everyone who deals with East Jerusalem, I ran from meeting to meeting, from page to page. I very quickly found very good people to be on our advisory committee, and found a small staff from East and West Jerusalem who’d volunteer to take part of this journey. Throughout the year I’ve been amazed at the willingness, the professionalism, the patience and the dedication of each and every one. Today we are 22 Israelis and Palestinians, and I appreciate and thank each and every one.

Here’s her original post in Hebrew

The post was a promo for the first birthday party event that was held on Wednesday, March 9, at the Tmol Shilshom cafe in Jerusalem.

A full house at Tmol Shilshom

The room was filled to capacity – some stood outside, others were turned away. What a wonderful way to spend a birthday.

Michal and the 0202 page

The evening included guided readings of different posts that have appeared on the 0202 page – not just what the words mean, but also explanations behind them and related stories. Some of the 20 Israeli and Palestinian translators and editors, as well as those on 0202’s advisory board, led the audience through the posts.

Lior explaining a post

We also had experts in the field, such as Ami Metav, was was responsible for the Temple Mount and the Old City for the Israel Ministry of Defense, and is today a project manager and coordinator in East Jerusalem for the Municipality.

Ami Metav

We also welcomed Hatem Khweiss, Chief Editor of the Palestinian news web site HON.

Hatem Khweis

The evening was recorded by the Microphones for Peace Internet radio show, as well as on video.

For those of you who are unfamiliar, this is how the page looks in Hebrew. Today it has more than 15,000 likes, including senior municipal officials, journalists from major news outles and researchers, and is constantly growing.

0202 Hebrew

A few months ago, thanks to a grant from the Leichtag Foundation, we were also able to open an English site.

0202 – A View from East Jerusalem

We, Michal and the rest of the 0202 team wish to express our deep gratitude to everyone who came. As we wrote in our Facebook post:

Thanks to everyone came to speak and to listen, to congratulate and to celebrate with us 0202’s first birthday! We were especially excited about the open, innovative, and sensitive discussion that took place throughout the evening between East and West Jerusalem, between eastern and western Jerusalemites, between the men and women who came to hear, to listen and to expand horizons. We had no idea we could create such a face-to-face discussion at this time, and we’d thought we’d be able to do so on the Internet. We’re astounded that this type of discussion could happen now, face-to-face, only one year after launch. Thank you.
We were happy and amazed by the amount of people who came, and by the number of people who were forced to wait outside or to leave because the event was full. We promise to have a similar event soon.

And here’s the post to the event album:

And a video of the entire event (in Hebrew):

Naomi Roff2017-05-02T07:44:42+00:00March 11th, 2016|Blog, Effective Activism, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Jewish-Palestinian/Arab, Palestinians/Arabs, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem|

Walla! – MiniActive Achievement in the News

We reported here about MiniActive’s success in obtaining an additional 3 million NIS per year to the city’s sanitation budget, which was achieved through the hard work of not only MiniActive, but also the team from 0202-A View from East Jerusalem, municipal officials, city council members, and more.

Now, this achievement is getting public attention in the country’s major news outlets. Read the Hebrew article that was published on Tuesday on the Walla! web site, one of Israel’s major news sources. Click on the picture for a PDF file of the Hebrew article:

Headline: “‘Living in a Garbage Dump’: East Jerusalem Residents Tired of Garbage in Streets

We hope that this coverage will add to other opportunities to make the city aware of this troubling situation in East Jerusalem and to the Miniactive activist women campaign to improve their daily life.

Naomi Roff2016-04-01T15:24:47+00:00March 10th, 2016|Blog, Effective Activism, Identity Groups and Conflicts, MiniActive, Palestinians/Arabs|

Window to Mt. Zion – Keeping the Mountain Clean of Hateful Language

It all began with this Facebook post:

Post about stickers on a tourist sign

A January 7 Facebook post about a number of stickers that covered Arabic writing on a Mt. Zion vista.

