Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem

Recently, the U.S. Department of State released its 2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Israel, West Bank, and Gaza. In this comprehensive report, the Old City of Jerusalem was identified as a place where violence against Christians has been a cause for concern. The report meticulously documents instances of violence, discrimination, and restrictions faced by religious communities and, in this section, highlights the challenges faced by Christians in the Old City of Jerusalem.

We are honored that the JICC has been mentioned in the U.S. Department of State’s report as a reliable source for reporting on violence against Christians in the Old City. The report underscores the need for increased efforts to address violence. It highlights incidents such as physical assaults, threats, and vandalism targeting Christian individuals, properties, and places of worship. These acts not only infringe upon the basic human rights of Christians but also threaten the fabric of religious coexistence within the city.

The recognition of the JICC in the report provides an opportunity to amplify our efforts and engage with various relevant actors to address the issue at hand. It is imperative that local authorities, religious leaders, and civil society organizations work together to promote religious freedom, respect, and understanding among all faith communities in the Old City.

To read the 2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Israel, West Bank, and Gaza by the U.S. Department of State, click here.

Together, let us strive to uphold the principles of religious freedom, fostering an environment where individuals of all faiths can live and worship without fear or discrimination.

This was the sixth year in which thousands of Jerusalemites took part in Jerusalemite Day of Diversity events on May 9-10. (You can read about previous Jerusalemite Days here, here, here and here.)  This year’s festivities included 150 events – 50 events held by Jerusalemite activists and 50 neighbood encounters between neighbors during Jerusalem Day, emphasizing the grassroots action that makes for a diverse and multicultural Jerusalem.

Jerusalemite Day at-a-glance

• Events: 43
• Neighbor encounters: 50
• Participants in events: 2,000
• Participants in neighbor encounters: 2,000

Tours on Tolerance

Each initiative was completely autonomous; the activists were those who dreamed, led, and created. The JICC provided logistical, strategic, and at times, financial support, but remained completely behind the scenes, assisting where necessary and providing the framework for echoing the authentic Jerusalem voices that call for tolerance and diversity in our complex city.

Events at local sites

There were tours of a number of neighborhoods – Mamilla, Mea Shearim, Sheikh Jarrah, Pisgat Ze’ev and more; A joint prayer ceremony for Jews, Muslims and Christians; The creation of a Jerusalem culinary book by the best chefs in the city, peppered with childhood memories and thoughts about Jerusalem; Dozens of meetings with neighbors in different neighborhoods in the city that dealt with questions about good neighborliness and creating a diverse and common space in the building; Public sing-alongs organized by people dealing with mental illness, secular and ultra-Orthodox together; A huge street game to encourage meeting and conversation between passers-by; An original Jerusalem-Ethiopian play; Children’s drawing festival and various arts festival for adults; Portrait paintings of Jerusalem women; Meetings about Ashkenazim and Sephardim, Jerusalem diversity in Hebrew poetry, acceptance of the other in Judaism and more; Kosher Iftar dinner; Art workshops and diverse musical performances.

Inter-religious Iftar meal

This year, Jerusalemite Day of Diversity took place against the background of a number of significant influencers:

• In the shadow of Covid-19: Over the past year work to advance tolerance looked very different than before. The Covid-dictated pace was different, the issues were different. Many organizations’ budgets had shrunk, limiting their staff and programming; as Jerusalemite Day neared, some organizations were bringing back staff that had been furloughed, and they were just transitioning back into their positions. In parallel, Covid made us focus inward – not on the entire city but on our neighborhoods, and thus there was an increased focus on neighborhood-based activity – connections between neighbors, within buildings and in close physical proximity, creating a sense of social solidarity.
• Mt. Meron Disaster on Lag B’Omer on April 29 had a huge impact on the ultra-Orthodox sector in particular, and on Israeli society in general. There was an overriding desire to show support for and identification with various communities. In addition, the media was busy covering that event and was not open to covering other events.
• Tense Atmosphere in Jerusalem: violence, tensions between Jews and Arabs. On the one hand, a concern about whether this is the right time to act in the public sphere, and on the other hand, it strengthened the need and importance of our work on Jerusalem Day.

