Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem

Saying Goodbye to David Ehrlich

In late March, David Ehrlich, founder and owner of the ‘Tmol Shilshom‘ legendary coffee house in Jerusalem, passed away suddenly, and we’d like to take a minute to pay homage. We’ve known and worked with David for almost 15 years, and he will be sorely missed.

David Erlich, from Tmol Shilshom's Facebook page

David Ehrlich, from Tmol Shilshom’s Facebook page

On Wednesday, May 27, 2020 the Ha’aretz daily newspaper published an article about him. You can read it in Hebrew here. Without knowing our joint history, journalist Nir Hasson called us and said that David’s views and approach to others were so much like ours, that we must know him.

We didn’t just know David, he was our long-time partner.

Our first encounter with him was when he was on the board of the Jerusalem Open House (a Jerusalemite community center serving people of all sexual orientations and gender identities) in 2006, when the Eidah Haredit section of the Ultra-Orthodox community was staunchly against holding the World Pride Parade in Jerusalem.  We at the JICC led a deep and emotionally-charged process, together with the Open House and senior members of the Eidah Haredit. It was a difficult and emotional process. David was the one who did not give up his fellow board members and made them understand that they must speak with those opposing them, that they must seek peaceful solutions, even when there were those who said that there was no one to talk to. He insisted that the Jerusalemite spirit could bring about creative solutions that were appropriate for everyone. And the result was a huge and hugely important success, for the Open House and for Jerusalem as a whole.

Hasson’s article recounts that time:

The leaders of the Open House needed to go around with body guads, but Ehrlich and other activists in the community decide to try and meet with the leaders of the Eidah haHaredit. The connection was made by Dr. Hagai Agmon-Snir, Director of the Jerusalem Intercultural Center, which specializes in making connections above and beyond ideological and identity gaps. “David led the approach that we speak with everyone who wants to talk. There’s no such thing as ‘there’s no one to talk to,'” remembers Agmon-Snir. “He was the most sensitive and sympathetic person in the meetings, he broke the ice in minutes. Remember that this was a situation in which both sides were really afraid to come to the meeting. Members of the Open House thought that they’d be physically assaulted, and the Haredim were very afraid – they were sure that the homosexuals would arrive naked to the meeting. The Haredim, who knew the Pride Parade up close, were convinced that people have sex as they march down the street. David and Noah Satat told them, ‘Look, it’s not San Francisco here. The real gap isn’t even with you [the Haredi community], the real cultural gap is with the LGBTQ community in Tel Aviv. We’re nerds, and it’s cold here in Jerusalem.”

Even after the work on the Pride Parade, David continued to be a valued partner of the JICC and our efforts to advance tolerance in Jerusalem. He hosted numerous events at Tmol Shilshom – from those of Jerusalemite Day of Diversity, Mental Health Week, Tolerance Week, 0202-Points of View from Jerusalem, and much more – discussions, panels, performances – and even birthday celebrations for 0202… What we understand today, the importance of being a mensch in Jerusalem, taking care of everyone, listening to everyone, accepting the ‘other,’ David understood decades ago.

Here’s JICC Director Dr. Hagai Agmon-Snir’s Facebook post (in Hebrew) just after David passed away in March:

And here’s another one, this week, as the article was published:

David, you’ll be sorely missed.

2020-05-31T15:40:31+00:00June 2nd, 2020|Blog, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem|

Jerusalemite Day of Diversity 2020

“I was happy and proud to continue the tradition for the fifth year in a row as part of Jerusalemite Day of Diversity…Hope we stop digging into who the bells are ringing for, and understand that they’re for each and every one of us.” Itamar Farhi, Tour of the Nature of Politics

“A great initiative of online events that advance tolerance in the city for Jerusalem Day.” President Reuven Rivlin

“A great initiative of online events that advance tolerance in the city for Jerusalem Day.” President Reuven Rivlin

This was the fifth year in which tens of thousands of Jerusalemites took part in Jerusalemite Day of Diversity events. Since many events were online due to the coronavirus crisis, they were open to anyone interested worldwide. This year’s festivities included 71 events that took place during Jerusalem Day, emphasizing grassroots action for a diverse and multicultural Jerusalem. Each initiative was completely autonomous; the activists dreamed, and the activists created, and the JICC provided logistical, strategic, and at times, financial support. The JICC 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. Adjusting to coronavirus-influenced restrictions, events were tailored and adapted to the government health guidelines, ,with many online and outside-only in-person events requiring pre-registration.  While challenging, it also provided an opportunity for a great deal of creativity.

