Programme December 2018

Join NIF at this year's Limmud festival where we'll be presenting sessions on a number of thought-provoking issues. NIF advances democracy and equality in Israel through supporting hundreds of Israeli human rights and civil society organisations. We are a partnership of Israelis and Diaspora Jews dedicated to a vision of Israel as both the Jewish homeland, and a shared society at peace with itself and its neighbours.

What's On

Mon 24 The Nation State Law and Diaspora Jewry’s relationship with Israel Dec The passage of the Nation State Law this year saw a rare rebuke to Israel from the Board of Deputies and concern throughout the Diaspora. We’ll look at why 14:40- the Law was controversial, consider how its values compare to those enshrined in Israel’s Declaration of Independence, and discuss the implications for 15:40 Diaspora Jewry’s relationship with Israel.

Presented by: Anna Roiser, Engagement & Outreach Coordinator at NIF UK Clive Sheldon QC, Chair of NIF UK Esther Craven, Youth & Student Outreach Worker at Yachad

Wed 26 Film screening: A Land Without Borders + Panel Discussion Dec As Israeli journalist and bestselling author Nir Baram begins to lose faith in the two-state solution, he travels through the West Bank speaking to Palestinians 13:30- & Israeli settlers – and has to re-evaluate his hopes for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. This award-winning documentary will be followed by a panel 15:30 discussion reflecting on the situation in the West Bank.

Presented by: Clive Sheldon QC, Chair of NIF UK Maya Ilany, Deputy Director of Yachad Ruvi Ziegler, Associate professor at Reading University Sana Knaneh, Development Director of UK Friends of the Bereaved Families Forum Wed Under attack: The Defenders of Israeli Democracy 26 Dec This year has seen increasing attacks by Netanyahu on those working to defend Israel’s democracy, including the press, the courts & Israel’s vibrant 18:40- civil society – not least the New Israel Fund. In the context of the democratic slippage underway in Israel we’ll look at the role of Israel’s 19:40 progressive civil society & what’s behind these attacks.

Presented by: Clive Sheldon QC, Chair of NIF UK Liam Getreu, Director of NIF Australia Anna Roiser, Engagement & Outreach Coordinator at NIF UK Rachel Rose, NIF New Gen Activism Fellow

Thurs The Attack on Free Speech in Israel 27 Dec Is the growing trend of detaining anti-occupation activists at the Israeli border a legitimate security measure or part of a growing attack on free speech? 12:00- Looking at the history of freedom of expression in Israel, the expanding body of restrictive legislation & recent events at the border, we’ll ask if speech in 13:00 Israel in 2018 is really free.

Presented by: Anna Roiser, Engagement & Outreach Coordinator at NIF UK Maya Ilany, Deputy Director at Yachad

Clive Sheldon QC Clive is a leading barrister in the fields of public law and employment law, often appearing before the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. Clive is the chair of NIF UK, having previously served as co-chair of Masorti Judaism in the UK and as a member of the JLC.

Anna Roiser Anna is the Engagement and Outreach Coordinator at the New Israel Fund, a charity supporting Israeli organisations promoting democracy, equality and human rights. Previously a family lawyer, in 2017 Anna spent time living in Jerusalem developing her passion for progressive Israeli causes. Here are our picks of other sessions worth checking out:

Jamal Alkirnawi Rotem Cohen Kahlon

Jamal is the founder and executive director of A Rotem is the youngest woman council member New Dawn in the Negev. A passionate visionary, the ever in the city of Ramle. A social activist for the now 10-year-old organiSation is a manifestation of periphery in Israel. Director at ISEF Foundation. his desire to raise the level of education for the Rotem served as a parliamentary adviser in the Bedouin community in Israel’s Negev region. 'Kulanu' party of Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon.

Sunday 21:50: Empowering Israel's Sunday 21:50: Does everyone have an B edouin Youth for a Better Shared Future equal opportunity to reach the Israeli academia? Monday 13:20: Creating inclusive shared societies in the face of seemingly vast Monday 14:40: Gaps in Israeli society - divides why do children in Ramle receive less than children in Tel Aviv?

Eli Gaventa Amos Schonfield

Eli is an Israel engagement educator at UJIA where Amos is the founder and director of Our Second Home, he works with Jewish youth movements and other the youth movement for refugees and asylum seekers community partners. As an educator and activist, he in the UK. He is currently studying Migration Studies at has worked with many community groups as an Oxford University. Previously he worked at Yachad, who education worker at Bnei Akiva and as community he represents at the Board of Deputies, and at Noam director at Muswell Hill Synagogue. Masorti Youth.

Wednesday 09:10: HaTikva and Jerusalem W ednesday 10:40: The invention and of Gold: A Two-National-Anthem Solution? reinvention of Jerusalem

Sana Knaneh Ruvi Ziegler

Sana is Development Director of UK Friends of the Ruvi is associate professor in international refugee law Bereaved Families Forum and passionate about peace- at Reading, academic fellow at Inner Temple, research building in the Middle East. Sana is a Palestinian citizen associate at the Refugee Studies Centre, Oxford and of Israel, has an MA in International Relations from the senior research associate at the Refugee Law Initiative, Hebrew University and MSc from LSE in International UoL. He is chair of New Europeans UK, chair of the Strategy and Diplomacy. Oxford European Association, and researcher at the Israel Democracy Institute. Tuesday 14:40: Two Sided Story: An Israeli/Palestinian Film (with Judith Elkan) Tuesday 13:20: Israel's dysfunctional asylum system Wednesday 19:10: Peace-building in Israel and Palestine: what's new? (with Judith Elkan)

Hannah Weisfeld Liam Getreu Hannah is director and founder of Yachad, which Liam has been been involved in the Australian Jewish mobilises in support of a political resolution community for many years including as president of to the Israel-Palestine conflict. She passionately believes AUJS, an executive member of the Zionist Federation of that Diaspora Jews have a part to play in shaping Israel’s Australia and columnist at the . He has been future and is committed to ensuring Yachad plays this role director of NIF Australia since 2013 and has presented at in our community. many Limmud Oz conferences.

S unday 12:00: The West Bank S unday 17:30: “Let's call the whole thing off!" When Israel p rogramming at Limmud descends into chaos (and how M onday 09:10: Who runs the country? t o avoid it) M onday 12:00: Israel - by and for women (with Laura Marks) Monday 14:40: Is Israel alienating the Diaspora? (with Annika Hernrtoh-Rothstein, Jack Wertheimer, Lyn Julius and Simon Rocker)

[email protected] +44 (0)20 7724 2266 @newisraelfunduk @UKNIF