Palestinians/Arabs | The Jerusalem Intercultural Center

Atta’a – Success with a Little Help from Our Friends

The Atta’a Assistance Center for the Rights of East Jerusalem Residents has a variety of activities that aim to advance rights realization – from one-on-one assistance, awareness-raising lectures, help online. One of its main channels in recent years has been making the wealth of information accessible to East Jerusalem residents – especially online – via the Internet and social media.

Sometimes it just takes one Facebook post to reach the huge impact you were looking for.

From the Atta’a Facebook page

We were asked by the National Insurance Institute (NII) to write a post about the new location of the East Jerusalem branch of the NII. On the one hand, it was a simple post, basically “The National Insurance Institute has announced that the public will be received at its new branch. The new building is located on the 16 bus line (Highway 1), next to the Sheikh Jarrah medical center. You can reach it via the light rail.”

On the other hand, this information is so important to the 350,000 Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem who need to contact the NII. They posted it on their Facebook page, and over 13,000 (!) people viewed that post on their Facebook page alone! They also posted to other popular East Jerusalem Facebook pages, where even more residents saw it.

Here’s the original post in Arabic:

It’s always great to see when Atta’a’s activities have an impact. You can read more about that impact here.

Many thanks to the Leichtag and Jerusalem Foundations for their support of Atta’a.

Naomi Roff2019-03-22T20:07:21+00:00March 3rd, 2019|Attaa, Blog, Palestinians/Arabs|

MiniActive – Growing by Word of Mouth

Our MiniActive project has grown and developed immensely over the past 5 years, but there is so much more to do. We seek to do more, to develop more, to grow more, to help the Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem. So, on Tuesday, December 18, we asked our MiniActive female volunteers to bring families members, neighbors, friends (all women, of course), to hear about the project, and the good it can do for neighborhoods throughout East Jerusalem.

Huge event with lots invested

In all, we had 400 women at the MiniActive offices in Wadi Joz, in a day that was organized entirely by the women. There were speakers and performers of all sorts.

There were speakers of all sorts

One woman spoke about overcoming obstacles in participating in MiniActive. This is definitely a delicate issue, since issues of being in touch with the ‘establishment’ are especially complex in East Jerusalem. However, the results speak for themselves: When streets are cleaner and more complaints are taken care of (now 50% of all requests from the 106 municipal hotline in Arabic are filled, as opposed to 30% only two years ago), and when the women themselves work in groups to advance topics, these obstacles are overcome.

Speaking about experiences in MiniActive

A second woman spoke about her experiences in MiniActive and how it changed her life. She is about 60 years old and had stopped working as a social worker about 10 years ago. Her children had married and were out of the house. She was lonely and depressed. She found MiniActive, and it brought her back to life. She feels that she can now contribute to society. She took part in MiniActive’s training for our Living Safer, Living Longer program that seeks to improve preventive health and home safety, and as a result, has been hired to encourage mothers of young children to immunize their children and to improve home safety.

There were also performances – on the oud

Performing with the oud

Debka dancing

Traditional debka dance

Displays and sales of women’s handicrafts

Women selling traditional handicrafts

From knitting, to ceramics to jewelry.

Lots of different kinds of handicrafts

And after that, everyone was so inspired that 100 new women joined MiniActive.

Here’s to more effective, women-based activism in East Jerusalem! Many thanks to the Jerusalem Foundation and Natan for their support of MiniActive.

Here’s the post (in Arabic) from the MiniActive Facebook page:

Naomi Roff2019-01-19T15:49:07+00:00December 25th, 2018|Blog, Effective Activism, MiniActive, Palestinians/Arabs|

Getting to Know your Rights with Atta’a

It’s time, and in fact, overdue, that we brag a minute about the Atta’a Center for the Rights of East Jerusalem Palestinians.

Daud lecturing in Shuafat Refugee Camp

Over the past year, Atta’a has built on its past success, and grown even past its former capacity. Examples of accomplishments this year include:

1,089 one-on-one consultations, 1,004 e-mail, Facebook and telephone consultations. This is a 30% increase in individual consultations over last year.
At least 4,000 entrances to our web site per month. The Atta’a web site is so popular that an Arabic-language Google search for ‘Israel Ministry of Interior’ lists Atta’a second, only behind the official government site.
Our Facebook community has seen a 40% increase, from 14,000 ‘likes’ at the end of 2017 to 20,000 today, a 40% increase. Even more important than the number of likes is the high rate of engagement. Atta’a’s Facebook regularly reach 2-4,000 people, including 50 – 100 likes each (active engagement) and numerous ‘shares’. Atta’a generally has at least 2 original posts each week.

In addition to the regular one-on-one consultations, Atta’a provides lectures in the community. On Tuesday, November 27, Atta’a Director Daud Aliyan spoke in the Shuafat Refugee camp, on rights available from the National Insurance Institute, as well as on how to make an appointment in the Ministry of Interior’s (Hebrew-only) appointment system. Atta’a deals with these issues on a regular basis, both on a micro level – empowering individuals to wade through the ‘system’ by themselves – and on a macro level – advocating on behalf of Palestinian residents of Jerusalem when it comes to issues of status, welfare and health care rights, and more.