Later in January, hateful graffiti was sprayed on the Dormition Abbey, the Armenian Cemetery and the Greek Seminary. The Municipality cleaned up that graffiti immediately, but left other racist graffiti and stickers that had been placed there at different periods. Some of them even covered up signs to important Christian or Muslim tourist sites or routes.

Vandalized sign

Windows to Mt. Zion volunteers (this is our project, together with Search for Common Ground and support from USIP – read more about it here) rose to the task, and since then has been reporting these nuisances to the Municipality. Thanks to these reports and the dedicated work of our regional supervisor, the stickers and graffiti were cleaned up.

Clean signs

Mt. Zion is now sticker-free! But our volunteers are still around, in case more hateful stickers are being seen on this lovely and sensitive site!

Naomi Roff2016-12-21T13:11:51+00:00March 9th, 2016|Blog, Christians, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Jewish Religious Denominations, Jewish-Palestinian/Arab, Mount Zion, New Immigrants, Palestinians/Arabs, Ultra-Orthodox Jews|

Painting Zion Square the Colors of Tolerance – Permanently

Zion Square as a Tolerance Square in Jerusalem? A few years ago this might have seemed like a ridiculous notion to many, since this square has its history of violence, hatred and racism. Today, thanks to the Speaking in the Square initiative, other groups and supportive municipal officials, it is becoming a reality.

In mid-February the Municipality announced an architectural competition to redesign and re-brand Zion Square as a Square for Tolerance and Dialogue. The new design must include elements that advance tolerance and mutual respect. At the request of the competition organizers, Speaking in the Square, the Yerushalmim Movement, and other Zion Square activists met on Sunday, March 6 to brainstorm design ideas for the new Zion Square.

Recognize Zion Square?

This was a very important meeting, attended by some 30 activists from a range of initiatives. Deputy Mayor Tamir Nir, as well as city council member Aaron Leibowitz also took an active part in the meeting.

Discussion including Deputy Mayor Tamir Nir

The ideas suggested ran the gamut – from ensuring comfortable seating and lighting to make it comfortable and welcoming at night, as well as shaded areas to make it comfortable during the day. It should be handicapped accessible. It should be open to allow large numbers of people to congregate – for performances, shows, exhibits and more – but also enabling more intimate gatherings to emphasize its pluralist nature. It should be dynamic, and enable different stories and narratives to be told, both at different times and simultaneously. It should welcome everyone and push away no one.

Building Tolerance Square together

The meeting including brainstorming visual concepts to match the design theories – the most colorful part of the evening.

Giving design concepts a structure

We’ll keep you posted as the design process moves forward.

Hard at work

Leading up to the brainstorming meeting, Ossnat Sharon, among the leaders of Speaking in the Square, was interviewed on the Hebrew blog site Ashpaton:

“I’ve been going to demonstrations since I was about 12 years old,” tells Ossnat Sharon, But being in Zion Square, participating in dialogue “was a moment of revelation for me. Something happened there that I’d never seen happen. I mean, I saw something happening in the public space that was effective. In [regular] demonstrations, on both the right and the left, people are shouting at each other, each in his own camp. In the end the police go in some direction, and that gives everyone an excuse to go home, since you can’t stand and shout all night…On that night [the first night I participated in Speaking in the Square] we did something that changed the atmosphere in the Square. We began talking.”

Many thanks to the UJA-Federation of New York and the Jerusalem Foundation for their support of our efforts to promote tolerance in the public sphere in Jerusalem.

Naomi Roff2017-03-21T10:56:17+00:00March 8th, 2016|Blog, Effective Activism, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Jewish Religious Denominations, Jewish-Palestinian/Arab, Palestinians/Arabs, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem, Ultra-Orthodox Jews|

MiniActive Campaign ‘We Won’t Live in Filth’ Sees Results

Yet again, the MiniActive women in East Jerusalem have proven how effective their activism can be. After more than four months of their public campaign, “We won’t live in filth!” they’ve succeeded in obtaining an additional 3 million shekels toward sanitation in East Jerusalem to the Municipality’s budget! These funds will be added in 2016, and continue annually.

