Event Poster for Beer-Sheva Rally that Reads, “The Negev Demands Social Justice”

I’m forgoing my perfectionist leanings because I want to tell you about the Israel protests tonight. I attended the Beer-Sheva rally, estimated at 35,000, and followed closely on Twitter and Facebook the progress of the protest in Haifa as well. (I consider Haifa and Beer-Sheva to be my Israeli hometowns.)

In Beer-Sheva, it was a warm, dry night. The atmosphere was that of a street festival, and babies and small children abounded, despite the late hour.

But something interesting was happening. Taking the focus off Tel Aviv changed the nature of the protests. In Haifa and Beer-Sheva, we saw a far greater inclusiveness in the protests than we had seen before, with gay pride flags flying high, signs for handicapped rights, and most of all, significant mike time given to Arab Israeli issues.

In Beer-Sheva, Hanan Alsana (חנאן אלסנע), a Bedouin woman, was one of the headline speakers and a highlight of the night to many.

Live Coverage from the Ground

I know many people are uncomfortable with Twitter, and that’s fine, so I’m bringing it to you. Here’s a live account of what people were saying as the protests happened.

— Keep reading for photos, videos, funny stories, and recommendations of what to read next. Most importantly, I look forward to hearing your thoughts – 

And here are some photographs to share with you the spirit of the evening. Can you feel it? 

Beer-Sheva

Want to play “I Spy”? Can you find the following: an Israeli flag, a protest symbol, a Gilad Shalit banner, a gay pride flag, an image of Bibi’s face (“Bibi” is the nickname of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu). What else do you notice?

The sign in red lettering in the middle says, “Social justice for Palestinians too.” The rallying cry of the protests has been, “The Nation Demands Social Justice,” so we can read this sign as an addendum to be read in full: “The Nation Demands Social Justice- For Palestinians Too.”

Update: we’ve found the sign holder. It’s Amitai Sandy, whom you can find more about here.

Image credited to Elizabeth Tsurkov.

Haifa

And for your entertainment, here’s a video of a marriage proposal made at the Beer-Sheva rally. Said the proposer, “I don’t have a house, but I have love.” (I didn’t find it terribly romantic given the context, but at least they’ll have a good record of it.) Video is in Hebrew, but you’ll get the gist.

On that note, I can’t let you go without checking out the latest episode of “Pini in London” in which Pini sets up a tent village of one. Pini, a silly character, is the subject of short internet-based stories about the life of an Israeli who is visiting the UK. The most recent episode is in tune with Israel’s current events- or not. See for yourself.

Recommended Reads

For some of these you’ll need to invest in an internet translator- they’re free. Find one you like: it’s worth it for following events in the Middle East, especially at this historic juncture. (Start off with Google Translate, or Tradukka for smaller texts, and go from there.)

• Want to read the original Facebook event invitation for Beer-Sheva? Start here.
• “Over 70,000 Protest in Israel’s Periphery” – YNet is my favorite source for keeping updated on the protests. Its coverage has outranked other mainstream publications. I especially like the photos in this article. Click through for that alone. (Note that the original number of 35,000 told to us as the number of Beer-Sheva participants has been readjusted to 12-15,000.)
• “100,000 Protest Across Israel as J14 Leaves Tel Aviv” by Dimi Reider at +972 Magazine (see below). And wow! Afula turned out 15,000 protesters in a city of 40,000. That’s amazing!!
• But don’t forget the rest of the country. The protests in Jaffa (Yafo) were a force unto themselves. Even if you haven’t found that translator you like yet, do click through for the photos from one of Israel’s most mixed cities
• “The Anatomy of Israel’s Protest Movement” via the Socialist Worker. Although the source has its obvious biases, a generally good overview of the protest’s development as a whole for those yet unfamiliar. Additionally note that having been published on August 12th (yesterday), it’s very current
• “Protest Culture Thrives in Steamy Israeli Summer” via Reuters. A shorter piece than the one above, it is a quicker read and offers a very mainstream view given its source
• “MENA: Can a hashtag spread hate?” As a former, and I hope, future writer at Global Voices Online, this is one of the best articles I’ve read. MENA stands for “Middle East North Africa,” in case you’re wondering. This post provides insight on the Twitter controversy about the hashtag #ThawretWeladElKalb, which is Arabic for “Sons of Dogs Revolution” that is used in reference to the Israeli protests (ugh)
• ActiveStills.org is a great source for protest photographs. Their images are copyrighted, so I’m only sharing them by their good graces (I’ve told them I’m sharing them, but may have to take them down if they complain)
• +972 Magazine – While no one has any doubts that this magazine is very Left wing, it also has some of the best news coverage out there and has made a concerted effort to provide meaty articles and up to the minute updates. Even if your politics aren’t aligned, their coverage is worth your time to learn more about this important issue. “+972″ is a reference to Israel’s telephone country code. Also notable is that the publication is only about a year old.
• As you’ve seen in my choice of citations on Twitter, I consider Dotan Z. Harpak and Elizabeth Tsurkov to be superior sources of information on that venue. I recommend them highly for a comprehensive overview of live protest coverage. Note that Dotan is reporting from news media sources and Elizabeth is attending the demonstrations live, both of which have individual merit

Here’s Where You Come In

This is the fourth week in a row that Israel as a nation has collectively protested. It is a central topic in our lives at work and in our personal conversations. As for me, I’ve been awake way too late every night reading everything I can and collecting hundreds of articles that I want to come back to.

