15 Year Anniversary Photo Book

Celebrating f ifteen years of researching, documenting and disseminating the stories of Palestinians and Israelis working to end the occupation and build a future of f reedom, dignity and equality for all.

@JustVisionMedia

JustVision

justvision.org

DEAR FRIENDS, In 2001, with the Middle East in turmoil, Just Vision’s founder, Ronit Avni, interviewed hundreds of human rights defenders, nonviolent activists and community organizers in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories to learn f rom their successes and challenges, and ultimately support their efforts. Across the board, they articulated a troubling reality: despite their work they were largely invisible, both in their own communities and around the world. And they wanted to have their efforts amplif ied.

And so, on October 8, 2003, a group of people gathered in a small Chelsea art gallery to mark the launch of Just Vision.

From the start, our team had an ambitious and strategic goal: to research, document and disseminate the work of Palestinians and Israelis working to end the occupation and build a future of f reedom, dignity and equality for everyone in the region so they could be more visible, valued and effective in their efforts. We would do this by creating media content like award-winning documentaries and uncompromising journalism while conducting high-impact public engagement campaigns to ensure that American, Israeli, Palestinian and broader international audiences paid attention to the stories that matter.

This year, we’re celebrating f ifteen years of Just Vision doing just that. And we’re excited to be sharing this photobook with you – a small commemoration of the journey we’ve shared together.

From our f irst editing studio in Sheikh Jarrah to a resolute team that spans six cities and two continents, our everwidening footprint crosses time zones, cultures and political divides. This book captures a few of the milestones and special moments along the way.

Throughout it all, we’ve been graced with the loving support, reflections and shining inspiration of our community – champions, allies, activists, supporters and partners like you – and we couldn’t be more grateful as we take stock of our accomplishments and plan for the work ahead.

Even as we’ve made strides, we know that this work is a long-term struggle for change. We’re keeping our eyes on the horizon and forging strategic paths forward, steady and conf ident with our community by our side.

With deep gratitude and appreciation,

Suhad Babaa Executive Director, Just Vision

BREAKING GROUND

NAHANNI ROUS FILMS ACTIVIST SAMI AL JUNDI AT HIS OFFICE

In 2003, we began the work of addressing a problem: despite ample coverage of Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Palestinian and Israeli grassroots leaders were largely invisible, both in their own communities and around the world. So while the mainstream media focused on headline-catching violence and top-down political failures, we started building a platform highlighting courageous leaders at the frontlines committed to creating a just, equal and free future for all.

TOP-LEFT TO BOTTOM-RIGHT: LEDA DEDERICH, NAHANNI ROUS AND RONIT AVNI; THE FOUNDING TEAM - RONIT AVNI, NAHANNI ROUS AND JOLINE MAKHLOUF RUKAB; RONIT AVNI WITH VIDEOGRAPHER LABIB JAZMAWI; COPRODUCER MICKEY ELKELES WITH RONIT AVNI.

JOLINE, RONIT AND NAHANNI WITH JULIA BACHA AFTER SHE JOINS THE TEAM IN 2004, OUTSIDE THE BROOKLYN HOME OFFICE

THE TEAM HARD AT WORK FROM BASEMENT APARTMENTS TO FRIENDS’ HOMES, SETTING UP THE EDITING STUDIO, INTERVIEWING ACTIVISTS AND PUTTING FINISHING TOUCHES ON ENCOUNTER POINT

IN MEMORIAM: AMAL QASSEM, A TIRELESS ACTIVIST FROM SHEIKH JARRAH PROFILED IN HOME FRONT , OUR SERIES OF DOCUMENTARY SHORTS

ENCOUNTER POINT PROTAGONISTS ROBI DAMELIN AND ALI ABU AWWAD

ENCOUNTER POINT PROTAGONISTS RUTIE ATSMON AND AZIZ TANJI

INTRODUCING THE VISIONARIES Early in our founding we took on the task of interviewing dozens of Palestinian and Israeli grassroots leaders to make their stories digitally available in Arabic, Hebrew and English on our website. It would be the first accessible multilingual database for researchers, activists, students and communities wanting to know more about the experiences and strategies of those at the grassroots. Some of those interviews formed the backbone of our first feature-length documentary, Encounter Point, a film about the courage it takes to overcome grief and anger and struggle nonviolently for peace and justice.

