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Women and Girls in Danger
For years I have been pondering how to explain to my Israeli friends my attitude that advertisements in the Israeli media are offensive and dangerous to the status of women in Israeli society. These women are always portrayed as sexy and submissive – exposing their bodies in many different poses as if they are asking…
Hillary Clinton is not the problem
Instead of bridling at Western criticism over the anti-democratic wave that’s rising in Israel, we should take it as an indirect compliment – and as sound advice. It is precisely because Israel has a reputation as a vibrant democracy that our friends abroad are dismayed; the Israel they know doesn’t do this sort of thing….
Voting for human rights, with our feet!
By Hagai El-Ad, Executive Director of flagship NIF grantee the Association for Civil Rights in Israel This Friday, Tel Aviv will witness the country’s third annual Human Rights March. Thousands of people from different backgrounds will come together for the most diverse event of the year, united through one universal message: all human rights for…
The New NGO Bill – No Democratic Parallel
Hard-line Knesset members’ efforts to make life difficult for Israeli NGOs and civil society groups are nothing new. Last year, one of the major attacks came in the form of a bill, sponsored by MK Ze’ev Elkin, that would have stripped organizations receiving any foreign government money whatsoever of their tax-free status, and required that…
Don’t Let Israel Fail You
Simply put, there are only two distinct reactions to when a community disappointments you: do something about it or do nothing about it. Engage or disengage. Act or give up. Fight or flight. I understand the lure of the non-action. I know too well of its seductive power. It is easy to give up and…
From the Mailbag — “Keep Talking!”
With permission from Mary, we’re posting below a note we received in response to Daniel’s email update regarding the anti-democratic legislation currently under debate in Israel. Dear Daniel: I wish every Israeli and every American would read your stirring remarks. I am always moved. When visitors pick up some books from my coffee table, they…
Proud of NIF’s Record
27 October 2011, 3:20 pm Ben Murane, NIF’s Director of New Generations, offered the following comment in response to this blog post by Richard Silverstein yesterday afternoon. Ben’s response – apparently held for moderation – has not yet been published more than 24 hours later. His efforts to contact Richard got no response. We’re…
No religion does not mean no nationality
A single, equal nationality for all citizens, whatever their religion or lack thereof, as required by the Declaration of Independence and the laws of the state. The Jewish year 5772 began with grand tidings: The Tel Aviv District Court recognized author Yoram Kaniuk’s right to be registered in the state population rolls as “without religion”…
“Special Security Areas” and Severed Grape Vines: An American Jew’s view from the ground of Area C, the West Bank
I’ve heard the stories a thousand times. Palestinian families cut off from their land, “hilltop youth” descending from their settlements to frighten and hurt Palestinian farmers, the Israeli military standing idly by: reminders that in these parts, “justice” is just for Jews. In college in the States, I studied Middle Eastern politics. I’ve read dozens…
Comments by Sara Ozacky-Lazar at Tuba-Zangariya
October 6 is a day of great pain for my generation that went through the Yom Kippur War and lost our best friends. But it is also a day of modesty, when we lost our illusions and we perceived in the cruelest way that it was impossible to solve the conflict between Israel and its…