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A Story of TRUE T NIF grantee Tag Meir held a Chanukah candle-lighting with Jerusalem’s Muslim and Christian communities. ir ZAM I : YOSS A Story of TRUE T Partnership PHOTO CREDI In 1979, a group of Israeli lawyers who were Israel’s democracy. Their partners would be taking pro-bono cases met with liberal Jews from the change-makers and civil society leaders, Israelis San Francisco Bay Area. They had seen the integral role defending the rights of minorities and fighting that organizations like the ACLU and the NAACP had injustices and extremism of all kinds. played in civil rights struggles in America and they were They started by collecting $80,000 and distributing excited to work together on creating similar institutions grants to 20 grassroots organizations in Israel. in Israel’s democracy. If Israel, a young country, was These were the first grants made by the New Israel going to succeed as a democracy and fulfill its promise, Fund, launching a true partnership between it would need these kinds of groups and much more. Israelis and Americans guided by the values So they came up with a simple idea. People who of justice, equality, and democracy. cared about Israel could join together and empower activists on the ground working to strengthen Jerusalem Pride drew 20,000 ir attendees in 2017, ZAM I bringing together : YOSS Israelis committed T to inclusion and equality. PHOTO CREDI This story continued to 1 unfold in 2017. Over the past year, NIF grantees worked to In the nearly 40 years that have reduce social and economic passed since that first meeting, we’ve gaps and protect the improved the lives of millions. NIF rights of all of Israel’s affiliates have been founded in Canada, inhabitants. They the UK, Australia, Switzerland, and fought back against Germany, creating a global presence racism and discrimination, for our values and work. NIF while promoting a grantees have won some of the vision for Israel as a shared, Members of Standing Together, a new Arab- most important legal and legislative inclusive society. From their Jewish grassroots victories that have improved the communities around the world, movement, demand “full lives of millions of Israelis, opening NIF supporters spoke out equality—and no less!” doors to women, Palestinian citizens, and supported progressive Mizrahi Jews, the LGBTQ community, Israeli activists. In response non-Orthodox Jews, immigrants, to extremism and attempts to While NIF has grown and people with disabilities. NIF has punish dissent in Israel and in and evolved, our core changed the consensus on some of America, NIF mobilized and values have stayed the same. Israel’s most contentious social issues. made our voices heard. The story of NIF is a story people standing shoulder to shoulder to protect democracy Shatil’s Shared Living Forum enables and promote freedom for all. Jewish and Arab students to learn It’s the story of partnership. about building a shared society Characters in the illustrations are inspired by NIF’s founders, grantees, and partners. Special thanks to Eleanor Friedman and Jonathan Cohen, who are among NIF’s founders and are the inspiration for the narrators of the comic strips. The Two States, One Hope rally drew thousands of Israelis calling for peace, justice, Last summer and an end to the occupation. marked the 50th anniversary of the occupation that began after the Six Day War. In recent years, the right-wing government in Israel has tried to intimidate and silence Israelis who speak openly about human rights and 2 ending the occupation. But problems are never solved In 2017, we mobilized thousands of people to by denial. Instead, NIF take a stand. NIF worked in Israel and abroad to speak grantees are committed out against the occupation and secure Israel’s future as a liberal democracy. We led a coalition of organizations to keeping these issues working to amplify this message. In the U.S. and in on the public agenda Israel, we raised funds, advocated for our values, and so that they can be educated our communities about the occupation. addressed and solved. 50 Out! Forum In partnership with several dozen organizations, NIF’s action arm Shatil created the 50 Out! Forum, a broad coalition and an online home for activism around the 50th year of the occupation. The 50 Out! Forum publicized all major events and initiatives to mark the anniversary, while providing human rights activists and organizations with ongoing assistance, news updates, and spaces for collaboration. NIF grantee B’Tselem shapes the public discourse by documenting and recording violations of human rights. Two States, One Hope On May 27, 2017, 20,000 Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv under the banner of “Two States, One Hope.” This inspiring rally for a two-state solution and an end to the occupation featured speakers NIF President Talia Sasson and NIF board member Achinoam Nini (Noa). In the U.S., thousands of supporters