[1]Our Israel

Friends,

On this final night of Hanukkah, we wanted to share the light of some of
our progressive Israeli allies in the fight for justice, equality and
peace.

They bring us hope and inspiration this Hanukkah -- and indeed every day
-- as we push forward in a struggle that can too often feel dark and
dispiriting.

Let their stories -- which we’ve documented as part of a series we call
'Our Israel' -- be a reminder that we do not travel this path alone, and
that together, we will never give up the fight for a better and brighter
future.

Mehazkim

[ [link removed] ]Advocates from Mehazkim take a selfie while holding up a protest sign.

The revolution will be digitized

“Revolutions start online,” says Eran Nissan, the Chief Operating Officer
of Mehazkim, an Israeli organization that works to promote the values and
policies of the Israeli left in the digital space. “Social media not only
allows the untold stories of disenfranchised voices and marginalized
actors to reach new audiences but also provides the tools to effectively
organize both digitally and physically.” [ [link removed] ]Read the full profile >>

 The Parents Circle -- Families Forum

[ [link removed] ]An Israeli and Palestinian man stand face to face.

United in grief, strengthened by resolve

The Parents Circle -- Families Forum was founded in 1995 by Yitzhak
Frankenthal after his 19-year-old son, Arik, was killed by
Hamas. Frankenthal sent more than 300 letters out to bereaved families on
both sides of the conflict, inviting them to join a group for support,
peace and solidarity. From the 44 Israeli families who initially
responded, the group has now grown to over 600 Israeli and Palestinian
families -- united in pain, grief and a shared commitment to a better path
forward. [ [link removed] ]Read the full profile >>

EcoPeace Middle East

[ [link removed] ]EcoPeace activists stand together in the middle of a river holding up
Israeli and Palestinian flags.

Working to avert a climate catastrophe

EcoPeace Middle East -- a collection of Jordanian, Palestinian, and
Israeli environmentalists -- say that in a region where extreme heat and
water scarcity is already wreaking havoc, climate change could push the
situation toward catastrophe. “The outlook for the whole region is bleak,”
Nada Majdalani, EcoPeace’s Palestine Director, tells J Street. “There’s no
question that occupied Palestinian territory is particularly at risk for
climate catastrophe.”

EcoPeace has also outlined a series of steps that the Biden administration
can take to facilitate climate action in the region. Chief among the
proposals is that the US serves as an impartial mediator in negotiations
over water allocation in the region, a potential stepping-stone for
further mediation and cooperation. [ [link removed] ]Read the full profile >>

Kav LaOved

[ [link removed] ]Workers sit in KavLaoved's waiting room

Fighting for workers' rights

Since 1991, Kav LaOved (‘Worker’s Hotline’) has fought with determination
to protect the rights of disadvantaged Israeli, Palestinian and migrant
workers. Their vision is an Israeli society in which workers -- regardless
of nationality, gender, religion or legal status -- are respected, valued
and have their rights protected. Every year, they help thousands of
workers seeking help, including Israelis, Palestinians and migrant workers
and refugees from as far afield as Thailand, India and Ukraine. Their
challenges range from sexual harassment to underpayment, unpaid
compensation to unsafe work environments.

“Victories are still possible in this political climate,” Executive
Director Adi Maoz tells J Street. “What drives me and a lot of us is the
fact that we believe in the place that we’re living in, and we have the
strength and the ability to change it.” [ [link removed] ]Read the full profile >>

Israeli Women's Network

[ [link removed] ]Members of the Israeli Women's Network hold signs and march

The struggle for gender equality

The Israel Women’s Network has been fighting the increasing exclusion and
segregation of women in public events, business settings, academia,
politics, sports, police and the military. The tremendous, non-partisan
women’s network, which has been fighting for equality since 1984, views it
as one of its core missions to ensure that Israelis connect the dots on
segregation.

“This is something that we all need to fight, men and women,” Executive
Director Michal Gera Margaliot tells J Street. “Feminism is not a movement
of women against men. It’s a movement to make the world a better place.”
[ [link removed] ]Read the full profile >>

Save A Child's Heart

[ [link removed] ]A nurse watches over a child in a hospital bed

Saving children, one heart at a time

Over the last two decades, Save A Child’s Heart has performed more than
5,400 pediatric cardiac surgeries for children from over 60 developing
nations, with approximately half their caseload consisting of Palestinian
children from Gaza and the West Bank.

“When you have a Palestinian mother sitting next to an Israeli mother in a
waiting room as their children are undergoing pediatric cardiac surgery,
you have a bond that’s instantly created,” Executive Director Rabbi David
Litwack tells J Street. [ [link removed] ]Read the full profile >>

 


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J Street is the political home for pro-Israel, pro-peace Americans who want
Israel to be secure, democratic and the national home of the Jewish people.
Working in American politics and the Jewish community, we advocate policies that
advance shared US and Israeli interests as well as Jewish and democratic values,
leading to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.



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