The Jewish-Arab Center Report on Activities and Programs 2007-2009 The Jewish Arab Center Executive Staff Head, 2002-2009 - Prof. Faisal Azaiza Chairman - Mr. Dan Bavly Head starting in the 2009-10 academic year - Prof. Shulamit Almog Previous Heads Prof. Amatzia Baram, 1999-2002 Dr. Ibrahim Geries, 1996-1999 Prof. Joseph Ginat, 1992-1996 Prof. Stanley Waterman, 1991-1992 Prof. George J. Kanaze, 1986-1991 Prof. Arnon Soffer, 1984-1986 Prof. Avner Yaniv, 1983-1984 Prof. Arnon Soffer, 1982-1983 Prof. Avner Yaniv, 1980-1982 Prof. David Kushner, 1977-1980 Prof. Gabriel Ben-Dor, 1974-1977 Dr. Avraham Binyamin, 1972-1974 Administrator - Mr. Patrick Maestracci Projects and Research Coordinator - Ms. Meyrav Shoham Secretary - Ms. Amal Abbas 2 Activities in 2007-2009 املركز اليهودي - العربي המרכז היהודי־ערבי Contents Introduction 4 Research, Programs and Projects 6 Conferences and Summary 15 Student Activities 27 The JAC in the Media 30 Hebrew Abstract 31 Arabic Abstract 32 Activities in 2007-2009 3 The Jewish Arab Center Introduction The Jewish Arab Center (JAC) is an can find new ways of living together and interdisciplinary research institute within understanding each other better. To further the University of Haifa, internationally this goal, we offer various social, cultural renowned for its work in promoting Jewish- and educational activities related to Jewish- Arab relations. The JAC strives to promote Arab relations to all University students. and facilitate cooperation between Jews and Social Responsibility: The JAC’s involve- Arabs as equal partners through various ment in both research and student activities programs and initiatives. With this in mind, lead to our third area of activities, which we have focused on three main areas of is social responsibility. We contribute to activity: fostering mutual understanding between Research: The JAC supports, publishes and Jews and Arabs, both on campus and disseminates research on various matters in Israeli society in general, and lend related to life in Israel and the Middle East, encouragement and support to initiatives including but not limited to Jewish-Arab leading to involvement in the community relations, conflict and conflict resolution, and in society in an effort to effect changes social change, education and academia, for the better in Arab-Jewish relations. Arab women in Israel, and cultural issues. Throughout the years, we have been We provide a venue for conferences, seminars fortunate to receive the generous support and other academic events in order to share of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung for many new knowledge and create a meaningful of our activities, especially conferences dialog between members of different and student initiatives. In recent years we communities in Israel, both Jews and Arabs. have also pursued initiatives in the field of Student Activities: A primary goal of the JAC Jewish-Arab education and cultural dialog. is to help the University of Haifa to become We are proud to present you with this not just an institute of higher education report and hope you will find our activities for Jews and Arabs alike, but also a forum meaningful and important. where students from different backgrounds Mr. Dan Bavly Prof. Faisal Azaiza Chairman of Board Head, Jewish-Arab Center 4 Activities in 2007-2009 املركز اليهودي - العربي המרכז היהודי־ערבי Background Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel, including: In the early 1970s, the University of Haifa • Providing an umbrella organization for realized the potential for either conflict researchers from different disciplines and or cooperation between Jews and Arabs other countries to meet, exchange information, on campus. A decision was thus made to conduct studies and disseminate knowledge. establish a center that would deal specifically • Supporting and initiating academic with this issue, which would bring together programs in areas important for Jewish- students from diverse backgrounds and Arab relations. provide a forum for discussion and research • Promoting educational initiatives that can on Jewish-Arab relations and the factors foster interaction and cooperation between that affect these relations. Jews and Arabs, and providing knowledge, The Jewish-Arab Center was thus intended guidance and support to people involved in and planned to be a venue to develop new such activities. ideas and consider the implications and • Strengthening ties between Jewish and application of those ideas. The framework Arab students, illuminating their common also included student activities operating interests and providing them a venue to mainly through the support of the Friedrich discuss areas of contention in a meaningful Ebert Foundation, and research done as and respectful manner. part of The Gustav Heinemann Institute of • Training future leaders from the Arab and Middle Eastern Studies. Jewish student population. Since its establishment, the JAC has been at • Enhancing, through partnerships and joint the forefront of academic and practical work ventures between the University and the carried out in order to effect a change for the