FILMING FOR ENCOUNTER POINT

ENCOUNTER POINT PROTAGONIST SAMI AL JUNDI

GABY LASKY

ARIK ASCHERMAN

AYED MORRAR

A selection of those grassroots leaders we’ve interviewed over the years which now serves as a historical archive at justvision.org/interviews/about

ORLY NOY

ILTEZAM MORRAR

AMPLIFYING THE GRASSROOTS

ISSA AMRO

KOBI SNITZ

After two and a half years of interviewing, editing and creating what would become Encounter Point, Just Vision went global. With our first international launch and public engagement campaign, we took our mission to scale, redirecting attention to courageous grassroots activists and community organizers at the frontlines who would otherwise be ignored.

OUR FIRST PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT CAMPAIGN, WITH SCREENINGS AND EVENTS AROUND ENCOUNTER POINT ACROSS ISRAELI, PALESTINIAN, AMERICAN AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITIES

THE JUST VISION TEAM AT THE TRIBECA PREMIERE OF THE JUST VISION TEAM AT THE ENCOUNTER POINT IN 2006WORLD PREMIERE AT THE TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL AND ON THE ROAD WITH ENCOUNTER POINT

PUTTING NONVIOLENT RESISTANCE ON THE MAP As we toured the world with Encounter Point, we began to film what would become our award-winning film, Budrus. The documentary follows Ayed and Iltezam Morrar as they lead an unarmed struggle against the separation barrier threatening their village of Budrus, uniting people across gender, generation, faction and national identity. Soon after, we set out to tell the story of the struggle against the eviction of the El Kurd family in East Jerusalem with our first documentary short, My Neighbourhood, and a series of video profiles of Jerusalemite activists through Home Front. The films moved beyond sensational headlines and captured the voices of Palestinians leading the charge for dignity and equality on the ground, joined by Israelis and internationals committed to struggling alongside them.

SUHAD BABAA AT THE CLINTON GLOBAL INITIATIVE UNIVERSITY

BUDRUS PROTAGONIST AYED MORRAR AND RULA SALAMEH ACCEPT THE CHECKPOINTS AWARD AT THE BERGEN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

JEAN GARNER, JULIA BACHA, RONIT AVNI AND REBEKAH WINGERT-JABI ACCEPT A PEABODY AWARD FOR MY NEIGHBOURHOOD

THE GROWING JUST VISION TEAM AT THE BUDRUS US PREMIERE AT THE TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL IN 2009

MY NEIGHBOURHOOD PROTAGONIST MOHAMMED EL KURD SPEAKING AT THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT WITH JULIA BACHA

A CONVERSATION AT THE KUFR QADDOUM WOMEN’S CENTER

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ILTEZAM MORRAR SPEAKS AT THE DOHA TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL

MY NEIGHBOURHOOD SCREENING WITH QUEEN NOOR OF JORDAN AT THE PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA IN 2012 MICHAEL MOORE WITH THE BUDRUS TEAM

4 JESSICA DEVANEY IN THE EDITING ROOM

MOHAMMED EL KURD OUTSIDE HIS HOME IN SHEIKH JARRAH

IN THE GREEN ROOM BEFORE THE BUDRUS US PREMIERE

AYED MORRAR AT TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL WITH ROBERT DE NIRO

JULIA AND AYED MORRAR IN CONVERSATION WITH CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR AROUND THE RELEASE OF BUDRUS

ENGAGING GENERATIONS Based on our award-winning film, the Budrus graphic novel tells the story of the unarmed struggle in the village through the eyes of 15-year-old Iltezam Morrar. We’ve shared the graphic novel with thousands of youth across the Occupied Palestinian Territories, lifting up inspiring role models for the next generation.

BUDRUS GRAPHIC NOVEL LAUNCH WITH THE COMMUNITY IN BUDRUS IN 2013

LOCAL CALL CO-EDITORS MERON RAPOPORT, YONIT MOZES AND ORLY NOY WITH CO-DIRECTOR HAGGAI MATAR (CEO OF 972 ADVANCEMENT OF CITIZEN JOURNALISM)

In 2014, after a two-year audit of the Israeli media landscape, we launched Local Call - a Hebrew-language news site advancing citizen journalism and independent media. Co-founded with 972 Advancement of Citizen Journalism and Activestills, Local Call offers unique coverage, fresh analysis and hard-hitting investigative reporting on pressing human and civil rights issues facing diverse communities in the region.