Jerusalemite Day of Diversity in numbers

Jerusalemite Day of Diversity in numbers

Despite the restrictions and the public’s preoccupation with the coronavirus and its implications, the Jerusalem activists for tolerance invested a great deal of time and energy in a wide variety of projects, which provided a welcome change from everyday matters. Events included:

  • Online lectures on Christians in Jerusalem, the Arabic language in the Jerusalem public sphere, the Ultra-Orthodox community, and LGBTQ community, and the Jerusalem diversity in general.
Christians in Jerusalem lecture

Christians in Jerusalem lecture

  • In-person activities: Tours of Mount Zion, Mamilla, Bayit VaGan – and broadcasted some online (in Ein Kerem and Mount Zion, for example); outdoor breakdance workshop at the First Station.
Tour of Mount Zion

Tour of Mount Zion

  • Workshops about different art media and its relationship to the other – music, cinema, Islamic art, plastic arts.
  • Online workshops about getting to know myself and the ‘other;’ personal stories and stories about communities.
  • Online concerts by Jerusalem musicians told about Jerusalem’s multiculturalism through music.
Songs of Praise, by Hallel Moran

Songs of Praise, by Hallel Moran

Meeting Point Shira Banki's Way

Meeting Point Shira Banki’s Way

Attached is a full list of events in English. Here is a link to Jerusalemite Day of Diversity’s web site.

Important Points for 2020

 “Thank you so much! It is a great honor to take part in such a nice venture! May we come together to ‘do good’ again!” L., Hartman Institute

Dissemination well beyond Jerusalem. Jerursalemite Day event often reaches beyond Jerusalem through our online PR, social media and advertising efforts. However, this year, the Internet-based world that the coronavirus crisis forced us into, amplified the Jeursalemite Day of Diversity’s online reach. The combination of online PR and advertising, Facebook events, content on the Jerusalemtolerance.com web site and numerous events available on Zoom and Facebook Live enabled us to reach broad audiences. We saw that many people, many of whom we had not seen online, participated in a wide range of web-based activities.

Women influencers in Jerusalem, by Women Wage Peace

Women influencers in Jerusalem, by Women Wage Peace

A large number of participants, beyond Jerusalemites: Because many of the events and activities were online, more people, as well as people from more distant places, could take part. The ability to take part in events from the comfort of one’s home enabled many more people to participate and be engaged in many more events. While it is not ideal to hold all events online, this year showed us the possibilities of events on Zoom or Facebook Live, and we believe that in the years to come many more events will take advantage of online possibilities and their potential in involving many more people in the events.

Engaging audiences from around the world

Engaging audiences from around the world

Going international: The online nature also enabled many events to include speakers from abroad, which further enriched the programs and emphasized Jerusalem’s worldwide importance. Examples included a panel of rabbinical students from different streams of Judaism, a lecture by Yisca Harani and a monk, which included lecturers and panelists from all over the world. In coming years we will be able to utilize these online tools to engage speakers and participants from around  the world, together with Jerusalemite activists.

Rabbinical students from around the world, from diverse streams

Rabbinical students from around the world, from diverse streams

Wider range of content: This year, 15 events took place as online content that went live on  Jerusalem Day – videos, shows and activities, which gave participants an opportunity to participate in Jerusalemite Day at their leisure, and provided an additional, deeper layer to the multicultural content available.

Lion Workshop

Lion Workshop

Tours: Last year tours had a a relatively low attendance, but this year the tours were packed. This was due to a number of factors. First, because they were held outside, these were among the few in-person events we could offer, and many people jumped at the chance to get out of the house after the coronavirus lockdown. Because of the Ministry of Health restrictions, registration was mandatory, which enabled us to keep track of all attendees, open up additional tour sections according to demand, send Zoom links or links to Facebook Live (for the tours that were broadcast simultaneously online). As we look toward next year we will examine was we can integrate these methods into activities, hopefully without the necessity for health-based restrictions.

Tour of Mamilla

Tour of Mamilla

Publicity

In addition to advertising and distribution on the web, we were interviewed on Radio Voice Jerusalem about Jerusalemite Day. In addition, Jerusalemite Day was mentioned at noon on the Israel Military Radio News Station, Galei Tzahal, a huge accomplishment.

Kol Ha'ir article

Kol Ha’ir article

In written materials, an article was published in Hebrew about the events on the MyNet Jerusalem news web site here, and here is the article that was published in Kol Ha’ir about the amazing initiative of the Nefashot and Moshe organizations on mental health for the individual and for the community. In this article, Nefashot initiator Roni Diller noted:

“The Jerusalem Intercultural Center has held Jerusalemite Day of Diversity for the past five years, which supports activism that advances tolerance in the city. We, as Jerusalemite activists in the field of mental health, we see great importance in raising awareness in creative ways about a population that is often transparent in our city…”

Nefashot produced this video:

In addition, the Jerusalem Municipality website recommended taking part in Jerusalemite Day of Diversity events and was active in announcing and circulating a significant amount of publicity. Even President Rivlin wrote about us on his story and recommended participating in Jerusalemite Day events!

