Current Projects in Israel

Emergency Human Rights Monitoring in the Area C of West Bank 

After Israeli settlers violently rampaged in the Palestinian village of Huwara, NIFC is responding to protect against further settler and military violence in Area C of the the Occupied Palestinian Territories by funding this emergency project with Jewish-Arab human rights group Haqel. This project immediately increases monitoring, legal aid, and advocacy for Palestinian residents particularly in the South Hebron Hills, Bethlehem area, and the northern West Bank.

Educating Israelis about the Inflammatory Flag March

In reaction to the inflammatory Flag March held annually in Jerusalem, activist group Free Jerusalem leads a coalition of organizations that will raise awareness of the harm done by the march. The coalition will hold a demonstration in the center of Jerusalem and members include Ir Amim, Standing Together, Breaking the Silence, Tag Meir, the Kol Haneshama congregation, Emek Shaveh, and Looking the Occupation in the Eye. This advocacy project will challenge extremist voices and broaden the participation of Israelis who oppose the Flag March in its current form.

Protecting Israeli Citizens and Democracy Online

FakeReporter exposes malicious online activity aimed at democratic systems, inauthentic influence campaigns, fraud, hate speech, incitement, conspiracies, and lies. FakeReporter exposes the mechanisms and actors behind online malicious activity, assists activists and organizations under attack, increases the accountability of tech companies and involvement of civil servants, as well as provides real time crisis response. In 2023, this project will proactively combat online incitement and digital organizing by extremists by empowering the public to report and expose malicious online activity.

Shared Cities Initiative

The Abraham Initiatives is a shared society organization that models solutions for equal and positive Jewish-Arab relations in Israel. This year, Abraham Initiatives anticipates major efforts to roll back rights for Palestinian citizens and to demonize Jewish-Arab partnership. The Abraham Initiatives educates municipal leaders in how municipal authorities in “mixed cites” can close gaps in budgets, services, and decision-making for Jewish and Arab residents jointly – and how the local level can be a bulwark for safeguarding minority rights and preventing intercommunal violence. In 2023, this project will work with municipal leaders of Jewish-Arab mixed cities to protect Jewish-Arab partnership and equality at the local level.

Litigation and Media Outreach to Protect and Defend the Human Rights of Arab Bedouin Citizens of Israel living in the Naqab (Negev)

Adalah is the leading Palestinian legal center and human rights organization based in Israel and the sole Palestinian-run organization that works before Israeli courts to protect the human rights of Palestinians in Israel. In the coming year, Adalah anticipates major efforts to displace Bedouin communities in the Negev-Naqab by the central government. Legal interventions can critically delay and even prevent unfair demolitions of impoverished communities’ homes and livelihoods. In 2023, this project will defend the residents of unrecognized and newly-recognized Bedouin villages through litigation and advocacy.

Center for Training and New Initiatives

Israel Hofsheet is the leading grassroots advocacy organization fighting for religious freedom. This year, Israel Hofsheet anticipates major efforts to roll back a wide swath of women’s and LGBTQ rights and to advance religious control over public spaces. Their training centre educates local-level and especially young leaders in how their city councils and municipal authorities set policy on these issues – and how the local level can be a bulwark for protecting religious freedom and gender equality. In 2023, this project will train local and young leaders at the municipal level to protect religious freedom.

Sustainability Partnerships Program

The Heschel Center for Sustainability promotes sustainable values, planning, and living for a just society. This leadership program is a collaboration between the Heschel Center, A Place for Change, and the Arava Institute that fosters long-term collaborations between progressive organizations that work in different fields. The program educates 20+ individuals from eight organizations over nine months to study social change successes around the world and to craft joint campaigns on gender equality, labor rights, religious freedom, and especially Jewish-Arab partnership. In 2023, this project will develop stronger future Israeli civil society leaders through a year-long leadership program that deepens collaborations between social change groups.

Protecting Social and Economic Rights

ACRI’s pursuit of economic and social justice for all is anchored in Israel’s basic law protecting human dignity. This year, ACRI anticipates major efforts to roll back protections over civil liberties of Israel’s most vulnerable populations and exacerbate socioeconomic hardships. In 2023, this project will use litigation and advocacy defend the rights citizens, residents and asylum seekers in Israel related to health, education, and the welfare system.