CREATING TRANSFORMATIVE MEDIA

SUHAD BABAA AND YAEL MAROM AT THE PREMIERE OF NAILA AND THE UPRISING IN JAFFA TEL-AVIV IN ADVANCE OF THE FILM’S ONLINE LAUNCH ON LOCAL CALL

LOCAL CALL CO-DIRECTORS HAGGAI MATAR AND SUHAD BABAA SPEAK WITH PARLIAMENTARIAN AYMAN ODEH

OREN ZIV AND HAGGAI MATAR REPORTING FROM THE WEST BANK

Unique coverage, f resh analysis and uncompromising journalism

LOCAL CALL

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING “ Local Call is one of the most important outlets in Israel.”

YARON LONDON, JOURNALIST AND HOST OF THE POPULAR NEWS TALK SHOW, LONDON, ON CHANNEL 10

“ Local Call is in fact my homepage. This is what I read with my morning coffee.”

KHALED JABAREEN, JAFFA ACTIVIST

“ Local Call is my favorite competition.”

AMIRA HASS, JOURNALIST, HAARETZ

“ Local Call is one of the only news outlets that holds space for female and feminist voices resisting the occupation.”

REEM AMER, COALITION OF WOMEN FOR PEACE

“There is nothing like Local Call in the Israeli media – f rom its perspective to its outcome. This is independent journalism. I read Local Call every day.”

WITH FOLLOW-UPS IN TOP ISRAELI AND INTERNATIONAL OUTLETS INCLUDING:

RINO TZROR, CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED JOURNALIST AND CELEBRATED FILMMAKER

“ Local Call is an important outlet that covers all of our activities, follows our arrests and recognizes us as human rights defenders.”

ABDALLAH ABU RAHMAH , BIL’IN ACTIVIS T

HIGHLIGHTING WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP Throughout our years, we’ve made sure that women at the frontlines of civil resistance are neither ignored in real-time nor overlooked by history. Whether connecting generations through the story of Iltezam Morrar, the young heroine of Budrus, ensuring women’s voices are captured and amplified in the media through Local Call, or amplifying the legacies and lessons learned of the women leaders of the First Intifada, we’re ensuring that audiences understand the vital role that women play in movement-building and leadership.

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NAILA AND THE UPRISING DEBUTS ON PBS AS PART OF THE HIGHLY ACCLAIMED WOMEN WAR & PEACE II SERIES Our own Julia Bacha together with moderator Alicia Menendez, series producer Abigail Disney, Nobel Laureate Leymah Gbowee, and filmmakers Eimhear O’Neill, Gini Reticker and Geeta Gandbhir at the WWPII launch

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PROTAGONIST NAILA AYESH AT THE WORLD PREMIERE OF NAILA AND THE UPRISING AT DOC NYC IN 2017

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SUHAD BABAA AND JUST VISION BOARD CHAIR ARIADNE PAPAGAPITOS SCREENING AND DISCUSSION IN HEBRON RULA SALAMEH AFTER A COMMUNITY EVENT IN BEIT FAJJAR SUHAD BABAA AT THE UNITED STATES INSTITUTE OF PEACE FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY ORLY NOY ACCEPTING THE DROR PRIZE FOR LOCAL CALL ’S COVERAGE OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE IN ISRAEL

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REACHING COMMUNITIES ON THE GROUND From Gaza to Al-Walajeh, Budrus to Jaffa, Sderot to Haifa, we reach Palestinian and Israeli communities from every corner of the region, sharing stories, strategies and role models to catalyze conversation and deepen nonviolent resistance efforts.

