AUSTFHU Year book 2022/2023

From East Jerusalem to Uganda – and Back

Amira was born and raised in East Jerusalem. She had always been curious about other countries, politics, and development. Therefore, she decided to follow her passion and study international relations and English literature at Hebrew University.

By Devora M. Liss

As her Hebrew was very weak, she began with the Rothberg International School’s Hebrew language program. Although her academic journey was challenging on many levels, Amira persisted. This was where she wanted to be.

After her studies, Amira began working with NGOs, eventually working for the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) on employment among Arab women in Israel. This was more than a job – Amira had personally experienced nearly every challenge imaginable: the language barrier, being a political and cultural minority, and lacking the skills to secure a job. Ready for her next challenge, she knew she wanted to enter the world of development. It was during this period that Amira first heard about

Glocal, Hebrew University’s master’s program in international development.

Although Amira was returning to the same campus, she was in an entirely different place. She had gained professional confidence and experience. She shared a common language with her Israeli and international colleagues: the language of community development. Amira loved Glocal; learning about development from a multi-faceted approach, critically thinking about development, and, of course, being part of a diverse, multinational cohort. “Glocal opened my eyes to the fundamentals of development and, most importantly, to viewing development with a critical eye,” Amira says.

After completing her Glocal internship at a birthing center in Uganda, Amira was interested in

researching the politics of birthing. She decided to write a thesis, exploring how the Israel-Arab conflict impacts the reproductive choices of Palestinian women in East Jerusalem.

After graduating from Glocal, Amira returned to the field of employment, first working for a JDCaffiliated employment center in Lod, and then moving back to Jerusalem, where she now works for the municipality as the Coordinating Director of Employment Programs in East Jerusalem.

Amira at a workshop for high school students at the birthing center in Luwero, Uganda

This article originally appeared in the Hebrew University’s Scopus magazine, and is reprinted with permission from the Hebrew University.