This blog entry is meant to be a highlight only, not a complete overview by any means, so please do go ahead and ask questions and I’ll see if I can answer- or if another reader can. One of the most important conversations I had this past week was from a  friend who read my coverage of the protests last week and asked me about a post where I said I was both pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian. An interesting conversation arose from these two questions and I’m glad she had the courage to ask rather than just wonder. (I haven’t included her name here as I don’t want to single her out further.)

Why am I telling you this? Because I admire the courage to ask. Hope this post has provided some insight and a taste of what we’re experiencing here in Israel. I welcome your recommendations of what to read, who to follow, and your own thoughts and reflections. Take care and Shavua Tov.

[And sorry about the formatting- it's a coding problem that I have spent several hours trying to fix without success. If you know something about why the line breaks aren't working properly, by all means, get in touch - norton [at] bgu.ac.il.] 

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Would you make a donation to support these children? * 

Some women get turned on by shoes. They see a gorgeous pair of stilettos gleaming and sparkling in the store window and know they have to have them. That’s how I feel when I see a great opportunity for giving. I want to possess it, invest in it, feel ownership over it.

Kiva Giving Series

This post is the second in my Kiva giving series. Read the first one here:

• “Can you Resist Kiva’s Siren Call? (I Hope Not)”

Meet Victoria 

 Meet Victoria Soto Choque, pictured above. Kiva tells us that:

Victoria, 34 years old of Peru, lives with her partner and four children (ages 16, 15, 13, 5). Victoria is requesting a loan to expand her small business. As a grocery store owner, she will use the loan to purchase basic staples, such as rice, sugar, and pasta, as well as items for her home.* 

For a starting price of only $25, you (the donor-lender), can give a hand in helping Victoria expand her business and improve her quality of life. That $25 that you might have spent on coffee and subway tokens goes a long way in helping Victoria and in giving you a feel-good donor experience. For a total loan of $550 (to be repaid by December 2011) you get a significant bang for your buck.

Are you in? 

Micro Giving

When I created The New Jew in 2007, my intent was not to start a blog on Jewish philanthropy. No, my goal was to start a revolution in Jewish micro-giving (that is, giving in small amounts).

I grew up in an affluent community and my youth was immensely enriched by the experiences I had traveling and volunteering both in the US and abroad. I come to philanthropy with the conviction that everyone has the capacity to give something, they just need to be inspired enough to do it.

At that time, there was no JGooders,* no IsraelGives, no DonorsChoose, or any other programs to support and promote small giving. What was lacking, I believed, was an organization to help inspire giving and channel donations on a personal level, igniting that critical spark at the moment of giving.

* JGooders is now defunct. 

The Big Goal: Israel Nonprofit Gift Catalog 

What I wanted to do was to enable those with “extra” disposable income, regardless of the amount, to donate on a person-to-person or person-to-project basis with direct results.

Ultimately what I hoped for was to work with every nonprofit in Israel to create a wish list that could be entered into a larger gift catalog for potential donors to access via the web.

• Looking to make a difference in coexistence education? Sponsor Haifa’s Ein Bustan School, the Hand-In-Hand School in Jerusalem, or the Hagar School in Beer-Sheva
• Inspired by the environment? Why not give to the Kibbutz Lotan, specializing in eco-conscious living, or Tevel b’Tzedek (Earth in Justice), which promotes sustainable development through the lens of Jewish values?

Dear Friends,

Tomorrow you will see a new entry on The New Jew, but tonight I have a special present for you. This is my first week as a lender-donor on Kiva and I’ve found it to be such an interesting, fulfilling experience. I want you to join me.

The Offer

So here’s my offer, I will give a Kiva gift card worth $25 to the first three people who comment here and say they want to try micro-lending for the first time. My only conditions- and I won’t hold you to them, it’s only a contract you are making with yourself- are that:

1.  If you like the experience of lending, you write and tell me why
2.  You give a gift card to someone whom you think would likewise enjoy it

So who are my top prospects right now? I’m looking at Medhi, Evelyn.