Conclusion

Despite the challenges presented this year, Jerusalemite Day of Diversity was again wildly successful. Many activists continue the tradition from year to year, and there are already a number of events that make up the Jerusalemite Day of Diversity tradition, taking place every year. At the same time, there were also a number of initiatives for whom this was the first time participating, and they fell in love at first sight, deciding that their event will also become part of the Jerusalemite Day of Diversity in years to come.

Here’s the full photo album from Facebook:

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.

2020-07-10T07:24:13+00:00May 30th, 2020|Blog, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem|

Mayor Lion to Ma’ariv on Jerusalem Day: Biggest Achievement – Clean City

Last week, on Jerusalem Day, Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion met with the Ma’ariv daily newspaper to discuss Jerusalem, Jerusalem Day, and Jerusalem since his election in December 2018. You can read the entire interview in Hebrew here.

Interviewer: We didn’t forget that our interview was scheduled in honor of Jerusalem Day…In celebration of this day, we wanted to know what the city’s significant accomplishments have been.

“My biggest achievement this past year is the clean-up revolution in Jerusalem,” he says. “Jerusalem is not as dirty as it was; it is now a clean city. We’ve privatized some services and also increased budgets. As a result of this transformation, Jerusalem is now completely clean, both East and West.”

Interviewer: You mean, the fact that until now we’ve seen a not-so-clean Jerusalem was due solely to a lack of budgets? Because when I asked senior officials in the past, they answered that it was the local mentality, and that there’s nothing to do about it.

“And here you see that really isn’t true. The proof is unequivocal. I can see it in the number of people who compliment me and say thank you, and that’s really exciting to hear. It turned out to be just the opposite: Many residents in all neighborhoods – the secular, ultra-Orthodox, Arab – cared, just like you, about the situation of clean streets in the city. Most of the public is interested in a clean city. And there was a significant revolution, which, of course, included the allocation of tens of millions of shekels to the sanitation department.

Many of these accomplishments have taken place thanks to the activists, from all parts of the city – secular, religious, Haredi Jews and Arabs –  of the Little Prince – Cleaning Up Jerusalem Together initiative. Kol Hakavod, and keep up the good work!

Health Care in East Jerusalem during the Coronavirus Crisis – 0202 Spotlight

Since the coronavirus crisis reached Israel  – and Jerusalem – in late February / early March, the JICC has been on the front lines in a number of avenues in helping residents of East Jerusalem cope – with helping residents realize their social and welfare rights, with providing important community information and online activities, and, maybe most importantly, helping East Jerusalem’s grassroots civil society’s efforts to fight the pandemic in an area that on the one hand, requires cooperation with the local authorities in order to fight the disease, and on the other, in an area where relationships with any and all local authorities are complex at best, and non-existent at worst.

On Thursday, April 30, 0202 – Viewpoints from Jerusalem held an online session that spotlighted health care in East Jerusalem during the coronavirus crisis, featuring three local activists in East Jerusalem – Fuad Abu-Hamed, Dr. Samer al-Awar, Sameeh Abu Ramileh – who described their efforts amid the sea of complexities in East Jerusalem.  The evening was moderated by JICC’s director, Dr. Hagai Agmon-Snir.

Health above all else

Health above all else

They all spoke about their efforts, from coordinating medical care and testing in their areas to setting up quarantine hotels for those returning from abroad, and more. They described efforts in Beit Safafa and Sur Baher,  in Silwan, and in Kufr Aqeb, a village under the jurisdiction of the Jerusalem Municipality but on the ‘other’ side of the security fence.

They described an interesting phenomenon. On the one hand, opening statistics in East Jerusalem was not good. The area has more than 350,000 residents, who live in desperate poverty (80%), in poorly kept and crowded conditions, with a healthcare system that is sorely lacking in ‘normal’ times, with a mistrust of the Israeli establishment and the information that it distributes to the public, and often with a feeling that the same establishment is not interested in meeting that population’s needs. In such a state, the coronavirus could potentially spread like wildfire in East Jerusalem, and because many East Jerusalemites work in West Jerusalem, create a public health crisis in all of Jerusalem.

On the other hand, because of this fear, civil society in East Jerusalem organized quickly, with the JICC doing important work in coordinating efforts with the Israeli ‘establishment.’ Results on the ground seem promising – while there are cases in East Jerusalem (including Fuad’s own son, who is on the mend), thus far it hasn’t spread like wildfire as originally feared. And despite the challenging baseline situation, there was cautious optimism, even though the event was held at the beginning of the month of Ramadan, which has the potential of spreading the virus because of the traditional party-like banquets that are traditionally held nightly during Ramadan.