As a result of Atta’a’s assistance, residents received over NIS 25 million, through payments from the National Insurance Institute, the Welfare Department, the Ministry of Interior and more; from discounts on property taxes and other municipal fees; from being able to legally work in Jerusalem, and more.

Daud tells of one case, which is representative of Atta’a’s assistance:

A woman recently came to Atta’a because her son, who has CP and is in a wheelchair, was receiving a monthly disability stipend of NIS 1,000. We were shocked that a child with such a severe disability was receiving so little. While she was there we asked her about a number of other rights and subsidies she and her family are eligible for – discount on property taxes (worth several thousand shekels), increased disability payments (given the son’s severe disability), a one-time subsidy of NIS-3-4,000, different health care benefits, and much more. In total, she and her family were able to receive tens of thousands of shekels.

Many thanks to the Jerusalem Foundation and the Leichtag Foundation for their support of Atta’a.

Naomi Roff2018-12-29T10:40:20+00:00December 16th, 2018|Attaa, Blog, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Palestinians/Arabs|

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|

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|

MiniActive Youth – Doing their Part to Improve the Environment

Not wanting to be outdone by the boys, recently MiniActive youth – teenage girls group – began work in the area of the Central Arab Library in Wadi Joz.

Working together to improve the garden

They cleared the leaved and dry grass.

First, they needed to clean up the area.

The filled areas with sand and covered them, forming a solid base.

Building a base for????

They painted tires and filled them with sand, which will be used for planters.

They never get “tired” out!

These girls are not only decorating, they have also had an important hand in designing the plan, together with a trained landscape designers.

Yet another example of MiniActive youth working toward a better environment in East Jerusalem!

Here’s the original Facebook post in Arabic:

Many thanks to the Jerusalem Foundation and Natan for its continued support of MiniActive!

Naomi Roff2018-10-06T08:27:24+00:00September 3rd, 2018|Blog, Effective Activism, Identity Groups and Conflicts, MiniActive, Palestinians/Arabs|

Window to Mount Zion – Documenting the Dajani Cemetery

Mount Zion is home to cemeteries from almost every religious community in Jerusalem. The Dajani cemetery (which we’ve written about here and here) is the only Muslim cemetery in the area…

For more than 500 years, the Dajani family served as custodians of King David’s mausoleum in Mount Zion. Over the course of their custodianship, the family built a neighborhood in the area and buried their deceased in a cemetery around King David’s mausoleum. Members of the family often served as public officials in the city of Jerusalem, and made a significant contribution to Jerusalem’s history. Some of the family’s prominent members are buried in the Mount Zion cemetery. These members include Mr. Aref Al-Dajani, a high public official in Yemen during the reign of the Ottoman Empire who served as Jerusalem’s Mayor, and Mr. Hasan Sidqi Al-Dajani, a renowned lawyer and socio-political activist who lost his life in the mid-1930s in a politically motivated assassination.

Dajani family, at cemetery

We’re happy to announce the completion of a special project – the documenting of the graves of the Dajani cemetery. A few months ago, together with several daughters of the family, we began documenting the Dajani cemetery in Mount Zion and the results are published online in Arabic at https://www.mountzion.org.il/dajani-cemetery-arabic, and in Hebrew at https://www.mountzion.org.il/dajani-cemetery-hebrew. It’s part of a larger cemetery documentation project, of a number of these fascinating cemeteries. Here’s a link to the site: https://www.graves.mountzion.org.il/

Here’s a post from Window to Mount Zion’s Facebook page:

Many thanks to our partners in action for the success of this program.

Naomi Roff2018-08-24T09:41:50+00:00August 20th, 2018|Blog, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Mount Zion, Palestinians/Arabs, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem|

MiniActive – Empowering Boys as Well as Girls

Since 2012 our MiniActive project has been empowering Palestinian women – and their families and communities – throughout East Jerusalem. For the past few years we’ve also been empowering teenage girls‘ along those same principles.

And now, the boys working to improve the environment

Now it’s the boys’ turn.

Near the Arab Central Library

In June we began 2 new groups for boys, called “Youth Power,” each group with about 10 boys, aged 10 – 14. One group is from Kafr Aqeb, and the other group comes from throughout East Jerusalem, such as: A-tur, Silwan, Beit Hanina, Issawiya, Ras el-Amud, Shuafat.

They start by cleaning the area

Like the girls, they’re working to improve their environment. Each group is focusing on different projects.

Not forgetting any details

One group is working beside the Arab Central Library in Wadi Joz. The second group is also having clean-up operations in their neighborhood.

Cleaning in different parts of East Jerusalem

The boys are also learning English.

Learning English experientially

Much of the intensive work is taking place during the school summer vacation, but the program will continue into the year – improving the environment with their hands, studying Hebrew, and more.

Great work!