Meet Mehdi (Salam Wa Aleikum, Mehdi)

Mehdi has one day left on his loan- at time of writing, $250 is needed- to help him expand his fruit and vegetable  business. He is interested in expanding his offerings, and hopes the loan will help grow his business, and therefore help him better support his family, whom he cares deeply about.

Here’s how Kiva gets you with the urgency (see graphic). 

Note:

Funding Mehdi was my first longer term loan. Up until now, I have strongly preferred loans that are coming due in the short term (i.e. this fall). Something you should know is that all lenders are refunded at the same time, incrementally. You don’t get one final amount back at the end, but you’re refunded small amounts according to the borrower’s payment schedule, which is outlined in detail at the bottom of the screen.

— Keep Reading: Meet Evelyn; Will You Say Yes? —

 Meet Evelyn (Hola, Evelyn)

I’ve got my eye on Evelyn. She sounds like an amazing woman- one I’d like to meet.

At 24, Evelyn has owned her own automotive parts business for over four years (wow!). She’s converted part of her home into work space, and seeks a loan of $1,025 to expand her workshop and increase her product line, and therefore her profit margin.

Never mind lending her $25, I want to fly to Huancayo, Peru for her to school me in women’s entrepreneurship.

So is she worth a tiny loan to be repaid next June? Absolutely. (And do you know what? I have a feeling she’ll repay it sooner than that.)

Conclusion: Say Yes

So accept my offer. Comment below that you want to try Kiva with my support. You don’t have to accept my offer-  try it on your if you’re so inclined. 

But when you do, come back and tell me about your experience as a donor-lender- on Kiva and with micro-giving in general.

• If this was your first time, how did you feel about it? Do you think you’ll give again in this way?
• If this was a follow-up experience, how did it compare to your previous micro-giving?

Look for my upcoming entry: “Does Giving Make You Happy?”

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Impact of a Grad Missile on Pavement (Ashdod: Week of March 23rd, 2011)

What a week. And here’s the truth of it: nothing makes you want to connect with other people more than a crisis- and for me that means writing, blogging, and Facebook.

I was contacted several times this week by reporters of the mainstream news, but I’d rather tell my own story in my own words.

The Siren Sounds

The Nearest Staircase**

On Wednesday morning, March 23rd at 5:30 am, the alarm sirens blared in Beer-Sheva. For those of you who have never been in this situation, the siren sounds for 60 seconds and you have that amount of time to get to your bomb shelter, safe room, or the nearest approximation [see footnote].

I was sleeping with my two and a half year old son (my husband was working) when the siren sounded. I grabbed the baby, my shoes, and the keys and walked rapidly toward a building across the street so that we could make it to the nearest staircase [left].

(The closest bomb shelter is more than a minute away, which doesn’t leave enough time to get there from sleep to siren. It’s been locked before, so wasn’t worth the risk. My husband and I had already decided that in case of emergency, the nearest stairway was the best bet.)

Let me tell you this. Unless you live in Sderot, perhaps, when you hear that siren, your heart stops, but you don’t think it is going to affect you directly- meaning in front of your eyes. You believe that there may be a missile coming toward you and that you need to take action to protect yourself, but you don’t believe that it’s coming straight at you. My opinion on that front has now changed.

– Keep reading —

We made it outside the house and across the street when the siren stopped. I was next to a neighbor who had also come outside- we were the only ones, everyone else was apparently still in their houses, asleep. The woman wasn’t moving. She was frozen, staring. I tried to get her inside, away from the open space, but she wouldn’t move.

Impact

And then the explosion. Booom! Only about 30 meters in front of us.* The noise. Gray smoke everywhere. The smell. Debris flying. Your heart flips and flips and flips- and doesn’t stop flipping- like a fish on the dock desperately trying to get back to the sea.

My neighbor started screaming and jumping up and down. Standing next to her, I could feel that her heart was jumping out of her chest and her breathing was panicked. Fearing a second explosion, I grabbed her arm (baby in the other) and dragged her into the nearby building. She was hyperventilating. I helped her sit down and tried to help her breath more normally while rubbing her back.

By that time, the residents of the building were in the stairwell, bleary eyed, some looking out the window (yes, the stairways have windows, so are not as safe as they might be).

“Your baby is cold. Why didn’t you dress him warmer?” asked one, in typical Israeli fashion.

“I didn’t have time,” I said, recognizing that this ludicrous response was a reflexive motherly reaction, well out of context of the last two minutes. But yes, he was shaking visibly, and wide-eyed.

The Aftermath

This house did not get a direct hit from the grad, but the roof shattered because of proximity to the impact.

We waited several minutes to let the debris settle and to ensure that a second missile wasn’t coming. I helped my neighbor back toward her house, where her family met her at the door and she collapsed into them. (Checking in on her later, she was being treated by a medic for shock.)