One of the reasons COVID-19 has been contained? According to Dr. Samer, “In East Jerusalem’s traditional society, the whole family lives together, including the grandparents. So when we say, ‘Stay at home, protect your grandparents,’ people take it very very seriously, and heed the warnings.”

This meeting was mentioned in both Hebrew and English articles in the Ha’aretz national daily newspaper. It also quoted JICC Director Dr. Hagai Agmon-Snir on the healthcare situation in East Jerusalem:

“The advantage of the coronavirus crisis is that it’s not linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and can be dealt while disregarding political considerations.

“We see a trend in which the old orientalist concept, by which East Jerusalem is made up of villages, clans, and hostile Palestinian organizations, is being replaced by a new perspective – Jerusalem’s eastern part enables a civil society to flourish, and is home to activists and professionals, just like in the western part of the city,”

Hagai added that “It’s not that the old reality has changed, it’s there. But lenses that can see [East Jerusalem’s developing] civil society can see farther,” and can plan long-term processes accordingly.

There were some 100 participants in the Zoom call, and another 1.6 thousand views on Facebook Live. Here’s a recording of the live session, in Hebrew:

Many thanks to 0202 – Viewpoints from Jerusalem for the event, and to the Jerusalem Foundation for its support of our activities. And many thanks to the organizations that enable us to work effectively in East Jerusalem, including: the Jerusalem Foundation, the Natan Fund, the Russell Berrie Foundation, the Bader Philanthropies, the American Embassy in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

Traveling Forward in Jerusalem Kickoff Conference – Moving Multicultural Activism Online

As part of our work in advancing the Jerusalem Covenant in Jerusalem, we’re advancing a number of multi-cultural initiatives to improve everyday life in Jerusalem, including, and especially public transportation.

Public transportation in Jerusalem, event invitation

Public transportation in Jerusalem, event invitation

In ‘normal’ times, is an issue that severely affects all – Arabs, Haredi Jews, secular and religious Jews. Each community has their own unique challenges, but it is a problem that is common to all.

For weeks we’d been planning a major conference for Jewish (religious / secular and Haredi) and Arab activists to come together for a conference on public transportation, which was set to take place on March 23. And then the COVID-19 crisis broke out, and mass gatherings were banned. So we took the conference online.

The conference went online, to Zoom

The conference went online, to Zoom

The meeting was attended by 90 people, including residents and professionals, Arabs and Jews, ultra-Orthodox and non-ultra-Orthodox, adults and young people, residents of Jerusalem from all neighborhoods and city council members. The participants were highly diverse, but their common goal was one – coming together to bring about better public transportation for all Jerusalemites. The fact that many of the initiatives raised were common among the different communities only reinforced the need for such intercultural work, and that this process is the right thing to do. We’ve called this initiative, Traveling Forward in Jerusalem.

Traveling Forward in Jerusalem seeks to create a group of residents and professionals – from all Jerusalem communities – who will work together, and who believe that together, and together with the Ministry of Transportation’s Master Plan for Transportation, these processes will make public transportation more accessible, and more adapted to residents’ needs. We aim to create a situation where residents and Jerusalem professionals influence the state of public transport in the city.

During the meeting, different ideas for discussion and action were raised. Among the initiatives that came up were: Developing an application to help operate public transportation more effectively, access to information for residents, a transport committee in East Jerusalem and more. From here, smaller action teams will focus on specific topics and initiatives. We will mentor and support the teams, and together we will work to promote and develop better public transport in Jerusalem.

It was amazing to see people’s willingness to get involved and discuss public transport in the city, even at a complex time like this, when all efforts are focused on the coronavirus. The responses from the participants were very positive, and the meeting seemed to exceed all expectations. We believe this is the first step in a long and meaningful process in our work in the city.

Here’s a short video (in Hebrew) that shows some of the issues discussed:

 

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.

Palestinian Kosher Cooking and Tolerance Week, on the Times of Israel Blog

One of our events during Tolerance Week was a workshop on Palestinian cooking. It was hosted by our good friend, Dr. Diana Lipton, and was fully Kosher, to enable those who often aren’t able to enjoy this type of cooking because they observe Jewish dietary laws. Afterward Diana wrote about her experience in her blog in the Times of Israel. Here’s where she described her experience, and described Tolerance Week:

Food bridging cultures

Food bridging cultures

Feeling Hungry in Jerusalem

Last week was the fourth annual Jerusalem Tolerance Week, timed to coincide with International Tolerance Day. Not surprisingly, many of the events organized by institutions and individuals in partnership with the Jerusalem Inter-Cultural Center (JICC) revolved around food.