A wide variety of activities to advance tolerance

All this happened during Jerusalemite Day of Diversity across the city, despite, and perhaps because of, the social tension bubbling beneath the surface in Jerusalem in weeks preceding the day. Despite the difficult atmosphere, there was a general sense this was necessary, now more than ever, to make the Jerusalem voice heard – the inclusive, diverse, multicultural view of the city, and to strengthen our presence in the public sphere.

Here’s a link to a more detailed summary that includes the entire list of events, and below is the Facebook post in Hebrew with the official photo album of the day.

Many thanks to the Jerusalem Foundation and the Natan Fund for helping us to advance tolerance and cross-cultural activism in Jerusalem.

For the past three years our Multicultural Activism Desk has been helping the Nefashot initiative to produce the Making Souls Festival at the end of November (you can see posts about it here and here).

Making Souls Festival Poster

Making Souls focuses on activism for mental health issues and tolerance toward issues relating to mental health. This year, the Making Souls Festival took place between November 29 – December 5, after we’ve been mentoring the group and the events since June. This year, even during – or maybe because of? – the Covid pandemic, there were 40 (!) events (80 events applied to take part, but only 40 were accepted), when in previous years there were between 20 – 30. This included engaging many more partners in creating the week of events. It seemed like the week filled a basic need for many people, especially during this period, to deal with mental health issues and to understand it is part of all of our lives. The week was an amazing success: More than 30% of the initiatives were in fields of arts and culture, and 2,400 people took part in real time, and the events and the awareness of the festival reached 12,000 people, more than double the audience reached in previous year. We continue to work with our friends and partners from Nefashot on moving forward – maintaining the special connections that were formed and blazing new paths.

The video in the Hebrew Facebook post below shows the week in pictures. Enjoy the diversity, breadth and depth of the events!

And, of course, many thanks to the Jerusalem Foundation, the Natan Fund and the U.S. Embassy Jerusalem, Tel Aviv Branch Office and U.S. Consulate General Jerusalem for helping us to advance tolerance and cross-cultural activism in Jerusalem.

We’ve brought news of her accomplishments in advancing tolerance in Jerusalem many places in this blog (the latest can be found here, here and here), but Shalem College recently profiled our Tal Alafi, our Coordinator for Multicultural Activism. Here’s the link to the full article (Hebrew). Parts are excerpted and translated here:

Tal Alafi

Turning Activism an Effective Tool to Create Change: An Interview with Tal Alafi

Many of us want to make a difference, but we don’t always know what to do. Tal Alafi, a graduate majoring in Philosophy and Jewish Thought at the Shalem College and director of multi-cultural activism at the Jerusalem Intercultural Center, meets activists daily and accompanies them in their work for social change, with the goal of making Jerusalem a culturally competent city – a city that accepts and recognizes its various identities. 

December 2020

A Collection of Small Changes Creates Significant Change

About a year ago, Tal graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the Shalem College and quickly integrated into the field of social activism. As a counselor at the Ein Prat Pre-Army Academy, she heard about the College from her friends, and chose to study Philosophy and Jewish Thought – a field that has always interested her. In the last year of her studies, Tal worked on a project at the Jerusalem Intercultural Center, and afterward she was offered a permanent position. In her role, she meets young activists of all backgrounds and ethnicities every day, and helps them bring about change and influence the fabric of life in Jerusalem.

Tal, what is the Jerusalem Intercultural Center?

The Jerusalem Intercultural Center (JICC) is an independent organization that works to help Jerusalem become culturally competent. Jerusalem, as a diverse city with people from different origins and religions, needs a place that knows how to accept and lead this process, and do it in the best way possible. Fortunately, there is a lot of awareness of multiculturalism in the public, but we need to know how to act correctly in order to bring about change in a way that everyone can express themselves. 

What does your job involve?

As part of my work, I accompany activists and work to connect the residents and the relevant bodies in the municipality, to help them create change. In addition, I work to connect the different residents of the city: ultra-Orthodox, Arabs, secular and religious, and encourage connections between them. The residents are directly related to the moves that are taking place in the municipality and constitute a power multiplier in every initiative.

….

How do you turn activism into “effective activism”?