I looked around to get a sense of what was happening. People were standing in front of their houses in small groups in pyjamas, asking each other if they knew where the bomb had fallen. I scanned the area to determine if it was stable and saw that people were already beginning to gather around the site. I moved forward to see its impact, but decided to leave shortly thereafter as there was a live wire down and I didn’t want to endanger my son further.

We made our way back home where I called my husband to update him on what had happened and to let him know that he should be careful biking home in case of scattered shrapnel on the street or fallen electric wires.

When he returned some time later, we went to see the area together. By that time the police had already arrived- and so had the crowds and cameras- and the site was blocked off with police tape.

I was relieved that I hadn’t aimed for the shelter, as it had been locked and doing so would have brought me dead even with the bomb. Wanting to check out the shelter- which had never been open when I’d gone to see it before, but was now unlocked (post-impact)-  I was dismayed.

Grad missile's impact (after street cleaning and repair)- Thanks to Igor Zvagelsky

Unlike the other shelters I’d seen, this one was dank, dark, and dirty. The stairs and floor were rough and poorly lit. Downstairs in the open area meant for gathering, several people were crowded back in the dark (not clear why they were still sitting there or why the area wasn’t lit, but wanting to curtail the nightmare factor, I returned to the light outside).

My husband updated me that those shelters were primarily relevant in case of chemical warfare (Iraq, now Iran) and that in such cases- heaven forbid- we would have a five minute warning to gather water and grab a sweatshirt or pair of diapers.

Days Later (and Later That Day)

It’s been two days now and I can’t say that I feel much calmer (although I’m grateful to have remained quite calm throughout).

What happened next? Another siren sounded at 9:30, but by that time I was already at work (where I have no concerns about safety) and gan (daycare) having been cancelled, my son had moved out of the city to visit relatives in a more secure location (in a house with a built-in safe room).

At approximately 3:00 that afternoon, I started hearing gasps up and down the halls of my office building. A bomb had exploded in Jerusalem, wounding 50, many of whom were severely injured.

While at work, I (and everyone else) kept one eye on the news. I saw that:

• Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu declared: ”While the State of Israel has no intention of bringing about a deterioration of the situation, the IDF will continue to take determined action to defend Israeli citizens.”
• An 8 year old Palestinian boy who had been injured by the Israeli Defense Forces in crossfire was being taken to an Israeli hospital for emergency care.
• And in a bright spot to the day, an announcement came that the Mandel Foundation had pledged a total of $60 million to establish an ‘American style humanities graduate school’ at Hebrew University

Meanwhile, terrorist factions (yes, Reuters, terrorists) continued to bomb southern Israel, with several more bombs landing in Ashdod.

Are things back to normal two days later? Not really. We’re sleeping in our clothes with our shoes perched at the doorway. I haven’t showered yet, fearing that a siren will go off mid-stream. I’ve scouted out new locations around near my house for the next time a siren sounds. And every time I’m outside I’m mentally mapping where the safest locations are should it be necessary to run.

“How Are You?”

In the words of my friend Mariela Socolovsky:

“Dear friends if you happen to ask to me today: ‘How are you?’ I will definitely find myself in a very hard situation. We started the day with the sad news that the city of Beer-Sheva was once again bombed and at almost tea time (around 15:00) Jerusalem was victim of a terror attack. So I have trouble to answer to the simple question of HOW ARE YOU?”

But the answer that I will give you- and it’s true- is that I’m fine. We were incredibly, incredibly lucky to have come that close to an explosion and come away clean.

Yes, when my husband asked my son what happened, the baby said:

“Bomb. Po. Bomb nafal me’ha’shamayim. No geshem. Bomb. Boom!” (Roughly translated as: Bomb. Here [pointing]. Bomb fell from the sky. Not rain, a bomb. Boom!)

I started my post talking about connections and that’s how I’ll end it. What’s the number one thing to do if someone you know has recently suffered an experience like this one? Reach out. Acknowledge it. Offer gestures of love and affection. We can’t control other people or countries or politics, but we can control our own actions and reactions. The bottom line? It’s love that makes a difference.

Footnote: 60 Second Siren

* Upon examination later, it was a bit further than 30 meters away (thankfully), but that was my estimation at the time

** Note that I’ve made efforts to eliminate all identifying details both in descriptions and photographs.

For those of you (almost all, I hope), who’ve never experienced an alarm siren, here’s an example from YouTube.

Photo Credits

• Title photo: France24.com
• Stairwell and house: my own. Please ask permission before using
• Grad’s street scar: Igor Zvagelsky (with thanks)

Recommended Reading

• “Grad Rocket Injures Beersheba Man” (YNetNews)
• Israeli Homefront Command website (multiple languages)
• “Grad Redux” (another perspective of this day in Beer-Sheva from my friend Reesa Cohen Stone)
• “What Not to Wear- In Case of a Rocket Attack” (Allison Kaplan Sommer via the Jewish Daily Forward‘s Sisterhood blog)

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Let’s get right down to it. Jumo is a new social networking platform that intends to improve the way nonprofits, organizations, and individuals communicate online.