Most of the food-related activities involved participating restaurants, but one of them took place in our apartment. Our event was called Kosher Palestinian Home Cooking. We invited Magda, a wonderful cook who also cleans for our friends Naomi and Jonathan, to prepare a range of traditional Palestinian dishes that kosher-keeping Jews could eat. Magda bought all the products at Rami Levy, a supermarket where all the products are kosher, and prepared the food in Naomi and Jonathan’s kosher kitchen in pots that belonged to them or were purchased specially.

Displaying the wonderful tastes of Palestinian cooking

Displaying the wonderful tastes of Palestinian cooking

Through the JICC’s Tolerance Week advertising, mainly on social media, we invited anyone who, because of dietary restrictions or mere lack of opportunity, could not enjoy Palestinian home cooking, to come to our apartment and make up for lost time. We promised wonderful food, an opportunity to meet the cook and to hear about her life and the role of food within it, and live music!

Ahead of the event, a few people asked me if I was worried that people would simply come to eat free food and leave. I wasn’t worried, and as it turned out, I didn’t need to be. As these photos attest, the 60 plus people who came to our apartment last Thursday night, most of whom we didn’t know and didn’t know each other, certainly had an appetite for Magda’s amazing food, but they were hungry for a lot more.

You can read her entire column here.

Accompanied by a little music as well

Accompanied by a little music as well

Thank you Diana, and thank you for a wonderful event!

And, of course, many thanks to the Jerusalem Foundation, the Natan Fund and the Schusterman Family Foundation for helping us to advance tolerance in Jerusalem through Tolerance Week.

2019-12-20T18:39:58+00:00December 10th, 2019|Blog, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem|

Tolerance Week 2019 – Continuing a Tradition

There are some things you don’t learn in school –  backgammon, capoeira, Debka glue dances and rap. – and certainly not with neighboring schools, [especially between Jewish and Arab schools]. This week we [Kulna] held a special event at the Natural History Museum, Tolerant Double Jerusalem, attended by 100 students, 10th graders from the Comprehensive High School in Beit Safafa and Keshet High School. We hope and believe that this activity will lead to more joint activities during the year between the two schools and other schools in east and west Jerusalem….The event took place as part of Jerusalem Tolerance Week 2019, proving yet again that Jerusalem is the world capital of tolerance.

This is how the Kulna organization summed up one of their events  – their Jerusalem Double backgammon tournament – during the 4th annual Tolerance Week in Jerusalem. The week included 50 events in the week surrounding International Tolerance Day (November 16). Events took place between November 14 – 24.  Click here for a full list of events. You can find the full list in three languages on the Jerusalem Tolerance Website.

This year, 50 events took place throughout Jerusalem as part of the Tolerance Week, and each one was attended by 20 to 40 people. The events were as diverse as Jerusalemites – tours, lectures, community bonfires, home hospitality that included Kosher Palestinian food, the first conference of Jerusalem’s Tolerance Coalition, and more.

Palestinian Kosher cooking

Palestinian Kosher cooking

Community centers also participated widely, and, with assistance from the Municipal Mediation Center, 12 events were held in different neighborhoods. In addition, there was a “What a Dish Tells” festival, in which restaurants throughout the city served a “tolerance dish”, and took part in raising awareness of the issue in the public discourse. This festival was even featured on the Jerusalem Municipality’s Facebook page:

A number of tours took residents to behind the scenes in the Arab neighborhood of Beit Safafa

And a tour about Haredi – non-Haredi relations in Rehavia and Sha’are Hesed:

Holding events in the public space, and recruiting restaurants and businesses in Jerusalem, helped us to reach audiences outside our ‘usual suspects’ and create more of a presence in the city.

'Pleased to Meet You' event at the First Station

‘Pleased to Meet You’ event at the First Station

Schools also took part in Tolerance Week. Below, for example, the Kulna organization organized a special event that included backgammon, capoeira, Debka dancing and rap for Jewish and Arab students from the Beit Safafa and Keshet high schools.

And in closing:

Want to see more pictures? Here’s the week’s photo album, from the Jerusalem Tolerance Facebook page:

 

And on the Jerusalem Tolerance Website you may find the Photo Gallery of the week!

Many thanks to the Jerusalem Foundation, the Natan Fund and the Schusterman Family Foundation for helping us to advance tolerance in Jerusalem.

2019-12-20T18:32:17+00:00December 1st, 2019|Blog, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem|

Advancing Tolerance through Mental Health Week 2019

World Mental Health Day is commemorated every year on October 10. The Nefashot (souls) team has been working for the past 3 years in Jerusalem to raise awareness and reduce the stigma of mental health issues, and has created a whole week of events in Jerusalem. The week of 27.10-2.11.2019 included many diverse events, all of which were initiated by Jerusalem activists, organizations, and cultural institutions, all who have a common goal: to raise public awareness of mental health issues in the city, and to reduce stigmas. Events included lectures, performances, tours and more.