“We Don’t Want to Live in Filth!” Campaign

We’ve written about the campaign that MiniActive has been heading since the fall of 2015 here and here. In addition, the “0202” Facebook pages have translated these posts into both the veteran Hebrew page as well as the new English page:

These popular pages (over 15,000 likes in Hebrew over the past year, over 1,200 likes in English over the past two months) are followed closely by both municipality officials as well as journalists, and everyone who is anybody who cares about what happens in Jerusalem. In addition, we started tagging City Council members in the 0202 posts as well. “Hitorerut” party Council Members were those who made the efforts to impact 2016 budget in this regard.

The result – an additional 3 million shekels was allocated in the 2016 for sanitation in East Jerusalem, as well as 16 million shekels for purchases of equipment and vehicles that can be used in East Jerusalem! Both the Director General of the Municipality and the Director Operations Dept. supported this measure.

Garbage garbage, every day

Our work hasn’t ended with the approval of the additional budget – we will be there to ensure that the equipment that is purchased will meet the needs of East Jerusalem’s Palestinian residents. For example – the garbage trucks that are purchased will be able to navigate East Jerusalem’s narrow streets and alleyways.

An equally important takeaway from this process – municipal officials are now talking about garbage in East Jerusalem as a central problem that can’t be swept away using an old decrepit street-sweeping machine.

We’re very excited about this news, but it’s not our success – it’s that of the MiniActive network, and that of the Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem. Kol Hakavod! Kul ElIhtiram (كل الاحترام)! May we soon see the difference in the streets and garbage cans.

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

Naomi Roff2016-03-11T19:25:28+00:00March 6th, 2016|Blog, Effective Activism, Identity Groups and Conflicts, MiniActive, Palestinians/Arabs|

Window to Mt. Zion – Fostering Interreligious Agreement?

The diversity in the room was striking – Franciscan monks, policemen in uniform, Orthodox, Armenian and Catholic monks, Ashkenazi and Sephardi Rabbis, men and women, “Window to Mt. Zion” organizers from the Jerusalem Intercultural Center (JICC) and Search for Common Ground. On Wednesday, February 17, the entire diversity of residents of Mt. Zion gathered at the JICC offices to discuss and listen to a presentation by officials from the Jerusalem Development Authority (JDA) on their plans to develop parts of the Mountain.

Meeting with all Mt. Zion’s residents in one room

The JDA officials described their plans to develop the area of the Greek Garden during 2017, on the southern slopes of Mt. Zion. This corner is particularly loved by all of us, since it is the only open space on Mt. Zion. The plans seek to create a pleasant and safe space for residents and visitors, and will include paving walkways, new lighting, garbage cans and security cameras.

Listening to Jerusalem Development Authority

Such cooperation on Mt. Zion is not to be taken for granted. We’ve worked very hard to be able to get everyone into one room. Read more about “Window to Mount Zion” on our blog category and at the dedicated site on it (in Hebrew). We hope for much future cooperation between and among all the residents of Mt. Zion. May our cooperation be an example for inter-religious cooperation in Jerusalem, and throughout the region.

Thanks to the USIP for their support to this project!

The JDA presentation

Naomi Roff2016-10-21T09:08:34+00:00March 4th, 2016|Blog, Christians, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Jewish Religious Denominations, Jewish-Palestinian/Arab, Mount Zion, Palestinians/Arabs, Ultra-Orthodox Jews|

0202 – Toward First Birthday Celebrations

Happy Birthday!!!! 0202 – A View from East Jerusalem is getting ready to celebrate its first birthday! Here’s the link to the Hebrew Facebook event, which will take place on March 9.

Over the past year, 0202 has garnered more than 15,000 likes and reaches tens of thousands of viewers each week, including prominent and influential local and national officials and journalists. A few months ago 0202 established an English Facebook page, which itself has over 1,200 likes in just over 2 months. There is also an internet site for those who prefer to read 0202 without Facebook!