Jewish and Palestinian Arab communities better in Jewish-Arab relations. The center is in Israel, the connections between the involved in a wide array of activities intended University and other academic organizations to further this goal, the more recent of which and with local and international NGOs with are detailed in this report. similar interests. • Placing issues related to Jewish-Arab coexistence and equality in Israel on the Aims and Objectives public discourse. The JAC is involved in ongoing research and • Promoting gender equality through in various social, educational and academic our activities, including scholarships, programs. Its activities are intended to conferences focusing on women's issues, encourage and support equitable coexistence and support for research on gender issues and respectful dialog between Jewish and in the context of the JAC's activities. Activities in 2007-2009 5 The Jewish Arab Center Research, Programs and Projects Arab Women in Israel: Current Status and Future Trends For the past several years, the JAC has presented at these conferences, while also held annual conferences focusing on the presenting new research findings. The experiences of Arab women, their status conference and the publication of the book in various areas and trends for the future. were made possible by the support of the Subjects addressed in these conferences Friedrich Ebert Stiftung. include women's health, gender relations The chapters in the book explore processes and family dynamics, empowerment through of conservation and change in the status education and the effects of education on and the experiences of Arab women in the women and on society, Arab women in Israel. The first part of the book is concerned the job market, new technologies and their with women in society and politics. The mplications, women in politics, and other second part turns to Arab women's health. issues. Chapters in this section shed light on the The book Arab Women in Israel: Current way the experiences and pressures faced by Status and Future Trends was published Arab women manifest themselves as health in September 2009 by Ramot Press. It outcomes. The third part of the book focuses summarizes some of the important subjects on education and employment among Arab women. The 2009 conference on Arab women in Israel 6 Activities in 2007-2009 املركز اليهودي - العربي המרכז היהודי־ערבי School, Family and Community Partnerships The purpose of the School, Family and Community Partnerships project (SFCP) is to link Jewish and Arab families, schools and communities with academic resources and intervention activities to increase students' academic achievements. SFCP, a three year program focusing on schools in Haifa, was launched in 2009, with the support of the Zeit Stiftung. High rates of failure in the Israeli educational system upon high school graduation (45% among Jewish students and 65% Arab students) indicate that schools' efforts alone The research presented in this book makes are not sufficient to close the achievement it clear that education and employment do gap. There is an urgent need to develop not suffice to ensure gender equality. To support systems at home and in the achieve equality and ensure that women community to help children at risk, those of can take on senior leadership roles, the low socioeconomic status, and particularly Arab family and Arab society must adopt a those in the various national sub-groups, in fundamentally different approach. However, order to meet their full potential at the early due to the limited resources available to stages of education at the primary school. the Arab population in Israel, the existing However, the participation of low-income leadership does not view such a change as and ethnically and nationally diverse parents advantageous to its interests. Women are has been limited since they often lack the forced to enact not only the more modern essential knowledge and skills to support the roles and personae they choose but also the academic and social growth of their children. more traditional ones that remain their lot. The theoretical concept of the project is The book illuminates the areas in which based on the understanding that children's Arab women are undergoing processes of educational improvement, particularly modernization and change, along with the among those who have diverse cultural, factors that leave this change conditional and ethnic and linguistic backgrounds and are partial. It was edited by Prof. Faisal Azaiza, economically disadvantaged, does not take Prof. Khawla Abu-Baker, Prof. (Em.) Rachel place only in schools. These groups in the Hertz-Lazarowitz, and Dr. As'ad Ghanem. population need an assortment of learning Activities in 2007-2009 7 The Jewish Arab Center supports that go beyond the school be their family’s involvement in out-of- environment, to assist and support school time activities and programs; health the children's cognitive and behavioral and social service agencies; businesses, development. Epstein proposes six types libraries, museums and community- of family involvement that may be initiated based institutions.