We’ve been working with the Nefashot team since the beginning, and are so proud of their accomplishments, and so proud to watch – and be a part of – their development. Here’s a summary of that fascinating and important week.

Making Souls: Events to raise awareness about mental health issues

Making Souls: Events to raise awareness about mental health issues

Here are what team members wrote, introducing the events:

So why do we make this big a deal of this? And are we calling it a festival, if we’re talking about people’s struggles? And what are we so excited about? After all, are there many art and publicity events that raise awareness of the issues we are talking about? It’s true, we’re not making huge breakthroughs. We’re just inviting everyone to make ‘positive noise’ together, in a big, loud voice that proves once again that the whole is greater than its parts.

Because we believe. Believe that the more our society gets to know people who are dealing with mental health issues, the more we’ll be able to look around and identify when someone close to us is suffering and in need of help, and we will know that when we’re suffering, we should seek help and treatment, just as we do with physical suffering. And we’ll know we’re not alone in this story – it’s just normal. And we won’t be ashamed – because there is no reason, and we will not hide it – that we will then lose the support that our community can give us. And we believe that art and culture are our means because art in its expression is a language. A language of the soul, a language of the heart. That is why we can all connect with her through ideas, inner experiences, and meet with ourselves, and with each other, precisely.

Among the events: a card workshop for acquiring tools and improving the communication and relationships between family members, lectures by parents, community karaoke, tour of the Israel Museum and the Old Yishuv Court Museum, playback theater, evening reading of poets and therapists and memorial evening for friends who committed suicide.

Memorial evening for those who committed suicide at the Van Leer Institute

Memorial evening for those who committed suicide at the Van Leer Institute

There were very emotional reactions from the participants and the organizers. Here are a few:

When you see so many people talking and sharing their point of view about dealing with mental health issues with others … It’s hard to be stigmatized about it. The more we talk about it, the more we’ll understand that we can’t be stigmatized about something that affects one third of the population personally and directlry. It’s not a matter of mental illness but mental health, something every person should strive for.

Poets reading their material at the Tmol Shilshom coffee house

Poets reading their material at the Tmol Shilshom coffee house

And from Michal Miriam Waldiger, who led one of the activities:

How can one not join a project so correct and so precise, that its purpose hits the bullseye – reducing the stigma, raising the issue and normalizing it. Last night I led a discussion in an Ulpana in Israel and one of my two subjects was mental health and the girls. Listen well and it seems that we’re on the right track, the ground is fertile for change.

Workshops at the Nefashot Clubhouse

Workshops at the Jerusalem Clubhouse

Towards the end of the week of the “Making Souls” festival, and as Shabbat was coming in, the Nefashot team called the general public’s attention to the link between the upcoming Torah portion, about Noah and the Ark, to mental health issues:

Shabbat Parshat Noah, Shabbat ‘Making Souls’

What is more appropriate than this parsha to describe the collective and personal sense of “after the flood”. We had a week full of events – emotional, funny, painful and especially, connecting. A fantastic spectrum of people who listened, hugged, cried, laughed and were simply part of the experience. So on Shabbat we rest, and each of goes back home to say something about the soul. You can chat with the children, or with friends at a meal. You can share experiences from the events of the past week that you attended. There are those who wrote a column in a weekly newsletter published for Shabbat, some who will come to share a personal story, lecture at the end of the synagogue services, or give a sermon. Whatever you choose – it’s appropriate.

Here’s the Facebook post in Hebrew:

 

Ruti Levi: Parents dealing with mental health issues tell their stories

Ruthie Levi: Parents dealing with mental health issues tell their stories

Ruthie Levy, who focused on the families of those dealing with mental health issues, wrote the following moving words:

“On maternal loneliness. As a mother, I respond to Nefashot’s request, as Saturday’s Torah portion of Noah and the Ark nears, in order to increase awareness of the circles of loneliness circles in areas of mental health. Mothers of those with mental health issues often feel lonely. My experience has been that loneliness is felt in the questions in which the answers are very personal and no one can offer me the answer. In this writing I want to describe to you one facet of maternal loneliness – when you are alone in the search for the answer, how much to support and how much … not to support.

Faced with the struggling son who is fighting for his balance, I, as a mother, seek my balance. My maternal movement for my coping son is characterized by a step forward, a step back. Step forward looking for closeness, connection, giving and contribution to advancing his recovery. A step back that seeks to differentiate, respect for the son’s freedom of choice, his different preferences, his independence, his subjective recovery journey. I’m careful not to go too far forward, I’m careful not to go too far back. Like a daredevil on a tightrope holding a balancing pole, trying to identify the balance point at any moment according to the situation

Here’s an overview of the entire week in Hebrew, from Nefashot’s Facebook page:

Many thanks to the Jerusalem Foundation, the Natan Fund and the Schusterman Family Foundation for helping us to advance tolerance in Jerusalem.