followed the action on NIF’s 3 Facebook livestream. REPORT ANNUAL 2017 NIF Kingdom of Olives and Ash Book Tour At the invitation of NIF grantee Breaking the Silence, Michael Chabon, Ayelet Waldman, and 24 other world-renowned authors toured the West Bank and wrote about what they saw. The result was a remarkable anthology of stories, Kingdom of Olives and Ash: Writers Confront the Occupation. More than 1,000 people in six U.S. cities came out to hear ik these powerful stories during the NIF-sponsored book tour, H erc presented with Harper Perennial and Breaking the Silence. KAVAL The Jubilee Haggadah NIF distributed over 1,000 D LA I copies of an English-language anti-occupation guide to : G : T the Seder, while partnering with SISO: Save Israel, Stop the Occupation and the Haaretz newspaper to distribute PHOTO CREDI PHOTO 100,000 copies to Israeli households. HT Lic Y Y D : JU : T PHOTO CREDI PHOTO If the political Michael Chabon and Ayelet events of the last Waldman told moving stories of struggle and hope on the Kingdom year have taught us of Olives and Ash Book Tour. anything, it’s that turning away No problem can be solved by being swept under and opting out is not the rug. That’s why NIF supports organizations who are safeguarding human rights, keeping the an option. We give to continued occupation on the public agenda, and defending freedom the New Israel Fund of speech. NIF grantees like Yesh Din and the Association because we’ve seen for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) use strategic litigation to fight the results of the against human rights violations such as land confiscation and settlement construction. At the same time, other grantees like B’Tselem document the 4 work they do and the reality for Palestinians in the occupied territories, while Breaking the Silence difference it makes.” publishes testimonies of Israeli soldiers who have witnessed the harsh reality of the occupation during their service. This work exposes the human costs of — Ayelet Waldman the occupation and makes them relatable to the Israeli public. and Michael Chabon NIF grantees also organize mass events for Israelis to bear witness to the occupation’s toll, such as the annual Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day Ceremony. Led by Combatants for Peace and the Parents Circle-Families Forum and sponsored by NIF, this annual gathering in Tel Aviv is a powerful statement of solidarity and hope. Over 4,000 participants stood together last year to acknowledge the pain of those living on the “other side” and to call for a peaceful end to the conflict. In the U.S., a group of funders pooled their money to create a matching gift fund to support NIF’s human rights and anti-occupation grantees. Over the course of several months, 1,044 donors answered the call. Together, we raised almost $550,000 to support progressive Israelis building a movement to oppose the occupation. ik H erc KAVAL D LA I : G : T PHOTO CREDI PHOTO two states, one hope 5 rally in Tel Aviv. REPORT ANNUAL 2017 NIF Yesh Din Following a petition by Yesh Din, the B’Tselem Following months of research, Supreme Court halted a bill that would have legalized B’Tselem published major reports on the confiscation illegal outposts in the West Bank. Yesh Din also held of Palestinian land for the use of settlements and the dozens of legal workshops in the West Bank and East detention of Palestinian teenagers in East Jerusalem. Jerusalem, ensuring that Palestinians know their rights B’Tselem also produced a groundbreaking exhibit and can push back against confiscation of land and called “50 Years: 50 Photographs of Palestinians other resources. Born in 1967,” which was widely covered in the Israeli media and was viewed by over 1,000 people. Breaking the Silence To mark 50 years of the occupation, Breaking the Silence hosted “Black Mirror,” Ir Amim To secure a sustainable and just future a five-hour public reading of over 300 newly published for Jerusalem, Ir Amim advocates against the testimonies of soldiers who served in the occupied expansion of Jewish settlements in East Jerusalem. territories. Hundreds of Israelis participated, including In 2017, Ir Amim successfully thwarted two major former Knesset Members and Israel Prize laureates. construction plans. NIF’s founders wanted to strengthen Israel’s democracy and empower progressive Israelis, but not as passive supporters. Rather, NIF has rallied both Israelis and people around the In 2017, NIF brought that model to communities of 6 world to be partners in young Jews who care about Israel and social justice with creating change. When you an exciting program: New Generations giving circles. support NIF, you are invited A giving circle is like a small-scale version of NIF itself—a group of people to grapple with the issues, pool their money, discuss the issues that matter to them, build community around NIF’s work, and make a collective donation to an NIF grantee.
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