September 11, 2007
Israel Office
SHATIL
Message From Larry Garber
I want to start by wishing our Jewish readers and supporters a Shana Tova. And, to our Moslem friends a Ramadan Karim. Let us hope that the coming year will answer our most fervent prayers for peace in the Middle East and for a more just world.
I just returned from a short trip to Israel. The highlight of the visit was an NIF/SHATIL seminar entitled: "The Path of Social Change in Israel – A Look to the Future." More than 120 of Israel's foremost civil society activists and funders gathered at the Ma'abada (Lab) Theater in Jerusalem to celebrate SHATIL's 25th anniversary and to join in the discussion.
The program began with a presentation by Susan Berresford, President of the Ford Foundation, who described both the immense contributions that civil society organizations are making in today's world and the challenges they face in fulfilling their mandates. Respondents to Susan included: SHATIL Chair Nomi Chazan, MK and environmental activist Dov Khenin, JDC-Israel Director Arnon Mantover and IC member Nabila Espaniola.
Under the masterful orchestration of NIF-Israel Director Eliezer Yaari, the discussion flowed seamlessly from panel members to the audience, and covered such topics as the projection of individual and collective visions by civil society organizations, the role of civil society in the political sphere and the significance of partnerships formed by civil society organizations to achieve their objectives. Barry Gaberman, former Senior Vice President of the Ford Foundation and current NIF IC member, summarized one strand of the discussion with the comment: "I would like to see the day when an Israeli Arab feels as empowered as I do as a Jew living in the United States." At the end of her opening presentation, Susan announced Ford's intent to extend its partnership with the New Israel Fund by providing a new five-year, $20 million grant to support civil society, human rights and social justice organizations in Israel. This second, five-year grant reflects both Ford's and NIF's positive experience with the initial five year grant awarded in October 2003. The partnership has allowed Ford to support, in an efficient and empowering manner, a robust set of activities in Israel consistent with the Foundation's worldwide program.
NIF, too, has benefited immensely from the relationship, and not just from the much-needed, additional resources. We profit daily from our exposure to the practices and experiences of one of the world's most successful philanthropic institutions. Moreover, our participation in the Ford-sponsored International Initiative on Strengthening Philanthropy (IISP) has introduced NIF to an array of funds established by Ford around the world to promote social justice. Many of these funds face issues and challenges similar to NIF. Indeed, just last month, Eliezer was invited to share with the trustees of the Puerto Rico Community Foundation, a long-time Ford grantee and a participant in IISP, NIF's experiences in carrying out politically sensitive programs and raising funds from a Diaspora community.
Lastly, the Ford-NIF relationship reinforces in a concrete manner the notion that concerns about human rights and social justice have a universal dimension. Thus, NIF welcomes the fact that its work in Israel is of interest not just to the Diaspora Jewish community but, given Israel's diversity and the challenges that the country faces, stimulates support from a wide array of organizations who care about democratic values and who strive to help secure peace and equality for all Israeli citizens.
In this week's NIF News, we cover Susan Berresford's visit to Israel in more detail. SHATIL highlights the recent issue of The Marker, in which SHATIL Director Rachel Liel was named one of seven Israelis who "influence for the greater good." In addition, SHATIL reports on a protest against poor school conditions in the Negev and efforts to save homes from demolition in an unrecognized neighborhood. |
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