Sometimes we prefer to complain rather than do, and sometimes  there is activist activity for change, but it does not bring about actual results. Our goal at the JICC is to turn activism into an effective tool that generates change, even small, because it that change that will ultimately lead to making a significant difference. The activists are working and we see results on the ground, because we are working with the municipality, with residents from all over the city. When Arabs, both ultra-Orthodox and secular all come together – it creates a strong force for municipal officials, who can change decisions. Good things happen thanks to a multicultural group working together.

Can you give an example of the impact led by residents?

It is very difficult to change the entire transportation system in Jerusalem, but there are many things that can be done along the way – making bus stops accessible, influencing the planning or changing of a line, and more. It is a small change, but a collection of small changes eventually leads to major changes in the transportation system. Another example is the issue of the cleanliness of the city, which greatly troubles Jerusalemites: as soon as residents entered the picture, change began, which, even if it is not perfect, is already part of a citywide goal. The most important part is that there is a mutual understanding that both the municipality and the residents need each other to improve the city, so they must learn to work together. Proper and good communication between the residents and the municipality is very important for things to happen on the ground.

Connection between people – even during a time of social distancing

In order to promote multiculturalism in the capital, Tal coordinates regular events that take place every year and provide a platform for the various populations in the city. One of these events is Jerusalemite Day of Diversity.

What is a Jerusalemite Day of  Diversity?

Jerusalemite Day of Diversity takes place every year on Jerusalem Day and its goal is to connect populations and enable Jerusalemites to mark the day in a non-political, happy and connecting way. It includes tours of diverse neighborhoods in the city, art exhibitions, music performances and meetings between different communities. Jerusalem residents love the city, and we want to allow them to celebrate their day in a way they see fit, especially in the public space, to show the diversity that exists in the city, on a day that many Jerusalemites choose not to celebrate for one reason or another.

Is it possible to connect people and initiatives during Covid?

Absolutely yes – we adapt ourselves to the situation. We’ve moved online like many other places: I work from home, have meetings in the Jerusalem area mainly, and the events we produce also become online.

What are your plans for the future?

The JICC has been focusing on communities since its establishment, and now, more than ever, this issue is changing and taking on new meanings. We are thinking how Covid affects the community and how we connect between digital and physical communities. I’m personally concerned about this; What are people looking for in a community and what is a community today? I don’t have a clear answer to this and I am still learning about it. I think Covid is actually empowering the physical / geographically close community, because with the distance limitations we must stay close to home. But on the other hand, a significant portion of our lives has gone digital. I wonder what will be left of all this after this complex period is over.

Kol Hakavod Tal! Proud of our staff at the JICC.

As in nearly all special events around the world, Tolerance Week in the shadow of COVID-19 brought with it many new challenges and questions. Should we hold Tolerance Week at all? Will there be events? Are Jerusalem activists ready and willing to produce initiatives and events outside or online? We decided that the effort needed to be made, and we would just have to wait and see what the reactions would be.

Speaking to and with each other during Tolerance Week

We soon discovered that not only was there an impressive response, but that people were happy to take part this week, especially now. The opportunity to raise their heads above the everyday and think about the Jerusalem and Jerusalemites around them was encouraging. Throughout the week there were 40 different events, which together created a special week that, now more than ever, reminded us of the uniqueness of Jerusalem.

Tolerance Week in Numbers

During the week, 40 events took place throughout the city and online:

• 20 Zoom events, attended by 650 people.
• 11 events broadcast live on Facebook or YouTube, which were watched by 7090 people.
• 7 events that took place in outside, in accordance with Ministry of Health guidelines, in which 160 people participated.
• 2 videos that were uploaded online and provided quality content during the week, which were watched by about 1000 people.
• A total of 9,000 people took part in the activities of Jerusalem Tolerance Week 2020.

Activities included tours of the Old City and the Katamon neighborhood, talking about the language of tolerance, the Jerusalem LGBT community and an interfaith meeting. We watched videos about the organizations in the Jerusalem Tolerance Coalition and an amazing song by the Jerusalem Youth Choir. We sat around a campfire together, secular and Haredi people. We dreamt and fulfilled dreams in a Social Action Hakathon of young people from East and West Jerusalem, where we sat for hours thinking and planning social initiatives that will affect all parts of the city. We enjoyed a diverse, artistic evening about different aspects of the mask in our lives, and met with neighborhood children in draw on sidewalks with chalk. Toward the end of the week we met to sing and thank the medical teams from all over the city for their hard work over the past several months. There were many more events and meetings that accompanied the week and together created a multicultural image of Jerusalem, which once again shows the beauty of Jerusalem.

