democracy at a crossroads
classmates in religious schools, led a contingent of Bedouin women protesting “honor” killings and helped stave off deportations for hundreds of children of migrant workers. The Transportation Ministry finally acknowledged that women could not be forced to sit in the back of public buses, even in ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods. An unlikely coalition of social activists and fiscally responsible government leaders, including Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz, successfully supported a campaign to raise the royalty rate for private energy companies profiting from huge new natural gas fields off Israel’s coast. And NIF President Naomi Chazan, CEO Daniel Sokatch and Israel Executive Director Rachel Liel were recognized as key leaders in their respective communities. The continuing attacks on NIF and civil society engendered some positive results as we worked successfully to turn crisis into opportunity. The profile of our organization, work and grantees was raised exponentially. Thousands of Israelis rallied for democracy and human rights at the second annual International Human Rights Day march in Tel Aviv. More than 1,000 rabbis worldwide, from every Jewish denomination,
signed an NIF-initiated letter condemning an ultraOrthodox edict issued in Israel forbidding Jews to sell or rent housing to non-Jews. NIF in Israel launched the “We Will Not Remain Silent” campaign, enlisting bloggers, activists and ordinary Israelis in a viral effort to mobilize the public against repressive legislation and for democratic values. In the U.S., the network of New Israel Fund supporters grew substantially and by every measure—dollars raised, media attention, even Facebook friends—NIF became more visible and influential than ever before. But our work for Israel’s democracy has only just begun. By early 2011, no fewer than 25 proposed bills in the Knesset were in some stage of debate or passage, all of which may compromise freedom of conscience, human rights activities or minority rights. The New Israel Fund family knows that leading an alliance of pro-democracy organizations both in Israel and overseas is now a key component of our work, a natural expansion of our mission and values designed to protect not just our sector but our vision of Israeli society. The coming year will engage us in some of the most significant challenges we have ever faced as an organization. And with your help, we will surmount them, and we will succeed.
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DEMOCRACY AT THE CROSSROADS NEW ISRAEL FUND