But what value does it have given how many others options are already available? Does it offer us something beyond the benefits of Facebook? And most importantly, is it good for the Jews? I asked Tova Serkin, a leading expert in Jewish peoplehood and nonprofit fundraising to find out.

Tova’s Take on Jumo

Prospects for Jumo’s Success

I want Jumo to succeed – I really do – but I wish I were more optimistic. The newest social network to break into the field, Jumo was launched last week as a platform for those interested in social change and charitable organizations.

Created by one Facebook’s founders, Chris Hughes, the site has already garnered tremendous press – and the pressure for success is on. Because of Hughes’ extensive experience both with Facebook and Barak Obama’s online fundraising campaign expectations, also in the from of venture capital, are high.

But through my time at JGooders, I have seen first hand how difficult it is to engage even the most committed activists in e-philanthropy of any sort. Here is my take after a few days of exploring the site.

A Quick Glance

Screenshot: Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley. Best practice model for Jumo. Gives you an idea of how a Jumo page looks if you aren’t already a user

If you don’t look carefully, at first you might think Jumo was just another Facebook redesign – the similarities are multiple and conscious. Creators figure that if we are familiar and comfortable with one platform, some of that might transfer to them.

And in fact, you must have a Facebook account to use the system effectively. Essentially, social causes open pages, and users choose to follow the projects and charities that interest them. The focus is on relationship building as opposed to soliciting donations, but recognized charities in the US are able to raise funds as well.

Overall, barring some initial kinks in the Beta version, the site is clear, easy to understand and heralds a new way of interaction with organizations – at least in theory. But Jumo faces some tremendous uphill battles before it can truly take off – while on paper it the idea of building community around specific social causes is compelling, in my experience, it is virtually impossible for most organizations.

– Keep reading to learn about Jumo’s utility to Jewish organizations and for comparison shots of how one organization operates across its website, Facebook, and Jumo —

You’ve Opened an Account, Now What?

An open site that has causes of all kinds from around the world, allows you to choose the information you receive, and see what your friends are supporting – what could be better? But here’s the thing. I signed up for Jumo a few days ago – a natural move since I’m deeply involved in and passionate about the nonprofit sector  – and to be honest, I haven’t been back since.

I’ll ignore the bugs, as the site is still a beta version and I have every confidence that they will be sorted out soon. But the truth is, between Facebook, Twitter, e-mail and my other daily online pursuits, I simply don’t have time to add another – and I’m sure I’m not the only one.

Let’s face it, for most adults, Facebook is it and though Jumo claims it’s not competing, it is of course competing for our time and attention.

Social Causes on Jumo

Screenshot: JustGiving website- which does not have a page on Jumo to date.

Even the most committed social activist is unlikely to spend their time looking for new causes to support – if they are so inclined, they have likely already identified the organizations and projects they care about and are in touch directly. Others are simply unlikely to sit down at their computer with the goal of learning about random social causes.

At JGooders, we were actually shocked to see how few people searched for the word charities, or donate…Google Analytics sheds some fascinating light on what we think we know about people.

The most successful sites in terms of online donations know this and don’t rely on the random passerby for support or even just interest. JustGiving, a British site, for example, counts on individuals to actively solicit their own friends. Another site, Global Giving, puts the pressure on organizations to bring their supporters to the site, or they risk being booted off.

Jumo’s First Adopters

I think that initially there will be a huge rush to sign up and explore the site – but I have a hard time imagining sustained, deep interest in using Jumo.

As the site grows and more and more charities join, it will simply become overwhelming and individuals will choose not to drown in the endless choice and rather stick to the projects they already know. If a critical mass of users is ever reached, it is possible that people will look to their friends causes for inspiration – but really, that already happens online, without Jumo.

As an Organization…

From the perspective of a social cause, Jumo offers many advantages – the least of which is that the service is free and user-friendly. Setting up a page takes no time, and administering it as you go along seems simple. One nice plus – while only 501 (c) 3 organizations can actually raise money on the site, virtually any non-political cause is welcome to set up shop.

The downside is that it is yet another form of social media to update – and on what no doubt will become a repository of thousands if not tens of thousands of causes, update you will have to if you ever want to get noticed by new people.

Chances are you are updating your own website, Facebook, and Twitter already – do you really have time to do more? Most Jewish and Israeli organizations that I’m familiar with are already struggling to keep up with the latest technologies – it will be interesting to see how many jump on board actively at Jumo.

The other question is – what added value does it really add to organizations? Their committed donors don’t need Jumo – and will it bring them new interest. The Jewish community in particular, cannot rely on Jumo to bring them new supporters/donors unless they can truly stand out above and beyond the more universalistic causes.