Here’s a short video of the boys in their English class:

Here’s a nice Facebook post from the MiniActive Facebook page:

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

Naomi Roff2018-08-31T11:35:47+00:00August 15th, 2018|Blog, Effective Activism, Identity Groups and Conflicts, MiniActive, Palestinians/Arabs|

Celebrating a Year of The Little Prince

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world: indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has,” goes the quote that is most often attributed to world-renowned anthropologist, Margaret Mead.

And this was said without knowing Jerusalemite activists. The only difference between Jerusalemite activists and Rottweiler dogs is that eventually, Rottweilers ease up….

Assessing how far we’ve come

On Wednesday, July 11, the main core of Little Prince – Cleaning Up Jerusalem Together activists – some 70 Palestinians, religious, secular, ultra-Orthodox Jews – got together for a joint meeting. It wasn’t just any joint meeting. It was to celebrate the first full year of activity of the Little Prince project, and to assess where we’ve come, and where we’re going. Many thanks to Muslala, which provided the perfect ambiance for the meeting and the work groups afterward.

Strategizing on where we’re going

It was exciting to see all of Jerusalem’s sectors represented, from at least 10 neighborhoods. It was exciting to see the cross-sector cooperation within and between the different work groups.

Activists broke up into small groups according to project

The members broke up into 4 work groups: Supervision and Enforcement, Sanitation Policy and Infrastructure, R & D, and Education and Awareness-raising.

The conference belonged to the different activist groups, and even though it was a rare opportunity to meet most of the current candidates in the Jerusalem mayoral race (in alphabetical order) – Mr. Ofer Berkovitz, Rabbi Yossi Deutsch, Minister Ze’ev Elkin, Adv. Yossi Havilio, and of course Acct. Moshe Leon. The candidates were polite and according to prior agreement with them, listened to the activists, without giving “opening remarks” or talk during the main session. It showed respect for us and for them. None of them left without promising (of their own accord) to make Jerusalem a symbol of a clean city in Israel, and that it’s top priority for them. The Jerusalem activists will be there in the following months – and afterward – to make sure that this commitment is heard again and again, and is eventually translated into clear outcomes, no matter who wins the mayoral race.

Work emphasized cross-sector cooperation when beneficial

There were a lot of points and ideas that were written in the work groups. In light of the conference a Cleanliness Platform was written, which will be signed by all the mayoral candidates. We would like to thank everyone who showed the activist power of Jerusalem, which can be an excellent resource for the Municipality and the mayor, if they know how to work with them.

All to clean up Jerusalem – together

It never ceases to amaze us how a process that was begun by a group of Palestinian women from East Jerusalem (see MiniActive’s ‘We won’t live in filth!‘ campaign) spread to all sectors throughout Jerusalem, leading to this tidal wave force of activism for a clean Jerusalem!

Leading up to the conference we made a short video:

Here’s the original Facebook post summarizing the conferece:

Many thanks to the Jerusalem Foundation for their continued support for developing activists in Jerusalem!

Naomi Roff2018-08-24T09:27:50+00:00August 6th, 2018|Blog, Effective Activism, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Jewish Religious Denominations, Jewish-Palestinian/Arab, Palestinians/Arabs, The Little Prince - Cleaning Jerusalem Together, Ultra-Orthodox Jews|

Living Safer, Living Longer in the Palestinian Community

This past month, our Living Safer, Living Longer program, which empowers residents to take control of preventive health and safety in their homes, became fully operational in all sectors of Jerusalem society. We discussed here about the development of the project, and here about the Haredi and general Jewish sectors. Now, the project has begun in earnest in the Palestinian sector as well.

Living Safer Living Longer in Beit Hanina

Here are some pictures of the program in action, where program participants are presenting the principles of the program to seniors clubs throughout East Jerusalem.

In Sur Baher

So what did our MiniActive volunteers think of the Living Safer Living Longer course itself? Here are some of the things they said:

“I learned a lot of things I didn’t know before.”

“I saw I needed to do a lot of things in my own home [and now it’s much safer].”

“The program’s gotten under my skin, and I talk about it everywhere I go.”

“I try and convince a lot of people I meet to make their homes safer, and I even go with them to buy safety aides and help them install them in their homes.”

“The meeting with the firefighter saved me from a large fire in my own home. A fire broke out while I was frying food and I knew what to do and acted in a cool headed manner.”

At the end of the course each volunteer received a demonstration kit with the program’s logo, and a training certificate (with a picture!). Each kit included a number of safety aides, such as: a smoke detector, safety plugs for electrical outlets, safety closures for cabinets (to prevent access to dangerous materials), a door stopper (to prevent doors from slamming on hands and feet), as well as checklists for preventive health tests and home safety.

Here are some more pictures from a home safety lecture:

Many thanks to the Jerusalem Foundation for their support of the MiniActive program, and an anonymous donor for its support of Living Safer, Living Longer.

Naomi Roff2018-08-24T09:34:13+00:00July 15th, 2018|Blog, Effective Activism, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Living Safer Living Longer, Palestinians/Arabs|