You can read more about Tolerance Week here. A full list of events in English is available here.

May we have many more years of Jerusalem tolerance!

Here’s the post from the Jerusalem Tolerance Facebook page (Hebrew):

And, of course, many thanks to the Jerusalem Foundation, the Natan Fund and the U.S. Embassy Jerusalem, Tel Aviv Branch Office and U.S. Consulate General Jerusalem for helping us to advance tolerance and cross-cultural activism in Jerusalem.

The year 2020 has of course been like no other. But the business of advancing tolerance in Jerusalem never stops, even for COVID-19.

So, like the past several years that have featured dozens of events surrounding International Tolerance Day (November 16), this year, together with the  Tolerance Coalition, we are again bringing to you and the world, events that advance tolerance in Jerusalem.

Like our events for Jerusalemite Day of Diversity, also held in the shadow of COVID-19, many / most of the events will be held online. On some level it will be less personal, but it will also allow many more people to take advantage of the events, from the comfort of their home, not only in Jerusalem but from all over the world.

Getting ready for Tolerance Week

Here is a list of the events to be taking place:

Events throughout the week
Sorry about the Question – Tolerance in Jerusalem| The Tolerance Coalition Who do you think is the most Jerusalemite? Where does your tolerance end? What project do you dream of doing? Come hear the members of the Tolerance Coalition! The video will be uploaded to the website and Facebook during Jerusalem Tolerance Week

(Virtual) Tour of the Shelter Gallery|Shelter Gallery

The Shelter Gallery promotes artists from the social periphery of Jerusalem and gives them a stage, a voice and visibility for rare and unique exhibitions. Come on a virtual tour of the gallery of the international recycling artist Sigal Maor called ‘Windbags’ Curator Noa Leah Cohen. The link will be posted on Jerusalem Tolerance Week on the website and Facebook!

Home (from Home) | The Jerusalem Youth Chorus
The Jerusalem Youth Chorus, an Israeli-Palestinian music and dialogue project, brought together all-star musicians and singers from around the world to join them in a song of solidarity and welcome in an isolating time – each from their own home.

Thirty for Peace | Thirty for Peace and Good Neighbors Abu Tor / a-Thuri
Many of us neighbors pass each other without having the ability to exchange a word, to say hello. Thirty to Peace is a way to break the ice: an initiative aimed at teaching thirty common expressions in the Arabic language.
The members of the initiative, in collaboration with the “Good Neighbor – Abu Tor / a-Thuri” project, will distribute kits with flash cards, in addition to the recording and video attached. Join us – we can do it !!
To improve the pronunciation and learn about the project, please contact us at shloshim.lshalom@gmail.com and on the Facebook page of Neighborhood Good Abu Tur / a-Thuri

Thursday 12.11

Interfaith Meeting Day | Interfaith Encounter Association
The Interfaith Encounter Association invites you to mark the day of the interfaith meeting in a special event with the participation of group members, supporters and friends. Thursday, November 12, 2020- 19:00
Registration link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAtduyvrj8rGNeu2D2XyllX65ybH7881Qmi
Link to the event: https://www.facebook.com/events/376531436882421/

Saturday 14.11
Anniversary of the Death of May Peleg, Chairman of the Open House | The Open House
for Pride and Tolerance. An event dedicated to discussion circles in memory of May Peleg in
the Jerusalem community. A closed event for the open house community

Love is a Lot of Work | The Voice of the Signal Gallery
Reading and writing workshop with the poet Shlomit Naim Naor
The is part of Rashut HaRabim’s “Jerusalem Shabbat” initiative
Saturday Night | 14.11 | 20:30 | Zoom

Sunday 15.11
“Embrace Tolerance” | Lily Halperin
The “what are the options” method for promoting discourse, tolerance and love. Lecturer: Lily Halperin, Chair of the Truth Tolerance Center
Lily Halperin will present practical tools on how to promote effective discourse by cutting back on talking on the one hand and asking the right questions on the other. (Via early registration and zoom)

