Image: Rawabit program participants meet in 2022
On May 4th, a group of New Generations (20s and 30s) donors met both online and in-person for a Giving Circle — a process in which a group decides together which NIFC project partner will receive its pooled donations. The group, led by the New Generations Leadership Council, raised $600 from generous New Gen donors.
The participants had deep conversations about their own giving, different issues in Israel-Palestine, and how to contribute to social change. They learned about NIFC’s project partners and investigated which ones resonated most based on factors like target population, theory of change, and size of the organization. The hybrid event was held both online and in Toronto. The group broke into three breakouts to decide their top-ranked project, then came together to discuss and ultimately, to vote.
After a selection process, the group chose the Shatil project “Developing New Young Palestinian Leadership” as the recipient of their donation.
Shatil is the operating department of NIF in Israel and is committed to fostering new civil society leaders in Israel, especially among Palestinian citizens. Within the Israeli-Arab sector, many young people are motivated – but struggle — to address skyrocketing crime, poor post-secondary opportunities, institutional discrimination, women’s equality, and more. In answer, Shatil in 2022 piloted Rawabit (Connections), a year-long leadership program designed to develop young Palestinians who have the potential to lead social change from within. In addition to trainings, each participant will lead a new initiative in their community. In 2023, this project will develop stronger future Palestinian civil society leaders through a year-long, intensive leadership course. Read more about the Rawabit pilot program here.
After hearing of the Giving Circle’s choice, the founder of the program, Shatil Haifa Director Fida Nara Tabony, sent a video to the group thanking them for their choice. The New Generations Leadership Council plans on organizing an event with the program participants later in the year.