|
As Israel faces a myriad of challenges, New Israel Fund of Canada is committed to empowering some of the most marginalized communities in the country. Today, we are supporting organizations and projects that are working for a more equal and democratic society in Israel. Below, are brief descriptions of some of our current projects.
SHATIL Programs
New Israel Fund’s capacity building arm, SHATIL, is our patner in projects that address the most challenging issues among Israeli citizens. hese include:
Mixed Cities
Highlighted by the recent riots in Akko, it is of increasing importance to build and sustain civil society in Israel’s mixed Arab and Jewish cities. Our work with SHATIL helps forge relationships between Jewish and Arab civil society groups in these cities and helps build their relationships with national level organizations as well.
Social and Economic Justice
Approximately one in five Israeli families live in poverty and they are mostly the elderly, disabled, minority communities and those in the geographic periphery. SHATIL and NIFC are addressing these issues by promoting the following: local, sustainable development in the Negev, youth empowerment, and making the local and state budget decision process more transparent.
Leadership Building for People with Disabilities
In 2009, we have expanded with SHATIL the one-on-one organizational and resource development consultations to dozens of organizations that advance the societal needs of people with disabilities. We have also launched a course to spur joint action of people with and without disabilities in order to cultivate leaders among people with disabilities and advance understanding and acceptance throughout Israeli society.
Ethiopian Women’s Domestic Violence Coalition
 The Coalition builds relationships among a number of Ethiopian community organizations and coordinates culturally sensitive programs to address Domestic Violence for the female victims as well as for the men in the community.
Specialized Training for the Financial Crisis
As Israel’s non-profit sector is hit by the financial crisis, SHATIL has increased its training programs in Organization Development, Resource Development, and Financial Management.
Building Civil Society in the Triangle Region
The Triangle is a geographic strip between Tel Aviv and the West Bank that is a home to almost one quarter of Israel’s Arab citizens living in twenty villages and towns. The region lacks basic infrastructure, and with SHATIL's help we have contributed to the development of civil society in the region and aims to bring long-term reforms and sustainable improvements in the socio-economic conditions of the region.
Assistance to Former Soviet Union Community
As the largest immigrant community in Israel, the community from the Former Soviet Union still faces a number of unique challenges. SHATIL builds relationships among civil society leaders in this community in an effort to acquire the tools and skills they need to improve their status in Israeli society.
Association of Civil Rights in Israel
NIFC is parnering with ACRI to educate the Israeli public about their basic rights through ACRI's hotline and educational programs. As the leading civil rights organization in Israel, their public hotline responds to civil and human rights concerns throughout the country, and also serves as a baroeter of the public's concerns and needs. ACRI will also be providing workshops and seminars in Hebrew and Arabic to teachers in Jewish and Arabic school systems, students, security personnel.
The Aguda (The Association for Gays, Lesbians, Bisexual, and Transgendered People in Israel)
In the wake of the tragic shootings at the Aguda, the Association for Gays, Lesbians, Bisexual, and Transgendered people in Israel, SHATIL and NIFC were imediately involved in the recovery of the Aguda. In addition to receiving consulting and help with strategic planning from SHATIL, NIFC is partnering with the Aguda on the Barak project, an initiative that will focus on providing classes in order to prepare students for state-run, standard final high school exams (Bagrut). LGBT youth has a higher than average high school dropout level in Israel. The pressures resulting from coming out, or the lack of acceptance by school mates and faculty can make the school experience impossible to endure. The Bagrut is an important marker in Israeli society, without which grows the potential for underemployment and poverty.
Em Habanim Smecha
Two economically disempowered segments of Israeli society are the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) and single female-headed households. Em Habanim Smecha's mentoring project will help address a population that straddles both groups by assisting girls from single female-headed households in the Haredi community. By assisting such girls with academic help and counseling, it is hoped that they, when becoming adults, can escape the cycle of poverty that is all too prevalent in such households.
| 