Upcoming Online training session for the Anna Lindh Israeli Network on Diverse Management During Conflict: Focus on Arab-Jewish Relations by the
JICC: The Jerusalem Intercultural Center an Anna Lindh Israeli Network organization that is actively working to support diverse communities affected by the recent conflict in Israel.
On December 5, 2023, JICC’s Ms. Orna Shani Golan will be leading an online workshop on Diverse Management During Conflict: Focus on Arab-Jewish Relations.
Since the beginning of the war on October 7, JICC’s team has been working tirelessly in West and East Jerusalem as well as in other cities, meeting with local organizations that have diverse populations on resilience and reducing escalation. JICC is an independent non-profit organization established in 1999 with a vision for an inclusive, tolerant, and vibrant Jerusalem for all. They work at the individual, communal, and institutional levels in order to strengthen civil society, build community resilience, and alleviate conditions of urban inequality.
JICC utilizes two primary support approaches. Citywide Cultural Competence aims to ensure that all Jerusalem residents have excellent and just access to all services and public spaces. Meanwhile, Cross-Cultural Community Engagement focuses on involving community stakeholders to actively impact the city.
JICC’s initiatives include assisting displaced individuals, providing crucial support to East Jerusalemite communities, empowering women volunteers, and fostering communication between different ethnic groups. JICC also engages with governmental bodies, mobilizes grassroots initiatives, and advocates for calm and unity in Jerusalem amidst escalating tensions.
One such initiative is Mini-Active, where 2,000 women volunteers spread across 16 East Jerusalemite neighborhoods to identify impediments to normal functioning: access for children (including those with special needs) and teachers to schools, public transport, hazards and hygiene such as garbage collection, and basic access to medical facilities.
Their needs are communicated to the municipality and the IDF Home Command in real-time. This enables residents to carry out their lives peacefully and independently, thereby reducing friction. The network is also holding video conferences and in-person workshops to provide women with a safe space to discuss and process unique stressors resulting from the war. These include a lack of shelters, heavy police presence in neighborhoods, lack of food, lack of income, and widespread unemployment.
Within the Anna Lindh Israeli Network, JICC's unwavering commitment to inclusive support and community empowerment shines through their efforts, advocating for resilience, equity, and unity amidst the complexities of conflict in Israel.
