The second cycle of a joint course on racism and Judaism, led by Shatil and Neve Schechter – the Legacy Heritage Center for Jewish Culture in Tel Aviv, is now underway. The course will cover the overall background and manifestations of racism in contemporary Israel, while highlighting Jewish texts that can serve in the struggle against racism.

Many Israelis feel that the 19th Knesset’s abbreviated term obstructed any attempt to promote significant legislative reform. However, just before they adjourned for the upcoming elections, MKs approved the first reading of two important bills initiated by the Shatil coordinated Public Housing Forum. The two Bills were approved by  the outgoing government’s legislation committee  on National Housing  Day,  recently organized by the Forum. They set standards ensuring  the transparency of  the decisions made by housing companies and  require the government to provide funding to those waiting for public housing solutions  in an amount equal to rental payment for equivalent apartments. This decision ensures that the next Knesset will be able to continue the legislative process immediately upon convening and that public housing candidates will not endure additional delays.    

The upcoming elections provided reason for concern for many of the Knesset Cafeteria’s subcontracted employees, who feared management would lay them off during the election recess in order to cut back on expenses. However, thanks to a concerted and coordinated effort on the part of Shatil staff and the Direct Employment Coalition, Cafeteria workers need no longer worry. Pressure on the Knesset’s Director General by Shatil’s lobbying team persuaded the Knesset to announce that it would enforce a clause providing additional compensation to the Cafeteria operator for not laying off workers during Knesset recesses. Concurrently, the Coalition is continuing to bolster its work in the field and recently held a conference bringing together subcontracted workers unions so that they may promote their goals mutually.

Photo: Knesset discussion on subcontracted workers

The debate over the “Jewish State bill” reached new highs this past week. The government approved a version of the bill which elevates Israel’s Jewish nature above its democratic character, and which the Attorney General office described as hazardous to democracy. The bill was expected to stand for a preliminary vote in the Knesset, but, following extensive efforts, it was then announced that the parliamentary vote would be postponed by a week, during which time the parties would attempt to bridge the gaps.

Shatil has been intensively involved in efforts to thwart the bill. Together with the Association for Civil Rights in Israel and the Israel Democracy Institute we led a multi-pronged campaign on both the political and public opinion levels.

We approached key figures in Jewish renewal circles, urging them to publicize their views on the meaning of the Jewish State, and to contextualize the threat of the bill to their vision. Shatil also communicated with leading legal and academic personalities with the aim of getting them to speak out on the subject and stress the legal and public difficulty these proposals generate. 

We will continue to foment public opposition to any bill that does not puts the value of equality on the forefront.

The 2014 Haifa Story Festival celebrated for the fifth time, introduced new and less familiar stories and facets of Haifa. Most festival events presented Haifa characters – past and present, in reality and fiction, in poetry, plays, prose and city guided walks.

This year’s festival was held in the aftermath of a difficult summer, riddled with incidents of incitement, racism and violence. In spite of the crisis, and in order to react to these events, the festival participants strove to reaffirm our city’s values of a shared society, equality and peace through cultural and literary encounters.

The Haifa Story Festival was possible thanks to the support of Beit Hagefen and Shatil’s Project: “Making Haifa a Shared Society”.

See more about the festival http://www.sipur.info/ and on Facebook 

We’re all equal – we’re all one team

“We’re all equal – we’re all one team” – this is the name of a new partnership between the IFA and the NIF, which is being run by Kick Racism Out of Israeli Football. The project includes players from all the Israeli national teams – men, women, and youth – under the banner of equality. Football is a universal language, which doesn’t distinguish between religion, race, gender, or color – we’re all equal on and off the field, in the stands, in schools, and on the streets.

NIF and the IFA are working together on important social projects aimed at eradicating racism and violence from the football pitch using positive education and by involving football fans and youth divisions. The IFA sees great importance in the involvement of current and former players in this project, as this example of fraternity and social action needs to be replicated throughout Israeli society.