It is possible that Jumo will allow organizations to build a sense of community among their existing donor base – but smart organizations are already doing it on their own websites, or Facebook.

Maya’s Note

Before we conclude, I want to give you an visual model for an organization that is fully present on its own website, Facebook, and Jumo to illustrate how the three platforms compare and differ. In this case, I chose the Hillels Around Chicago as one of the few Jewish organizations that I found fully integrated on all three.

Website: Screenshot

Facebook: Screenshot

Jumo: Screenshot

As you can see, at present the screenshots between the organization’s Facebook and Jumo pages are virtually indistinguishable.

– Back to Tova —

Bottom Line

The idea is lovely, the system, even with its kinks is a good one, but I just don’t see people logging on regularly enough to make a difference. Nor do I think the Jewish community and/or Israeli organizations will benefit significantly from the site. But sign up and give it a spin for a few days. See what you think – I would love to be wrong.

About the Author: Tova Serkin

Tova Serkin, a consultant to nonprofits, has spent the nearly last 10 years immersed in Jewsh Peoplehood, organizational development and fundraising.

 She has previously served as the Chief Business Officer at JGooders.com, a Jewish e-philanthropy platform and the Executive Director of KolDor – an international network of Jewish leaders and activists. Born and raised in New York, today she lives in Herzliya, Israel.

Recommended Reading

Interested in learning more about Jumo from social media experts specializing in nonprofit fundraising? Read on.

• Jose Antonio Vagas: “Chris Hughes’ Jumo: A Social Network for the Social Sector”
• Amy Sample Ward: “First Reflections on Jumo”
• Steve MacLaughlin (Beth Kanter’s Blog): “A First Look at Jumo”
• Nancy Scola: “Nonprofit Tech: Does the World Need Jumo?”
• Marc Van Bree: “An Early Look at Nonprofit Social Networking Site Jumo”
• Eva Kaplan-Leiserson: “Jumo? Meh. Here are Two Better Sites for Social Good”

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There’s no question in my mind that women do it best when it comes to relationships.

We’re more giving with each other, more intimate, more talkative, and more forgiving. That’s why hearing and amplifying women’s voices is so important to the process of Middle East peace. After all, the essence of meaningful coexistence is strong, healthy relationships.

If you care about women and the Middle East, it is essential that you listen to the voices of the women in these videos.

TEDx HolyLand

This morning I came across TEDx HolyLand- the only TEDx conference in the world devoted to women’s voices and narratives. (Note that the full name of the conference is TEDx HolyLand: It’s Time).

In the conference’s opening video, co-organizer Israeli Liat Aaronson explains:

“We want to have women’s voices heard in an effort to progress toward the end of Occupation and the end of violence in our region. That’s what we’re about.”

Co-organizer, Palestinian Hanan Kattan asserts:

“The Palestinian people and the Israeli people have many individual challenges they have to work on separately. And yet, ultimately, a truly sustainable future relies on both sides understanding that they cannot do it alone. This connection to each other, this working together, is essential to make anything truly worthwhile happen.”

Kattan explains that the HolyLand conference was sponsored by a Palestinian (lesbian) woman who wishes to remain anonymous. As someone who cares about these issues, I can’t think of a better use of funding to forward peace.

Treading on Transboundary Identities

Here I also want to note how many of these women tread the borderlines of mixed identities, as you will hear below. They are Arab, and Israeli; they are Muslim, and sometimes lesbians; they are Middle Eastern, but occasionally educated in Europe or the United States. It is my belief that the power of their voices comes from their experience with transboundary identities and the spiritual beauty that comes from exploring all aspects of the self.

— Keep reading to hear the powerful voices of women in Israel and Palestine as well as extended resources for recommended reading and viewing —

Shamim Sarif: award winning novelist, filmmaker, and above all, storyteller:

“We are all born into a certain country, a certain belief system, a certain family, and that necessarily informs our experiences and our interpretation of our experiences. It is possible, through the power of imagination, for an Israeli to feel horror when a Palestinian, who has become a part of their own heart, suffers an injustice. It is possible for a Palestinian, who may despise the Israeli army, to feel the pain of a family who has lost a child to war.

It is that potential for stories to cut through the specific to the true heart of what makes us all human– and sometimes, what makes us inhuman– that is the true power that we all carry within us.”

Dalia Fadila: Assistant to the President and Dean of Students at Al Qasemi College of Academic Education, newspaper writer and editor, English literature and language teacher who has worked with the Israeli Ministry of Education in creating English writing curricula:

“The clashing variables are: Arab contradicts Israeli. Israeli contradicts Muslim. Muslim contradicts women. Women are being marginalized by Arab. Arab marginalizes Israel. And Israel marginalizes everybody else… and the rest of the world marginalizes all the above… Where does this status quo of clashing variables leave a woman who is Arab, who is Muslim, who is minority, and who is Israeli?”

