Ultra-Orthodox Jews | The Jerusalem Intercultural Center

Toward an Alternative Jerusalem Day – Call for Programs on Diversity

Jerusalem Day. This year it comes out on Sunday, June 5. What a better opportunity to discuss about the city we love? One day to reflect on its history, its peoples, its diversity. Well, not so easy….

As our own Michal Shilor recently said in the local Kol Ha’Ir newspaper, “Over the last few years we are witnessing more and more incidents of hate and violence on Jerusalem Day… I’m excited to be a part of making this city more tolerant …on this tension-filled day. Most of us are looking for a different way to mark Jerusalem Day, one that respects and marks Jerusalem’s political, social and cultural diversity.”

Jerusalem day is the most important time to emphasize the need for a more tolerant Jerusalem for all of the various identities and groups living here. This year, we will re-claim Jerusalem Day through a variety of activities designed to promote tolerance – “A Different Day in Jerusalem!“

Jerusalem Day 2016: A Different Day in Jerusalem

Together with a number of major partners in Jerusalem – This is Jerusalem, the Jerusalem Foundation, the UJA-Federation of New York, the Jerusalem Young Adults Center and more – we have lined up cross all sectors and groups – religious, secular, men, women, all languages and faiths, political right , left and center. The idea – to encourage a broad range of initiatives engaging a wide variety of populations and to flood the city with activities marking Jerusalem’s diversity.

Practicing effective dialogue in Zion Square

Thus far we have a long list (more than 40), and the list is growing. Events will be taking place all over the city, from Saturday evening, June 4 through to Sunday evening, June 5. See the map of all the events:

Map of events

To further these events and develop new initiatives, we held an Open Space Technology meeting on Sunday, May 15. Already-registered initiatives refined their programs, and new initiatives were presented.

Reporting vandalized sign to be fixed

In all, 10 initiatives were discussed. They included an inter-religious study session of religious texts, reporting defamed signs throughout the downtown Jerusalem area, educational activities in schools, an Effective Dialogue workshop at Zion Square, cleaning the roof of a multi-cultural art studio, panel discussions, and more. They were added to a growing list of events designed to highlight Jerusalem’s diversity. A full and updated list can be found on the event’s web page:

http://www.jerusalemtolerance.org

Different types of activities listed on the site

And here’s the Hebrew invite to the Open Space Technology Facebook event.

And here’s the Hebrew invite to the “A Different Day in Jerusalem” Facebook event.

Naomi Roff2016-06-12T11:33:18+00:00May 18th, 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|

Lessons in Tolerance from the Holocaust

“It was very interesting, very emotional, very special. In my circle there was a very interesting discussion about the memory of the Holocaust for the different sectors, about questions that arise around the memory, and what motivated the participants to take part in this very special meeting.”

Diverse Yom Hashoah

This is how one participant described her experience at the event, “The Holocaust – Does it Divide Us or Unite Us?” which was organized by the Rehavia Tolerance Team in honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day that took place on Thursday, May 5. The event was held together with Plugta, an organization that seeks to delve into deeply divisive issues through learning, study and discussion. Here’s the post about the meeting on Facebook:

The evening began with an open discussion with Rabbi Moshe Grileck, editor of the Haredi newspaper, Hamishpacha, and continued with discussion circles between Haredi and secular residents.

In small groups as well

The question that was central to the evening was – In light of the fact that we stood in the same line for the gas chambers because we were Jewish, is there a common line that we’re all waiting in now? In other words, what are the common denominators that we as a diverse society can act upon?

Thought-provoking questions, not just for Holocaust Remembrance Day.

The Rehavia Tolerance Team is part of a citywide network of Tolerance Teams that aim to promote pluralism and acceptance of the ‘other’ throughout Jerusalem, supported by the UJA-Federation of New York and the Jerusalem Foundation.

