by Yael Rosen Over the past weeks, protests have spread throughout Israel calling for a response to racism targeted at the country's Ethiopian community. Sparked by a Channel 2 story on discrimination in Kiryat Malachi, citizens have taken to the streets to show their outrage at the status quo. Though the despicable slurs and actions that triggered these protests are blatant examples of these grievances, they conceal a deeper issue. Beyond more overt examples, Ethiopian Israelis are often considered less desirable neighbors, and frequently have a harder time finding a job. They are perceived as a poor, underprivileged community and face the stigma of lacking the capability to contribute equally, even if this myth is belied by reality. While some of this is outright racism, the rest is … Continue Reading
A Portrait of Israeli Jews
The Israeli Democracy Institute today formally presents the findings of the third Guttman-AVI CHAI report, A Portrait of Israeli Jews: Beliefs, Observance, and Values of Israeli Jews. Based on a survey conducted by IDI's Guttman Center for Surveys for the AVI CHAI Foundation in 2009, the report is a sequel to two earlier studies conducted in 1991 and 1999. Taken together, the three surveys present a unique continuum of Jewish religiosity in Israel. Here are the main findings: From 1991 to 1999, there was a decline in attachment to Jewish tradition and religion. From 1999 to 2009, by contrast, there was an increase in this attachment, which returned to and in some aspects even surpassed the level measured in 1991. One example of this is the observance of religious tradition: in 1991, 24% of the … Continue Reading
When Donating Means More than Just a Financial Contribution
In 2005, Florence Galkin, a social worker living in New York, founded Mashov, an Israeli nonprofit organization whose mission is to support “Citizen Involvement and Partnership for Community Advocacy.” Over the years, Mashov has initiated a variety of efforts focused on advocating client’s rights and removing barriers to their receiving services. One demographic, in particular that could benefit from Mashov’s services, is single parents who often find themselves straddling many responsibilities and obligations. In addition to raising their children, they are often employed full or part-time and have additional obligations to other family members, as well. Ms. Galkin noted that single parents in Jerusalem were not always aware of their rights and entitlements and how to access them. This … Continue Reading
2011 Marks Banner Year for Online Donation to Israeli Organizations
by Abigail Pickus When it comes to supporting Israeli-based nonprofits and charities, more people are turning to the Internet to make their donations. According to IsraelGives, a provider of online donation solutions for nonprofits in Israel, 2011 was a watershed year for online donations to Israeli-based organizations. An analysis of the 853 Israeli organizations using IsraelGives for online fundraising in 2011 shows a 273% increase compared to the amount raised online in 2010. From January 1 through December 31, 2011, nonprofit organizations used IsraelGives to raise $2.3 million online (8.2 million NIS) with IsraelGives processing over 33,000 donations, a rise of 400% over 2010. The number of organizations using IsraelGives for fundraising rose from 588 organizations in 2010 to 853 in … Continue Reading
Limmud Modiin 2012 Kicks Off by Tackling Current Israeli Social Controversy
It is said to be better to light one candle than to curse the darkness. On Wednesday, January 4, eighty Modi’in residents chose to light such a candle, together. Over the past few weeks, Israel has been in a whirlwind about a social issue that has been burning on a low flame since - well - maybe forever. One by one, stories of the exclusion of women (or in Hebrew, “Hadarat Nashim”) kept popping up in the news. Soldiers walked out of a ceremony in which women were singing on stage. High ranking army officers and the Minister of Defense had a laugh at the expense of women soldiers. Ultra orthodox communities in Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh maintained separate sidewalks for men and women. Advertisements were censored to exclude pictures of women. The final straw - when a man spat on an eight-year … Continue Reading
Jewish Agency Set to Send Out Top Cadre of Young Israeli Emissaries
by Abigail Pickus The Israeli Government has tapped the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) to expand the number of young shlichim (emissaries) it sends abroad as a way to strengthen Diaspora Jewry’s connection to Israel and to counteract rising anti-Israel sentiment. “People make the difference. When a young Israeli becomes the face of Israel for those who don’t come to Israel on a regular basis then Israel is real,” said Alon Futterman, the Jewish Agency’s shlichut development director. With that in mind, 150 young emissaries - up from the usual 75 - will be sent around the world to live and work within Jewish communities and on university campuses as the most effective “hasbara” for Israel. It’s all part of the Jewish Agency’s new strategic direction. “The idea is … Continue Reading
Reconfiguring Jewish Identity in Israel
Last June, I had the privilege to participate in the international Nachum Goldmann Fellowship (NGF) in Israel, sponsored by the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture (MFJC). (You can read my posting about it here.) Following this conference, the MFJC in conjunction with a small group of Israelis, decided to plan a mini-Nachum Goldmann Fellowship for Israelis, so this past weekend 40 people gathered at the Ohalo Conference Center on the Kinneret to engage in a series of presentations and discussions on the theme of, “Reconfiguring Jewish Identity and Peoplehood in Israel.” This very intense program began with a presentation by Professor Moshe Halbertal who posed a number of questions about the priorities in Israeli society. He questioned where we place our emphasis and whether we are striving … Continue Reading
Beit Issie Shapiro, Avi Naor, Fishman Group Win Midot Awards
Beit Issie Shapiro has been recognized as Israel’s ‘Most Efficient Non Profit Organization’ by efficiency monitor Midot. Set up to ensure non-profit organizations and their investors are as effective as possible in changing people’s lives for the better and solving social problems, Midot presented the awards at its annual conference in Tel Aviv. Avi Naor won an award for the most effective private donor for his personal investment and involvement, and for encouraging others to contribute as well; and the Fishman Group won an award for the most effective corporation for their strategic contributions and extensive collaborations. In co-operation with Maala (Business for Social Responsibility), Sheatufim (the Center for Civil Society) and GuideStar Israel, a public committee headed by … Continue Reading
If You Film It, Will They Come?
by Ephraim Gopin Background: This past Sunday, Bank Leumi, Israel's second largest bank, cancelled their 2 million Shekel YouTube/Facebook contest for nonprofits in Israel - in mid-contest. The basic rules were the same as last year: NPOs were encouraged to sign up and submit a promotional video. Over 15 days, people could "Like" their favorite video/s on the Bank Leumi YouTube channel. At the end of the contest, the top vote-getters would receive a monetary prize from Bank Leumi. The entire premise of the contest was challenged already last year by many and the debacle of cancelling the contest in the middle this year may spell the end of this type of contest here. I'd like to look at this contest from the view of nonprofits; specifically, what were they thinking by entering the … Continue Reading
Bank Leumi Cancels High Profile Charity Project
Participation of rightist Im Tirzu group in Bank Leumi's charitable donation project sparked public campaign against the project. from Haaretz: Israeli bank cancels charity project after outcry over rightist NGO's participation Israel's Bank Leumi has halted its "Two Million Good Reasons" project, due to public pressure over the participation of the rightist Im Tirzu group. The project had allowed internet users to vote on which philanthropic groups should receive charitable donations from Bank Leumi. A statement released by Bank Leumi on Sunday said that the project "was successful and achieved its goal … We had good intentions, but found ourselves the traget of public criticism, which also hurt NGOs. A number of the participating NGOs turned to us and said that the atmosphere … Continue Reading
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