Shared Society and Combating Racism
Fostering a Shared Society
NIF works to advance a society in Israel that is truly shared among its residents, one in which every Israeli has an equal stake. We are committed to combating racism and protecting minorities from discrimination.
The deepest rift in Israeli society is between Jewish and Palestinian citizens (sometimes called Israeli Arabs). This is rooted in strong national identities and exacerbated by the greater conflict between Israel and its neighbors, the prolonged occupation, and accelerating ultra-nationalist and racist political trends. In addition, there are troubling disconnects and enmities between Jewish sectors of the public.
But despite the common emphasis on conflict, there are many areas of cooperation -- microcosms throughout Israel that might “scale up” to the national level. There is also growing public awareness of the phenomenon of racism, and new opportunities for shared society-building through networking, community organizing, advocacy and litigation.
Our approach stresses the advantages of social diversity, strengthens moderating voices, and builds places for intercultural encounter that can deepen bonds and prevent escalation.
Strengthening Palestinian Israeli Social Change Organizations
NIF’s action arm Shatil is working to close the gap between Jewish Israeli and Palestinian Israeli NGO’s.
Advancing Workplace Diversity in Jerusalem
A program run by Shatil is helping companies step up diversity and inclusivity in their workplaces.
Combating Hate Crimes
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) and the Public Knowledge Workshop (Hasadna) launched a new website for reporting and tracking racism in Israel.
Developing Leadership for Change
Last month, Shatil launched an incredible new training course for Jewish and Arab leaders in social change organizations.