Naomi Roff2016-05-21T08:35:02+00:00May 10th, 2016|Blog, Effective Activism, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Jewish Religious Denominations, New Immigrants, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem, Ultra-Orthodox Jews|

Creating a Different Jerusalem Day – “a Different Day in Jerusalem”

As our name states, we’re all about Jerusalem. Especially about Jerusalem and all its cultures, ethnicities, religions, nationalities. On this upcoming Jerusalem Day, we, together with a number of prominent Jerusalem-based partners seek to show this love for Jerusalem, in a way that is different than what has developed in recent years. We were recently featured in an article in the local Kol Ha’ir newspaper. Click on the picture for the PDF version:

The Hebrew article, from Friday, April 15

The Hebrew article, Friday, April 15

In the article, Michal Shilor, our coordinator for the Grassroots Campaign to Promote Tolerance in Jerusalem, said,

“Over the last few years we are witnessing more and more incidents of hate and violence on Jerusalem Day. Many of the events that take place in the city do not leave room for most of the city’s residents to mark that day in a tolerant manner, and I, like many residents of the city, hide away at home or leave the city on that day in order to get away from the blatant racism that is expressed in the streets on that day. This year, I’m excited to be a part of making this city more tolerant in general, and on this tension-filled day in particular. Most of us are looking for a different way to mark Jerusalem Day, one that respects and celebrates Jerusalem’s political, social and cultural diversity – and now we have a chance.”

This initiative, called, “a Different Day in Jerusalem“, is a collaboration between the Jerusalem Intercultural Center, This is Jerusalem, the Young Adults Center and the Jerusalem Foundation. It is supported by the UJA-Federation of New York .

There’s already a long list of projects and programs taking part in the day’s events. On Sunday, May 15 we’ll be holding an additional Open Space Technology meeting to garner even more.

Here’s the link to the Facebook event (Hebrew).

And this is the link to the internet site that features all the events of “a Different Day in Jerusalem“.

Mark your calendars for June 5. It’s going to be something special!

Naomi Roff2016-05-21T08:15:04+00:00April 19th, 2016|Asylum Seekers, Blog, Christians, Effective Activism, Ethiopian Jews, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Jewish Religious Denominations, Jewish-Palestinian/Arab, New Immigrants, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem, Ultra-Orthodox Jews|

New Neighborhood Tolerance Team in Talpiot!

How do you celebrate Shabbat? Tell us your Shabbat story…

Telling different Shabbat stories

This is what the newly-formed Talpiot Tolerance Team did in their opening event, which took place on Friday afternoon, April 1.

Event with Jerusalem’s diversity

Shabbat means different things to different people. For a short time on that Friday afternoon, Ultra-Orthodox (Chabad), Ethiopian, secular and traditional Jews all experienced together their own Kabbalat Shabbat, enjoying the traditions as well as their own interpretations.

Traditional taking of Challah before baking Challot

Advertisements to this event were prepared in Amharic as well as Hebrew, and there was a true Jerusalem mix of people at the event.

Amharic poster

The Talpiot Tolerance team is one of a growing network of Neighborhood Tolerance Teams that are being formed throughout Jerusalem. Each team is acting independently, and advancing tolerance in ways that the team members feel are most appropriate for them. There are currently teams in French Hill, Abu Tor / Al-Thuri, Katamonim, Katamon-German Colony, Baka’a, Rehavia, Nahlaot, and more are being formed each week.

Everyone’s hands knead the Challah

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

Many forms of Challah

Here are some more pictures from the Facebook post on the event from the Hebrew-language Jerusalem Tolerance Facebook group:

Naomi Roff2016-04-15T11:16:48+00:00April 10th, 2016|Blog, Ethiopian Jews, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Jewish Religious Denominations, New Immigrants, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem, Ultra-Orthodox Jews|

Window to Mt. Zion – Remembering Jerusalem’s Poor on Mount Zion

The Window to Mount Zion project, which we’re implementing together with the Search for Common Ground Jerusalem Office thanks to a grant from the USIP, seeks to document important events from all three monotheistic faiths.

