Task Force Activities
Most of Israel’s mixed cities face complex social and economic challenges while representing some of the greatest opportunities to strengthen Jewish-Arab relations. In recent years, American-style community development models are being explored as a way to connect affordable housing projects to broader urban revitalization and social cohesion goals.
In January, the Ramat Eshkol neighborhood in Lod, one of Israel’s lowest-income neighborhoods, will be the site of a public-private revitalization pilot, including mixed-income housing, public schools and facilities, and social services. Can such projects address the needs of a mixed Jewish and Arab population? Will this new model effectively enhance economic opportunities?
On January 16 Avital Blonder of JINDAS and Ben Mayost of the Lod Economic Corporation, and renowned American urban revitalization expert Richard D. Baron discussed the prospects and scalability of such community development initiatives in Israel.
Co-hosted by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Israeli Arab Issues, UJA-Federation of New York and the Jewish Funders Network.
With Israel heading for a third national election in less than a year on March 2, Joint List leaders are setting their sights on increasing their Knesset representation from 13 to 15 seats. “We have disbanded the Knesset ahead of the next achievement: 15 seats for the Joint List,” tweeted Ta’al party leader Ahmad Tibi, and MK Odeh said the aim is now to attain a level of Arab voter turnout that matches Jewish voting rates. The Joint List submitted its slate to the Central Elections Committee on January 17, publicly projecting greater unity and optimism than in either of the past two election cycles. With four women on the slate, including at spots 14 and 15, candidates spoke of encouraging Arab women to vote in order to increase female Arab representation in the Knesset.
In recent years, the benefits of bringing Israel's Arab citizens into the country's main economic engine—the high-tech industry—have earned wide recognition for the potential to both fill a domestic shortage of industry talent and close socio-economic gaps in Arab society. Integrating Arab citizens into the industry not only connects these communities to some of the country’s best jobs, but grows the labor force for an industry that has been sending jobs offshore. While government investments into closing economic gaps between Arab and Jewish citizens have been growing since the mid-2000s, few investments were focused on high-tech.
In 2020, Tsofen, a joint Arab and Jewish organization that promotes tech in Israel's Arab society, will develop a work plan to integrate Israel’s Arab society into its most lucrative industry as part of the next stage in the five-year governmental budget for Arab society. How has high-tech integration advanced over the last decade? Whi is it a socio-economic priority? What ways can inclusion in government budgets help overcome remaining barriers to integration?
Join us on February 18 to explore these questions and hear from Tsofen's Co-CEOs, Sami Saadi and Revital Duek, about the importance of integration into Israel's high-tech sector.
Event Details:
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
12:00pm ET
Location information provided upon RSVP
Please RSVP to [email protected]
Co-hosted by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Israeli Arab Issues and Natan.
Our quarterly publication covers recent developments in Israel's elections, government, public discourse, and civil society in the field.
Most of Israel’s mixed cities face complex social and economic challenges while representing some of the greatest opportunities to strengthen Jewish-Arab relations. In recent years, American-style community development models are being explored as a way to connect affordable housing projects to broader urban revitalization and social cohesion goals.
In January, the Ramat Eshkol neighborhood in Lod, one of Israel’s lowest-income neighborhoods, will be the site of a public-private revitalization pilot, including mixed-income housing, public schools and facilities, and social services. Can such projects address the needs of a mixed Jewish and Arab population? Will this new model effectively enhance economic opportunities?
Join us on January 16 to explore these questions and to hear from the project’s local civil society and government leaders, Avital Blonder of JINDAS and Ben Mayost of the Lod Economic Corporation, and renowned American urban revitalization expert Richard D. Baron about the prospects and scalability of such community development initiatives in Israel.
Event Details:
Thursday, January 16, 2020
8:45am-10:45am ET
Location information provided upon RSVP
Please RSVP here
Co-hosted by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Israeli Arab Issues, UJA-Federation of New York and the Jewish Funders Network.
Israel is now headed into an unprecedented third national election in less than a year. The Arab population is estimated at 1,890,000 people, or 20.95% of the country's population and 16% of Israel’s electorate. Following a year of recurring elections, Israel’s Arab parties and voters have been thrust into an unprecedented spotlight with greater political influence. What has changed in Jewish-Arab political dynamics over this period? What effect do these changes have Arab participation in Israel’s government and political processes? How do third elections stand to affect these developments?
Presented in partnership with the Inter-Agency Task Force on Israeli Arab Issues, IAN invites you to a webinar discussion with public opinion expert, Dahlia Scheindlin and political activist, lawyer and Director of Wahat al-Salam / Neve Shalom's School for Peace, Ameer Fakhoury to discuss these and related questions.
Event Details:
Thursday, January 16
1:00 PM EST
Click here to Register