Sunday | 15.11 | 19:00 | Zoom

Tolerance: interfaith, inter-gender, inter-ethnic and everything in Jerusalem, the most
religious city in the world | The Old Yishuv Court Museum 

A zoom session led by the poet Avichai Kimchi
Sunday | 15.11 | 20:30 | Zoom

Chalk Painting Festival on the Train Track Park | The homeschooling families group
For the eighth year running, a group of homeschooling families meet to make chalk drawings along the Train Track Park. You are welcome to join us!
Everyone draws at their own level. We are all artists for one day.
Come whenever you want for as long as you want. No charge, and no registration required.
We will have chalk. You can bring from home and you can buy chalks on the spot.
Draw at a healthy distance from one another.
Sunday | 15.11 | 10: 00-17: 00 | Train Track Park, corner of Masaryk Street

Monday 16.11

The Value of Tolerance and the Right to Protest – Adv. Gabi Laski | The Adam Institute for Democracy and Peace
The Adam Institute for Democracy and Peace is holding a series of meetings in which we examine the tension between the value of tolerance and the right to protest. We will meet with the lawyer, Adv. Gabi Lasky – a feminist human rights activist. The interview will be uploaded to YouTube and will be available to watch throughout the week.
Monday | 16.11 | 20:00

Tuesday 17.11
Annual Conference of the Tolerance Coalition
Tuesday | 17.11 | 10:00 – 13:00 | Zoom

Language Exchange | Meeting to speak Arabic and Hebrew in Jerusalem
We will meet via Zoom to exchange Hebrew and Arabic languages. The meeting is free, and will last about an hour and a half. If you wanted to improve your speech, come! We’d love to see you there!
Tuesday | 17.11 | 18:00
Link to zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85116726613?pwd=Q0s3aDZ4bWdlRDQrek84dzQ2cGdBUT09
Password: 200936

TALKS Just start talking | TALKS
Come have short conversations with strangers about things you never thought of. We promise it’ll be surprisingly, instructive, and of course, fun!
Tuesday | 17.11 | 19:00 | Zoom

The Value of Tolerance and the Right to Protest – Dr. Shula Mola | The Adam Institute for Democracy and Peace
The Adam Institute for Democracy and Peace is holding a series of meetings in which we examine the tension between the value of tolerance and the right to protest. We will meet with Dr. Shula Mola – an educator and social activist. The interview will be uploaded to YouTube and will be available to watch throughout the week.
Tuesday | 17.11 | 20:00

Preparation for a Conversation | Mosaica
Workshop for Activists from the Greater Baka’a Community Council
Event closed to the public
Tuesday | 17.11 | 20:00 | Zoom

Wednesday 18.11
Meir Ariel In Liberty Bell Park |Ofer Golani
The bell of freedom brings together the different residents of Jerusalem, in the spirit of a meeting of members of the kibbutz with the principles of freedom of choice, of our kibbutz secretary – Rabbi Meir The author of the text is Meir Ariel
Ofer Golani – Jerusalem celebrity in retirement, Guitars, vocals and performance art, and Shachar Sorek – musical refugee and wonder boy on the flute, clarinet, and in harmonies
Wednesday | 18.11 | 16:00 | Liberty Bell Park

Mask Soul Event | In Real Time
Wednesday | 18.11 | 19:00 | Zoom and Facebook Live
Between plurality of opinions and plurality of truths: In what contexts is Judaism
pluralistic, if at all? | B’Libah Homah
The terms “tolerance” and “pluralism” have a variety of meanings and interpretations that can be discussed and debated, but in the days of the sages these concepts were not known at all. Which of these concepts existed in the culture of the ancient Jewish discourse? And what does that say about us? In an evening of online study, we will read sources and have a discussion about tolerance, pluralism, Judaism, modernity and us.
Wednesday | 18.11 | 19: 00-20: 30

Ephri is Here: Art Meetings with Artists Seeking Asylum in Israel | JACC – Jerusalem African Community Center
The African Community Center (JACC) invites you to get to know the community of asylum seekers through three meetings with artists from Eritrea and Sudan, in the field of theater, poetry and music.
Wednesday | 18.11 | 19:30 | Zoom
Registration: https://forms.gle/iav9xDmwAitD8RNv8