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THE PALESTINIAN PREMIERE OF NAILA AND THE UPRISING IN RAMALLAH

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CO-PRODUCERS JEN MARLOWE AND FADI ABU SHAMMALAH AT THE GAZA PREMIERE OF NAILA AND THE UPRISING

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THE WE ARE NOT NUMBERS COLLECTIVE IN GAZA AT A TRAINING FACILITATED BY JEN MARLOWE

4 SUHAD BABAA AND HAGGAI MATAR AT THE ISRAELI PREMIERE OF NAILA AND THE UPRISING IN JAFFA TEL-AVIV

SHARING THE BUDRUS GRAPHIC NOVEL IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM THROUGHOUT THE WEST BANK

IRENE NASSER AND RULA SALAMEH AT THE LAUNCH OF THE BUDRUS GRAPHIC NOVEL IN BUDRUS

AYED WITH JESSICA DEVANEY, ANYA ROUS AND MORIEL ROTHMAN-ZECHER IN BUDRUS

VIDEOGRAPHER MOHAMMED ABU SAFIA FILMING FOR NAILA AND THE UPRISING IN GAZA

ILTEZAM MORRAR AND EMMA ALPERT AT THE MORRAR FAMILY GARDEN IN BUDRUS

SCREENING AND DISCUSSION OF NAILA AND THE UPRISING IN NAHALEEN

YAEL MAROM AND SUHAD BABAA LAUNCH NAILA AND THE UPRISING IN JAFFA TEL-AVIV HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST YULI NOVAK AND ARI REMEZ

HOLDING UP A MEDIA MEGAPHONE

For Palestinian Feminists, Liberation Has 2 Meanings New coalitions of women are shaping the future of activism and gender equality in the Gaza Strip.

By Jen Marlowe and Fadi Abu Shammalah JUNE 12, 2018

When the mainstream media ignores or sidelines the communities most directly impacted by inequality and injustice in the region, we’re there to fill in the gaps, redirecting attention to those organizing from the ground up.

‫ “نائلة‬.. ً‫ عاما‬30 ‫بعد‬ ‫واالنتفاضة” فيلم يبعث روح‬ ‫االنتفاضة األولى من جديد‬ 2017 ‫ اكنون الثاني‬17 ،‫واكلة وطن لألنباء‬

It’s Time To Admit The First Intifada Was Nonviolent - And Led By Women

HAGGAI MATAR ON ISRAEL’S CHANNEL 10 NEWS PROGRAM LONDON & KIRSCHENBAUM FOR THE LAUNCH OF NAILA AND THE UPRISING ON LOCAL CALL .

By Rula Salameh July 9, 2014

By Suhad Babaa December 9, 2017

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hirty years ago, the Occupied Palestinian Territories erupted in a years-long uprising, which we would come to know as the First Intifada. Those old enough to remember it likely have a few dominant images seared into their memories: stones and Molotov cocktails hurled at soldiers; burning tires; military operations. And at the end of it all, a groundbreaking handshake on the White House lawn between then PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

Today, on the thirtieth anniversary of the First Intifada, it’s time to ask, did we get the story right? This critical reflection is all the more relevant as protests take place across the Occupied Palestinian Territories in the wake of Trump’s recent decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and move the US embassy there.

And the answer is, we did not get it right.

Unlike the imagery we associate with it, the vast majority of the uprising was in fact characterized by incredible, highly effective and sustained grassroots organizing, with even the Israeli army citing 99% of the uprising’s activities in the first 18-months as unarmed.

Most surprising — and most ignored — is the fact that women made up the backbone of the uprising.

A Palestinian Mother’s Fear in East Jerusalem

‫عرض فيلم "نائلة واالنتفاضة" في األمم‬ ‫المتحدة للتركيز على نضال النساء‬ ‫الفلسطينيات‬ 2019 ‫ آذار‬12 ،‫القدس العربي‬

WHY I MARCH IN GAZA

JULIA BACHA, FORBES APR 11, 2013

NICHOLAS KRISTOF JUL 10, 2010

SHIFTING NARRATIVES THROUGH DOCUMENTARY FILM: A CASE STUDY OF ‘BUDRUS’

WAITING FOR GANDHI

FADI ABU SHAMMALAH APR 27, 2018

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INFLUENCING THE CONVERSATION Throughout the years we’ve drawn attention to courageous Palestinian and Israeli organizers and activists through engagements from the UN Headquarters to the Obama White House to the TED stage, through the hardhitting and uncompromising journalism of Local Call, and via far-reaching public engagement campaigns that educate, inform and inspire.