The 7th of Adar – March 17, 2016 – Moses’ date of birth and death – was the memorial service for Jerusalem’s poor. Because Moses’ place of death is not known, this date was chosen for the memorial service at the Sambusky Cemetery on the slopes of Mount Zion. The Sambusky Cemetery contains the graves of thousands of Jerusalem’s poor, who have been buried there over the past several centuries. These were Jews who could not afford to be buried at the Mount of Olives Cemetery. Thus, the poor from a variety of ethnicities were buried one alongside the other, in a place that has all but been forgotten. This is the second year in a row that the Reishit Jerusalem organization has been organizing a memorial service for Jerusalem’s poor each year on the 7th of Adar. It is also working to renew the cemetery.

Rabbi Ya’akov Nana

This year, alongside Israel’s Chief Rabbi and Jerusalem’s Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Ya’akov Nana, the gabbai of the Sephardic synagogue on Mount Zion and a guard for the President’s Room there, also said a memorial prayer. His grandfather is buried in this cemetery, but he was there for the first time in his life in October 2015, as part of a tour of Mount Zion that the Window on Mount Zion project held as part of the Open House Jerusalem festival. Because this area was for years considered no-mans land, and in a dangerous area, his family was never able to say Kaddish, the memorial prayer. This year, Rabbi Nana was able to say Kaddish not only for his grandfather, but for all of Jerusalem’s poor.

Here’s a video of part of the tour (in Hebrew):

Naomi Roff2017-05-02T07:40:21+00:00March 29th, 2016|Blog, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Jewish Religious Denominations, Mount Zion, Ultra-Orthodox Jews|

Ha’aretz Coverage of Zion Square-Tolerance Square Planning Meeting

Speaking in the Square has made the national news again! On March 22, the Zion Square – Tolerance Square planning meeting, which we wrote about here, was covered by the Ha’aretz national newspaper in English. Click here to access the entire article.

Here are some excerpts from the article, written by Eetta Prince-Gibson:

“Imagine Zion Square in the future,” the facilitator asks the group. “What is happening in your ideal square?”
Seated at tables stocked with play dough, building blocks and Lego pieces, they shout out their answers.
“It’s filled with light and there are lots of children,” says a woman who appears to be in her 20s, in jeans and high boots.

“I hear a mishmash of languages. Yiddish, too,” says a young man in tight skinny striped pants.
“Fruit trees!” “Light and shade!” “Lots of different things happening all at once!” people call out.
“It’s a Hyde Park!” says a middle-aged-looking man in the black velvet kippah, white shirt and black pants garb of the ultra-Orthodox.

In early March, a group of 50 or so Jerusalemites of different ages, political affiliations and religious persuasions met to articulate their vision for Zion Square, the central square in downtown West Jerusalem. Uniting them is their deep commitment to the vision of Jerusalem as a thriving city that derives from its history, sanctity and modern creativity.

These activists, representing a large, loose coalition of organizations, ad hoc movements and individuals, have been meeting for informal dialogue every Thursday night in Zion Square for over a year and a half, since extremist right-wing violence began to spread through downtown Jerusalem during the days of the Israel-Gaza conflict in the summer of 2014.

In response to their activism, the Jerusalem municipality has determined that, as a major component of its call for a competition for a planned redesign of the square, Zion Square will be turned into “a place that promotes connections, tolerance and mutual respect.”

She goes on to describe the history of Zion Square, especially since the summer of 2014:

But by July 2014, during the heat of the Gaza war known as Operation Protective Edge, the square had been largely claimed by a right-wing extremist group, Lahava, which bills itself as the “organization for the prevention of assimilation in the Holy Land.” Dressed in black and yellow shirts, they would march repeatedly through the square, waving large flags, handing out stickers “don’t even think about a Jewish girl” in Hebrew and Arabic, and accosting anyone they perceived to be Arab, members of the LGBT community, or “leftists.”

“We realized we had to try to take back the square,” recalls Michal Shilor, 23, an activist in what was to become “Talking in the Square,” [translation of the group’s Hebrew name, Medabrim Bakikar, what we call Speaking in the Square] a group of volunteers operating with the support of the UJA-Federation of New York and the Jerusalem Foundation. “But we also realized that many of the kids in Lahava were alienated kids who were looking for something to belong to. So we decided to engage them.”