Fadila adds:

“As Virginia Wolf said, A Room of Her Own, but I think a room is not enough, ladies. I think an institution, a business– a big one– of her own, would be enough for women who are Arab, Muslim, minority, and try to be Israeli in their spare time.”

Madees Khoury: entrepreneur.

Khoury is a perfect foil to Dalia Fadila’s paradigm of a Business of Her Own. Her family established the first microbrewery in Taybeh, Ramallah in 1995 and Khoury is the first Palestinian woman brewer. At approximately 25 years old, she speaks on the power of the Khory family’s Oktoberfest to bring people together in the vision of a new Palestine.

“We want people to forget about politics, forget about that idea that they have in their mind from watching the news about Palestinians, forget about the backgrounds, and just [spend time] enjoying the company, enjoying the weather, enjoying the beer, enjoying the music…

We had people from all over the world coming… anywhere you can think of just for the Oktoberfest. They want to see the idea of another Palestine.”

She concludes:

“My passion is not just to make beer and follow in my father’s footsteps. My passion is also to bring people together, to celebrate life.”

Now that’s something anyone can relate to.

Recommended Viewing

Note the full speakers list for TEDx Holyland here.

I could not find Holyland videos for Shulamit Almog, Giulia Borghini, Abeer Hazboun, Lucy Nusseibeh, or Ilana Shoshan. If you find any of these, either for HolyLand or from another TEDx event in English, please let me know and I will add them to the post with credit to you.

• Dr. Safa Abu Rabia (Bedouin, Israeli Arab) of Ben-Gurion University and Israel’s Mandel Center for Leadership, speaks on growing up as a Bedouin and Israeli Arab and her education in the Israeli Jewish system. Professionally she has devoted her career to the “herstory” of Bedouin women’s narratives. Learn more about Dr. Abu Rabia here
• Shireen Nazer (Palestinian) speaks on her experience as an urban planner creating Rawabi, the first Palestinian city to have a master plan– as opposed to spreading organically– and what it was like as a woman to work to promote and execute that vision to all parties involved
• Adital Ela (Israeli Jew) speaks about holistic design (a topic interesting, but with a looser connection to the primary themes than discussed in other talks)
• Jamie McCourt (American), former CEO of the Los Angeles Dodgers, uses a personal example of something that happened to her to emphasize why women must be savvy in using the legal system to protect their businesses
• Bruno Guissani, European Director of TED, speaks to the TEDx model: there have been over 850 TEDx events in 90 countries and 35 languages as of September 2010 (Guissani is the token male at this event)
• Leonie Casanova sings “Broken”- purely a gift for the ears and the heart

See Also:

• Enlightenment Productions, which produced TEDx HolyLand (see also the Sarif-Kattan Foundation, one of the events sponors)
• Hanan Kattan and Shamim Sarif, who are married , are interviewed by Gay Middle East.com (sourced from Sarif’s blog)

Other TEDx Conferences in Israel and Palestine:

• TEDx Talpiot (Jerusalem)
• TEDx Tel Aviv
• TEDx Ramallah (April 2011)

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Israel needs your help. The worst fire in the nation’s history erupted yesterday from the forests of the Carmel in Haifa.

International aid from Britain, Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Greece was offered almost immediately to help quench the flames as Israel’s resources were quickly depleted.

As of early Friday morning, Friends of Israel’s Fire Fighters updated:

More than 15,000 residents evacuated, flames near Haifa. Mass evacuation continues into night as fire ranges in northern Israel, thousands of Haifa residents ordered to leave homes. At least 40 dead; casualty information center reopens for first time since Second Lebanon War.

Here’s How You Can Help

Jewish National Fund (JNF)

The Jewish National Fund has established a Forest Fire Emergency Campaign.

Here’s how your donations can help- and keep in mind here how many of our physical resources were lost in the fire and that Israeli firefighting sources will need extensive funds to recuperate from the loss of equipment:

• $100- Hose
• $500- Helmet
• $1,000- Hose Nozzle
• $5,000- Masks and Tanks
• $7,500- Camera
• $10,000- Equipment
• $50,000- ARV
• $125,000- Fire Truck

The JNF has also organized an international conference call on Friday, December 3rd for 12:00 EST with CEO Russell Robinson and several of their chief executive officers, as well as Shimon Romach, Chief of the Israel Firefighters, and Tim Tidewell, US Chief of the Forest Service. Click here to register and log-in information will be sent to you.

Note also JNF’s projects to Help Alleviate Israel’s Water Crisis, Forest Management and Fire Prevention, and Friends of Israel’s Fire Fighters. You can learn more about them here.