Shira, one of the page’s initiators as well as translators and editors, was recently interviewed on the Shalem College’s web site:

“I’d like it if the page piques people’s curiosity and causes them to research and to want to get to know the other culture, because today neither side is deeply acquainted with the other. We need more glasses to see reality through,” says Shira. The 0202 volunteers make sure not to take a stand [on what they translate], but translate the articles as close as possible to the original. “Last year I translated articles about the stabbing at the Gay Pride Parade. I took articles from four sources, including a news site that is identified with the Hamas and a Facebook page of young students. There were those who called the event the “Pride Parade” and those who called it “Pervert Parade.” If I soften what they write and adapt it to what I’d like to see written, I wouldn’t be doing my job. We want to bring the authentic Arabic-speaking voices to Hebrew speakers, and we spend a lot of time and discussions among the staff how to translate controversial phrases.”

Shira, 0202 translator and editor

Here’s the link to the full article, in Hebrew.

Want to learn more about the behind-the-scenes work at 0202? Come to the event next Wednesday!

Many thanks to the UJA-Federation of New York and the Jerusalem Foundation for their general support of 0202, and to the Leichtag Foundation, which enabled the launching of the 0202 – A View from East Jerusalem in English.

Naomi Roff2016-03-11T18:51:45+00:00March 2nd, 2016|Blog, Effective Activism, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Jewish-Palestinian/Arab, Palestinians/Arabs, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem|

MiniActive Horticulture Therapy – In the Spirit of Springtime

We’re enjoying unseasonably warm weather here in Jerusalem, and we thought we’d share some beautiful pictures from our MiniActive Horticulture Therapy Course. This first-ever course in Arabic began in December and is running through May, in cooperation with the David Yellin Academic College of Education.

Working in the garden

The course is taking place at one of the largest schools for special education in East Jerusalem, in Beit Hanina. Alongside the theoretical study, the women have begun working with the children. Such fun to be working outside!

With individual attention

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

Learning about nature

Naomi Roff2016-03-05T10:34:47+00:00February 28th, 2016|Blog, Effective Activism, Identity Groups and Conflicts, MiniActive, Palestinians/Arabs|

Promoting Tolerance on the Radio

Radio? Did someone say radio?

Yesterday, three initiatives that we’ve been working with over the past year and more – 0202 – A View from East Jerusalem (both in Hebrew and in English), Speaking in the Square, and the Abu-Tor/A-Thuri Good Neighbors project – were featured on the Microphones for Peace program on the JLM.FM web radio station.

Daniel described what he’s learned and discovered as part of “Speaking in the Square”. “I’ve discovered the great diversity of Jerusalemites; I’ve met many of the ‘reasonable Jerusalemites.’ We’ve discovered that in Zion Square, even the raging masses are willing to listen.”

In the Microphones for Peace studio

Aliza described the uniqueness of the program in Abu Tor / Al-Thuri, which is currently developing a number of joint programs. “As opposed to trying to influence the entire public sphere, we’re working on a much more personal level. We’re building trust on a very personal level, and only then will we even think about opening up our activities to people from outside the neighborhood. I’m discovering, to my pleasant surprise, that both sides are excited to get to know one another, to see what life is like for our neighbors.”

Michal, who made 0202 happen, told the story of the making of a Facebook channel of communications that transformed for many the understanding of East Jerusalem. She also talked about her work with us at the JICC in creating the tolerance neighborhood network of Jerusalem.

Kol Hakavod for everyone’s efforts – keep up the good work!

Many thanks to the UJA-Federation of New York and the Jerusalem Foundation for their support of our work to promote tolerance in Jerusalem.

Naomi Roff2017-03-25T06:49:27+00:00February 27th, 2016|Blog, Effective Activism, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Palestinians/Arabs, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem, Ultra-Orthodox Jews|

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