The Abraham Fund Initiatives

• Language as a Cultural Bridge was launched in 2005 with the ultimate goal of mandating bilingual, bicultural education for every child in the Israeli public schools. Already reaching tens of thousands of students in hundreds of schools around the country, the program is based on a unique and engaging Arabic language and culture curriculum taught by Arab teacher-ambassadors in Jewish schools, and contemporary Hebrew language enrichment and cultural workshops in Arab schools. Combined with cultural encounters between neighboring Arab and Jewish children and educators, Language as a Cultural Bridge is breaking down barriers and promoting mutual respect among young Jewish and Arab Israelis. • Policing in a Divided Society is a major national initiative aimed at improving relations between the Israel Police and the Arab community by strengthening police services provided to Arab towns and villages, empowering local Arab leaders to advocate for the needs of their communities, and supporting problem-solving partnerships between local police and Arab leadership. The program equips officers with the skills required to effectively serve a diverse society by providing cultural sensitivity training and by sponsoring international learning seminars to study best practices of multicultural policing around the world. • Promoting Equal and Accessible Services within government agencies, civil society and the business sector aims to address tensions between Israel’s Jewish and Arab citizens that result not only from lack of understanding, but also from disparities in access to resources and services. Projects have included a Center for Emergency Medicine designed to provide culturally sensitive care to the Arab and Jewish communities of the Central Galilee; planning for Israel’s first bilingual/bicultural college in the Northern Negev; and promoting linguistic and cultural accessibility to government websites serving Israel’s Arab citizens. • Arab Women’s and Youth Leadership Initiatives strengthen the leadership and management capabilities of Arab women and youth by providing an extensive training course and personal guidance for select women and youth geared towards integrating them into leadership roles in the public sphere. Built on the platform of The Abraham Fund’s highly successful job training and placement initiative, this program is changing how Arab women and youth are viewed within their families and by society at large – and how they see themselves. • Public Education and Advocacy exposes policy makers and opinion shapers within government, the media and the private sector to the imperative of constructing a shared and inclusive society, and advocates for policies that promote equal opportunity and access to services and jobs. The Abraham Fund conducts groundbreaking research, monitors legislative developments, and offers our policy proposals, experience and knowledge to decision makers. We advocate on the local and national levels through intensive work with Knesset legislators, government ministers and senior civil servants; through frequent Op-Eds, TV, radio and online features; and through our thriving social network community on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. One of our most important and unique tools is our 800 page, Arab Society Informational Manual which allows decision makers to advance well-informed policy relating to the Arab community while relying on comprehensive, reliable and accessible information.