— Keep Reading: Magen David Adom (Israeli Red Cross), JGooders, Role of Social Media in Breaking News —

Magen David Adom (Israeli Red Cross)

Magen David Adom (MDA) updates with the following news of devastation from Thursday, December 2nd:

• 11:30 am: MDA Carmel team activated to provide medical back-up to fire fighters and assist residents of Kibbutz Beit Oren, Druze village of Ussifyah, Damon prison, and University of Haifa. (The University of Haifa’s website posts that the university will be closed until further notice)
• 3:50 pm: Carmel region announces Mass Casualties Incident due to report of 50 or 60 casualties in area of Kibbutz Beit Oren, which is located inside the Carmel forest. News of people trapped in houses and a bus
• 4:25 pm: Northern regions put on highest level of alert: Carmel, Asher, Gilboa, Yarden, Sharon, Yarkon.  All life saving vehicles deployed. Reinforcement sent from adjacent regions. On scene, providing emergency aid: 20 medical intensive care units, 67 ambulances, two vehicles specializing in multiple casualty events
• In cooperation with the National Medical Dispatching Center, MDA recruits thousands of volunteers to help and host evacuees

JGooders

A donation through JGooders will go toward helping the following:

• Assisting evacuees with emergency shelter and support- 5,000 evacuees as of Thursday night, December 3rd
• Helping families of victims
• Opening camps to shelter and support children and students evacuated from region

Social Media as News Sources

Other than the standard news sources (YNet, Jerusalem Post, Ha’aretz), the JTA notes that social media is playing a central role in citizen journalism- something that we’ve noted for other disasters and breaking news incidents.

Note the following for up to the minute news:

• On Twitter use the tags #CarmelFire and #IsraelFire (go to the search bar and put in this tag

If you are unfamiliar with hashtags (#) on Twitter, searching by hashtags means that you will be able to see aggregated posts by every person who is writing on this topic and is using this tag. If the tag is widely acknowledged- as in this case- by everyone writing on the topic, it is an excellent source of news and represents the highest ideal of social media’s ultimate utility.

Facebook: Facebook is not the best source for breaking news as organizations primarily quote from mainstream news sources and there are many organizations which are surely hard at work on the ground, such as the Jewish Agency and Jewish Federations, who have not even mentioned the fire on their pages.

Recommended Reading

The New Jew:

• “Jewish Groups Aid in California Wildfire Recovery Efforts: You Can Help Too”

You may also appreciate:

• Emily L. Hauser’s blog on Hanukah and the Haifa Fire

Image Credit

• Title image sourced from YNet’s image gallery

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What makes you stand up and take notice- or sit down and listen for three minutes? Here are five powerful fundraising videos that are best practices models.

You may be asking how I can call these “fundraising videos” if not a single one asks for money? My answer is that each one is a powerful motivator that brings you to a new place in your thinking about the issue, the organization, and the mission after watching. Friend-raising comes first; fundraising follows.

Other than this introduction and the source information, this is a textless entry. I encourage you to share your own favorites in the comments section or by posting at The New Jew: Microblog on Facebook. I look forward to adding a best practice sections to both this site and the microblog shortly.

Note of Exclusion:  Unpacking the White Knapsack

I chose not to include videos which feature:

• A white spokesperson for a cause in the developing world
• Celebrities
• Focus on poverty and not people

For me these three items detract from the issue at hand. The point isn’t to relate to a person you’re familiar with (pretty woman, middle class white man), but to go beyond and connect with the real people whom the issues affect. I’ve chosen here films that support sustainable community growth and empowerment- and lay the gauntlet forth in doing so. Many a strong contender was excluded for an overemphasis on a Western or white perspective.

* For more information read Peggy McIntosh’s “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” (PDF, 4 pages).

Videos

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies present “The Shelter Effect” (3:57, 2,850 hits)

The Girl Effect presents “The Girl Effect” (2:23, 676,500 hits)

Companion video: “The Clock is Ticking” (3:05, 209,500 hits)

—   Click Through to See Most Best Practice Videos   —

Advocates for Asylum presents “Gabriel’s Story” (2:25, 950 hits)

UNICEF presents “Child-Sensitive Social Protection” (2:00, 2,100 hits)

Companion video: “When Children’s Worlds are Turned Upside Down” (0:47, 4,800 hits)

Al Tirah USA presents “Al Tirah! Fear Not!” (3:14, 24,300 hits) – Excuse the  introduction – this was the only version available.

Bonus Videos

Here are two bonus videos that will also pique your interest.

RSA Animate presents “The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us” (10:48, 3,565,950)

And because we all need more art and beauty in our lives, this video speaks to what can inspire and motivate us in a different vein from the ones previous presented.

New York Magazine presents “Street Art: Joshua Allen Harris’ Inflatable Bag Monsters” (2:25, 1,863,350 hits)

Image Credit

Title image sourced from Flickr using the Creative Commons License, with thanks.

• “There is No Africa” by Turkairo

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