The Value of Tolerance and the Right to Protest – Dr. Thabet Abu Ras | The Adam Institute for Democracy and Peace
The Adam Institute for Democracy and Peace is holding a series of meetings in which we examine the tension between the value of tolerance and the right to protest. We will meet with Dr. Thabet Abu Ras – Co-CEO, Abraham Fund Initiatives. The interview will be uploaded to YouTube and will be available to watch throughout the week.
Wednesday | 18.11 | 20:00

Tools to Prevent and Deal with Conflict| Mosaica
A workshop for Gilo Community Center activists. Closed event for the general public.
Wednesday | 18.11 | 20:30 | Zoom

Thursday 19.11

The Old City during Corona – Coffee and Conversation with Eran Tzidkiyahu and Riyadh Al-Halak (Abu Musa) | A Window to Mount Zion
Meet at the Abu Musa Cafe at the foot of the Al-Aqsa Mosque – Temple Mount to hear about the state of the Old City during COVID-19? Up until 6 months ago, the city streets were crowded with tourists and some even created human traffic jams. What’s it like there now? How do the residents make a living? What still exists? And how do you see the future?
Conversation with Eran Tzidkiyahu. Admission 50 NIS in cash. Includes excellent coffee.
Thursday | 19.11 | 10:00 ; 10:45
* In accordance with Ministry of Health guidelines. Please wear a mask
Link to the event: https://www.facebook.com/events/805800623540529/
Link to register: https://forms.gle/eX4EKm8Y7dAEMZZJ9

The Value of Tolerance and the Right to Protest – Ms. Ruhama Gebel Redman | The Adam Institute for Democracy and Peace
The Adam Institute for Democracy and Peace is holding a series of meetings in which we examine the tension between the value of tolerance and the right to protest. We will meet with Ms. Ruhama Gebel-Redman – CEO of Yesodot. The interview will be uploaded to YouTube and will be available to watch throughout the week.
Thursday | 19.11 | 20:00

Jish: Ehud Banai, George Samaan, Salem Darwish, Gil Samtana, Eran Porat and Nitzan Chen Razel, host Luna Abu Nassar – Opening Performance of the 2020 International Oud Festival | Confederation House
These soulmates have been meeting for 30 years, and this time they will host Luna Abu Nassar for a show that connects cultures, peoples, languages and people. The bilingual show, in Arabic and Hebrew, stems from the strong bond of love and respect between men, and between land and people. This is an evening where the two banks of the river connect, which these days seem to stand against each other, and create one stream – the stream of music.
Thursday | 19.11 | 21:00, on Facebook and on the Confederation House’s YouTube channel
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/conhouseisrael/

Trans Memorial Day |The Open House for Pride and Tolerance
A ceremony and exhibition marking the Trans-Memorial Day, November 20.
Thursday | 19.11 | Zoom and Facebook Live

Meeting Point | Shira Banky’s Way
Thursday | 19.11 | 20:30 | Zoom

Friday 20.11
“Make me delicacies and eat” | The Voice of the Signal Gallery
A food workshop following the flavors and spices of the Bible, with Chef Moshe Besson
The event is part of Rashut HaRabim’s “Jerusalem Shabbat” initiative
Friday | 20.11 | 10:00 | Zoom

A Social Hackathon between East and West Jerusalemites |بعض مع – Together & Beyond
The Social Hackathon between east and west Jerusalemites integrates social, entrepreneurial, and business models will encourage East and West young adult residents of Jerusalem to work together, empowering them to become leaders within their home communities personally, professionally, and socially.
Friday | 20/11 | 10:00-15:00

Saturday 21.11
Heroes on / of the Palmach – a special tour with Itamar Farhi | Shabati
Today, at a time when the murder of women is becoming a matter of routine, when proposed laws against economic violence against women fall through and Knesset members focus on the clip of the singer Adi Beatty and view it as the source of rape culture, you are invited to a slightly different tour (sometimes sad, sometimes funny) in honor of Tolerance Week, which begins on Palmach St. and ends on Palmach St.. Only about women, and only about heroism and their connection to the most feminist street in Jerusalem. You don’t need to go to the movies to find superheroes, you can find them next door, on Palmach Street. Larger than life women who gave their lives to fulfill impossible dreams. We’ll meet at the beginning of Palmach St. (exact location will be sent to registrants in advance according to Ministry of Health guidelines) and go up the lanes and gardens together with those inspiring women who give us hope for a better world.
Saturday | 21.11 | 15:00