2019-11-16T10:27:20+00:00November 13th, 2019|Blog, Promoting Tolerance in Jerusalem|

Let’s Celebrate! 20 Years of the Jersualem Intercultural Center

“20 years is a lifetime of activity, of creating, together with our dear partners…I’d like to thank the Jerusalem Foundation, which has worked with us from the beginning, and to all our donors. I’d like to thank our partners in the NGOs, municipality and government, and to of course resident activists…What do we want at the JICC? We want each resident throughout the city can influence what goes on in his city, in his way. But in harmony with all the needs of the city, and, please God, that in the next 20 years we’ll be able to continue our activities, and that Jerusalem will be a prime example of how different populations can live together.”

That’s how Avner Haramati, Chair of the Jerusalem Intercultural Center, summed up 20 years, at the JICC’s 20th anniversary celebration at the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens on Monday, September 23. The event enabled both staff, supporters and board members to say thank you and reflect upon the past 20 years.

Avner Haramati, Chair of JICC, opening the evening

Avner Haramati, Chair of JICC, opening the evening

“Mazal Tov on 20 years,” said Anat Tzur, CEO of our long-time strategic partner, the Jerusalem Foundation. “Is it a lot or a little? You’ve done so much in those 20 years, yet there’s so much more to be done in Jerusalem.” She continued, explaining why the Foundation often brings donors to visit the JICC:

You are able to show [our donors] the real Jerusalem, the Jerusalem of hope, and what can be done to bring about that hope. It’s always amazing to see how [you] work to advance the most important issues in Jerusalem… Away from the spotlight, the JICC proves again and again that a different Jerusalem [not the Jerusalem of conflict that is often portrayed in the media] is indeed possible. May you continue to be the pillar of cloud, a guiding light, that leads the camp, and shows us the way.

Anat Tzur, CEO of The Jerusalem Foundation

Anat Tzur, CEO of The Jerusalem Foundation

Mrs. Adina Bar-Shalom, founder of the Haredi College in Jerusalem and member of the JICC board, emphasized, “You are everywhere, and your passion for Jerusalem is felt.”

Rabbanit Adina Bar Shalom, JICC Board Member

Rabbanit Adina Bar Shalom, JICC Board Member

Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, ofm, a long-time member of the JICC board, reflected upon his own journey:

Fifteen years ago, I didn’t know a thing about the JICC. Hagai and Avner came to me and invited me to do something to bring peace. And you know that people have initiatives all the time to bring peace, and at first I thought this was just one of those initiatives.

They persisted, and said ‘we have Jews, we have Muslims but we don’t have a Christian.’ And the joke isn’t complete if you don’t have a Christian. I joined, but honestly, I wasn’t enthusiastic about itץ But I said, if you need to add a name, add my name.  Truthfully, I don’t participate in borad meetings that much, but I am always present at important points, and I also notice that the JICC is also always present at important points in the life of Jerusalem….[I have seen that if you start with politics, we won’t meet. If you start with religion, we won’t meet. But if you start with humans, no matter who they are, you can meet. People come from the field and you can appreciate each other and see that it works. It might be that our institutions are a little paralyzed, but within the different institutions there is goodwill and power to do something. The JICC is small but it is equipped to do something. And maybe, when all residents have a good quality of life, maybe it will unite us all – out of a love of Jerusalem.

Jerusalem – the Holy City. It’s a tough city, but you can’t live without it.

Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, ofm, giving remarks

Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, ofm, giving remarks

Sheikh Mahmud Abu Khdeir, Imam of the Beit Hanina / Shuafat Mosque and member of the JICC board, also noted:

The JICC contributes to a lot of good in Jerusalem society. They are a brave group of people, who go to great lengths to help people work together. I’m proud to be a member of the JICC board. Even when there are tensions in general society, at the JICC everyone is treated with equal respect and friendship.

Sheikh Mahmoud Abu Khdeir speaking

Sheikh Mahmoud Abu Khdeir speaking

Our director Dr. Hagai Agmon-Snir, reflected from his point of view.

In the beginning, Michael Gal, who was chairman then, began to run a “dialogue of acts” which characterizes the JICC to this day. The name “The Intercultural Center” makes a lot of people think we are a place of dialogue. We like dialogue a lot, but we are much more a place of action… Over the years, we have become more and more sophisticated, and today we’ve refined our vision to say that we want to see a culturally competent Jerusalem that is adapted to everyone in it, and that all residents will have the ability to influence the city… We couldn’t anticipate all the issues we would be involved with, and that we’d grow at the rate of one employee per year, yet remain a close-knit staff. We continue to be a startup even after 20 years…Today the JICC’s only statement is that there is room for everyone in Jerusalem to receive and to give all that a city needs to give its residents. The center continues to operate with a low profile. Most residents are unaware that it exists, but almost every stakeholder in the city is a relevant partner.