SUHAD BABAA SPEAKS AT OUR NEUROSCIENCE OF STORYTELLING EVENT IN NEW YORK CITY

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THE JUST VISION TEAM ACCEPTING THE PEABODY AWARD FOR MY NEIGHBOURHOOD

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RONIT AVNI AND FORMER BOARD CO-CHAIR REBECCA ABOUCHEDID IN CONVERSATION AT THE OBAMA WHITE HOUSE

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JULIA BACHA AT THE 2016 TEDSUMMIT

OPENING NIGHT AT THE HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH FILM FESTIVAL IN LONDON

SUHAD BABAA AND JAMIE DOBIE OF PEACE IS LOUD AT USIP

IMPACT OF LOCAL CALL COVERAGE OF UMM AL-HIRAN

RULA SALAMEH SPEAKING ABOUT WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP AT UN HEADQUARTERS FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

BILLBOARD IN TEL AVIV FOR THE LIVE STREAMING OF NAILA AND THE UPRISING ON LOCAL CALL THE GAZA PREMIERE OF NAILA AND THE UPRISING

WORLD PREMIERE OF NAILA AND THE UPRISING AT DOC NYC

*Based on research conducted by StrategyOne, which analyzed all English-language media coverage relating to the village of Budrus before and after the film’s release.

A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE JUST VISION TEAM, BOARD AND ADVISORS OVER THE YEARS

JUST VISION TEAM OVER THE YEARS MUNTAHA ABU DAYYEH FADI ABU SHAMMALAH EMMA ALPERT LAYLA ATTIA RONIT AVNI SUHAD BABAA JULIA BACHA SHIRI BARR HANNAH BOSSERT GLENDA COGNEVICH WILL COLAN LYDIA DALLETT JESSICA DEVANEY LEORA GAL NADAV GREENBERG HAITHEM HAMMAD ANA HEEREN ANAT LANGER-GAL HANNAH LAWRENCE HANNAH LOSMAN JOLINE MAKHLOUF RUKAB JEN MARLOWE YAEL MAROM HAGGAI MATAR

LISA MICHENER EVA NAJJAR IRENE NASSER DANIEL NERENBERG ORLY NOY NICHOLAS PETERSON MARIEM QAMRUZZAMAN MERON RAPOPORT ARI REMEZ MEGAN ROLFE MORIEL ROTHMANZECHER ANYA ROUS NAHANNI ROUS RULA SALAMEH ADAM SITTE MATT SOKOLOWSKI JULIANNA TAKACS RUTH TURAEW RAMI YOUNIS LISA ZBAR OREN ZIV

JUST VISION BOARD OVER THE YEARS

ADVISORY COUNCIL

BRADLEY ABELOW DOROTHY ABBOTT REBECCA ABOU-CHEDID RONIT AVNI EDWARD AYOOB SUHAD BABAA SAM BAHOUR MARY ELLEN BENNETT MICKEY BERGMAN RAVIDA DIN ALLISON FINE RUTH FLICKER DEIRDRE HEGARTY MICHAEL HIRSCHHORN DEBORAH KANAFANI STUART LEVI WISSAM NASR JEHANE NOUJAIM ARIADNE PAPAGAPITOS JOAN PLATT JULIA PIMSLEUR JANICE ROUS CHRISTOPHER SCHROEDER HAROON SUGICH HANAN WATSON AHMAD ZUAITER

DR. MOHAMMED ABUNIMER DEANNA ARMBRUSTER GILLIAN CALDWELL SANDI DUBOWSKI HANNA ELIAS RABBI JOSHUA LEVINE GRATER JUDITH HELFAND NED LAZARUS RACHEL LIEL SAMI MICHAEL WISSAM NASR EMAD OMAR ABDERRAHIM (RAHIM) SABIR LUCAS WELCH MARIEKE VAN WOERKOM

Countless talented photographers have helped document the Just Vision story in these pages.

Many thanks to those whose names we could not locate, and to those we could, including: Eileen Barroso, Leda Dederich, Tatyana Gitlits, Ben Kelmer, Esperanza Moreno, Maike Schulz, Emily Smith and Oren Ziv. A special thank you to the many talented cinematographers, editors, producers, animators, musicians, sound technicians, graphic designers and more who helped bring our f ilms to life.

Celebrating f ifteen years of researching, documenting and disseminating the stories of Palestinians and Israelis working to end the occupation and build a future of f reedom, dignity and equality for all.

@JustVisionMedia

JustVision

justvision.org