Panel of Newly Religious Artists | Shelter Gallery
The Shelter Gallery was established by some of the early artists to become religious, Rabbi Uri Zohar, Mordechai Arnon (Popik) and Ika Israeli. The gallery is located on the seam between worlds in central Jerusalem, in the Makor Baruch neighborhood, at 7 Yehuda HaMaccabi St. You are welcome to join us for a discussion on art by newly religious which was broadcast at Beit Mazia, The Jerusalemite Theater, moderated by Noa Leah Cohen – The Shelter Gallery. Guest artists: Sarah Morley, Sigal Edelman and Sharon Rotter. The discussion will be broadcast on Facebook Live.
Saturday | 21.11 | 21:00 | Facebook Live

Between Kodesh and Chol – Jerusalem Havdalah | With Kehillat Kol Haneshama and
Nigunim ensemble
Musical Havdalah event – an experiential encounter with singing and learning together The event takes place as part of the “Jerusalem Saturday Shabbat” initiative of the Public Authority.
Saturday 21.11 | 20:00 | Kehillat Kol Haneshama, 3 Asher St. and on Facebook Live

Secular Judaism Celebrates Shabbat – Havdalah | Tmura organization
Havdalah ceremony in the spirit of secular Judaism, including blessings, singing, a sermon for a new week. The event is part of Rashut HaRabim’s “Jerusalem Shabbat” initiative.
Saturday 21.11 | 20:00 | Zoom and Facebook Live

Poets’ Campfire | Tarbus, Pangolin, The Torah Lab and Line 400
In the program: Reading poetry, Discussion about ultra-Orthodox and secular poetry and public sing – along by firelight
details coming soon

Sunday 22.11

The Value of Tolerance and the Right to Protest – Dr. Ze’ev Degani | The Adam Institute for Democracy and Peace
The Adam Institute for Democracy and Peace is holding a series of meetings in which we examine the tension between the value of tolerance and the right to protest. We will meet with Dr. Ze’ev Degani, principal of the Herzliya Hebrew Gymnasium High School. The interview will be uploaded to YouTube and will be available to watch throughout the week.
Sunday | 22.11 | 20:00

Monday 23.11

The Value of Tolerance and the Right to Protest – Closing Event | The Adam Institute for Democracy and Peace
In concluding the series, we invite you to an online discussion of all the series episodes with the Adam Institute facilitators
Monday | 23.11 | 19:45 – 21:30
Registration here: https://forms.gle/JGfc4n1E7ZMySnBV7

Tuesday 24.11

Will the coronavirus divide Jerusalem? A View from the different groups in Jerusalem | 0202 – Points of View from Jerusalem
Where in the city have more fines been given for not wearing masks? Which neighborhood decided to quarantine itself? And with whom did the Jerusalem District Police go to reconcile? The coronavirus crisis arrived in Jerusalem and shook everything that in its path for Jerusalemites… a summer of demonstrations, Ramadan without guests and Yeshivot empty of learners. In Jerusalem, as in Jerusalem, fuses are short and the old tensions between parts of the city rise quickly to the surface. At the same time, dialogue sprouts in the corners of social media, as does an understanding that we can get through this period only through joint work. Join us for a panel of the administrators of the different 0202 Facebook pages: from East, West and Haredi Jerusalem, where we will hear how the different groups see each other in the mirror of the crisis.
Tuesday | 24.11 | 20:00 Zoom or Facebook Live.

Here is a link to the Jerusalem Tolerance Web Site: https://www.jerusalemtolerance.org/jlmtoleranceweek/

Here is a link to the event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jerusalemtolerance/posts/3321693997944034

And, of course, many thanks to the Jerusalem Foundation, the Natan Fund and the U.S. Embassy Jerusalem, Tel Aviv Branch Office and U.S. Consulate General Jerusalem for helping us to advance tolerance and cross-cultural activism in Jerusalem.