Dr. Hagai Agmon-Snir JICC Director

Dr. Hagai Agmon-Snir, JICC Director

The evening also featured musical interludes by the KolTour a cappella group, which leads tours of Jerusalem, including Mount Zion, about the cultural and multicultural history of the sites through music. They performed songs from the Christian, Jewish and Muslim traditions, in Arabic, Hebrew and other languages.

KolTour providing musical interludes

KolTour providing musical interludes

And on par for a JICC event, there was also time to work and to dream. After the greetings and reflections guests split up into small groups, and they themselves reflected on the most significant events in the past 20 years, and where we want to see the JICC in the future.

Working together to formulate the future

Working together to formulate the future

It was exciting to see Jews and Arabs, Haredim, religious and secular Jews, all passionate for Jerusalem, discussing passionately the future of the JICC.

From the spectrum of Jerusalem society, discussing the future of the JICC

From the spectrum of Jerusalem society, discussing the future of the JICC

The input was written down and hung up for all to see.

Gathering from the past, toward the future

Gathering from the past, toward the future

The evening ended with a circle – of past and present staff, board and partners – all looking into the future.

JICC past, present, and into the future

JICC past, present, and into the future

And finally, we have made a tile to honor the event as a small present of thank you:

JICC 20 years anniversary tile

We wouldn’t be here today without our strategic partners and supporters throughout the years. From the Jerusalem Foundation, and especially Dr. Jan-Philipp Reemstma, Germany, and the Hamburger Stiftung zur Förderung von Wissenschaft und Kultur have provided substantial support for the JICC through the Jerusalem Foundation. And of course those who were also there at the beginning: Israel Association of Community Councils and Centers, JDC-Israel, B’Sod Siach, and more. And those who’ve supported us throughout the years: Mrs. Celia Atkin, UK; Bader Philanthropies, Inc., USA; Daimler, Germany; The Hadassah Foundation, USA; Hekdesh, Israel & USA; The Kennedy Leigh Charitable Trust, UK; The Leichtag Foundation, USA; The M.K. Rose Charitable Trust, UK; Natan, USA; New North London Synagogue (NNLS), UK; La fondation PharmadomFrance; The Rashi Foundation, Israel; The Rayne Foundation, UK; The Russell Berrie Foundation, USA; The Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, USA; The Sobell Foundation, UK; The UJA-Federation of New York , USA.

Trash Parade in Gonenim

For the first time, we’re taking trash to the streets – and it’s a good thing!

Our Little Prince – Cleaning up Jerusalem initiative has engaged resident activists from all Jerusalem sectors to work together to clean up Jerusalem. The result – almost unheard-of cooperation between the Jerusalem Municipality across numerous departments and units, local community centers and organizations, and residents and individual initiatives, to plan, organize and carry out a range of activities that advance a Clean Jerusalem.

An exciting example of this broad-based cooperation was the Trash Parade, held on September 24, an initiative led by residents,  together with the municipal sanitation department. The Cleaning Up Gonenim group, an active Whatsapp group of residents and local municipal staff and officials, led the initiative. The group has been in operation for about a year, and has forged important joint work between residents and the Municipality in helping to clean up the Gonenim neighborhood.

Garbage trucks leading the Trash Parade

Garbage trucks leading the Trash Parade

This is the first such parade to be held in Israel! And the first such parade that had such a broad base of support and cooperation. Everyone participated – representatives of the Municipality, of the sanitation department, residents and their families. The residents prepared songs and dances, organized signs and a circus performance, and more. The garbage truck drivers were at the center, and alongside them, the residents.

“Have a Happy and Clean New Year!” says the sign

“We’re always trying to look for solutions, together with other residents, acting to advance a Clean Jerusalem and education for a Clean City in Jerusalem. Our goal is that both young and old will come to these activities and want to do more, not only those who are already environmental activists,” said Efrat Givaty, a local activist, in this Hebrew article about the Parade. She continued: “We are constantly thinking about what else we can do to promote activities to Clean Up Jerusalem, how we bring people to different events and that they feel it is important to them as well. These can be lectures, orienteering activities, or parades. Our goal is to target not only this neighborhood [of the German Colony] but all of Jerusalem, encourage education for a clean environment, and provide information on the issue. ”

And the Gonenim Community Center even made a movie about the Trash Parade:

Many thanks to the Jerusalem Foundation and the Rayne Foundation for their support of this project.

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