Facilitated by the Jerusalem Intercultural Center, “Talking in the Square” [Speaking in the Square] developed a routine, coming into the square on Thursday nights, a favorite night for Lahava activities, offering to engage Lahava activists – and anyone else who happened upon the square – in thoughtful dialogue. Gradually, over the year, and very much under the radar of the media, they became recognized as a permanent, and calming, feature.

Activity in the Square

But then came the murder of Shira Banki, a 16-year-old high school student at the Gay Pride Parade in late July 2015.

“We felt we were choking,” recalled Shira Katz-Vinkler, CEO of the Yerushalmim Movement. “Something so horrific was happening in Jerusalem and in all of Israeli society, and we knew we could not continue with ‘business as usual.’”

And somehow, Katz-Vinkler continues, “we all knew that the activity had to concentrate in Zion Square. Maybe it’s a way of expressing that ‘from Zion shall go forth Torah,’” she adds, citing a phrase from the books of Isaiah and Micha.

On August 1, thousands of Jerusalemites turned out in Zion Square to a vigil, headed by President Reuven Rivlin and with the participation of prominent rabbis from all the different religious streams, including the ultra-Orthodox, representatives of the LGBT support organization Jerusalem Open House, and others.

Recalls Weil, who had been at the Pride Parade, “I came to that vigil sad, broken. Yet, strangely, I came away feeling a sense of hope, based on the recognition that we can only heal if we all come together.”

After Banki died, the Yerushalmim Movement, together with Talking in the Square, spontaneously decided to observe the traditional seven-day mourning period in the square. They have continued to be there, every Thursday night, ever since, in an effort to rebrand the square as tolerant turf.

Fast forward to February 2016. The Jerusalem Municipality issued a competition to re-design Zion Square. The Mayor was persuaded to dedicate the square to dialogue and tolerance, and any design must include elements that promote these concepts. The article continues:

“The design of the square will be a real challenge,” says Roi Lavee, an architect employed by the municipality as a planner for the city center. “On the one hand, we want the square to be comfortable for everyone – Arabs, Jews, religious, secular, young, old. It is also a commercial space, and we want it to be a space that gives expression to the arts and creativity. It’s a huge project – but I believe that Jerusalem is up for it.”

Stay tuned for more developments on the planning and design of Zion Square. Here’s the post to the article via Facebook:

Naomi Roff2016-04-01T15:01:13+00:00March 25th, 2016|Blog, Effective Activism, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Jewish Religious Denominations, Jewish-Palestinian/Arab, Palestinians/Arabs, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem, Ultra-Orthodox Jews|

Window to Mt. Zion – New Torah Scroll at David’s Tomb – Documenting Events for Jews as well as Christians and Muslims

Window to Mt. Zion seeks to document all groups’ activities on Mt. Zion – Jewish, Christian, Muslim – and to help make sure they take place safely. Thus, they were present on March 16, 7 Adar (acknowledged as Moses’ birthday), when a new Torah scroll was placed in the synagogue at David’s Tomb. It was the first Ashkenazi Torah Scroll to be place at David’s Tomb.

Celebrating Worldwide Shema-Saying at the Tomb of David

The event started at Jaffa Gate, as a parade of people made their way to the foot of Mt. Zion. There, hundreds of people joined in joyous “Worldwide Shema-Saying” ceremony, even in the pouring rain. Rabbi Dov Lior, the Rabbi of Kiryat Arba, and Rabbi Reuven Elbaz, a member of the Torah Scholars’ Council (Shas leadership) and the Rabbi of the Or haim Yeshiva, both spoke and led the prayers. Here’s a video from that ceremony:

The crowd then proceeded to accompany the Torah scroll to David’s Tomb. There, the police and the organizers went to great lengths to keep the festivities orderly, to prevent overcrowding and to make sure the keep the participants safe. The scroll was placed in the ark in David’s Tomb, amongst a great deal of dancing and singing. ‘Window on Mount Zion’ volunteers were there to document it:

Naomi Roff2017-05-02T07:45:07+00:00March 20th, 2016|Blog, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Jewish Religious Denominations, Mount Zion, Ultra-Orthodox Jews|

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|

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|