THE MANY FACES OF SOCIAL JUSTICE: A SMALL SAMPLING

By Rebecca Grossman, Program Director, The David H. Sonabend Center for Israel

In our quest to understand social justice activity in Israel, the TAMUZ team decided to survey a variety of organizations working on this issue. The results are broad, and touch many areas and aspects of society. We asked each organization different questions, to better understand their work. Let’s take a look!

Assaf

ASSAF is an aid organization for refugees and asylum seekers in Israel. Approximately 38,000 asylum seekers and children of asylum seekers are currently living in Israel, most from Eritrea and Sudan. Refugees and asylum seekers deal with daily realities stemming from the strife from which they escaped, coupled with the difficulties of life without legal status in a foreign country. This lack of status leaves them to survive without work permits, and denied access to health and social services. ASSAF, together with partner organizations, is also working to change the situation for Ukrainian refugees and expand their protection in Israel.

ASSAF is a nonprofit organization whose activities are based on donations and volunteering. The organization's staff consists of about 21 salaried employees and about 80 dedicated volunteers who are involved in various projects.

What are the most significant challenges asylum seekers face, and how does ASSAF assist them?

ASSAF is the leading human rights organization in Israel that protects and supports refugees out of a belief in the historical commitment of Israeli society towards refugees. ASSAF has been operating since 2007 on two main levels: providing psychosocial assistance and support to asylum seekers, and promoting the protection of this population’s rights by raising public awareness and promoting favorable policy change.

Support, care, and assistance to the community. Most

of those

Who

turn to ASSAF come from the most vulnerable groups within the asylum seeker population: youth and minors, torture survivors, people with physical and mental disabilities, the sick, the elderly, singleparent families, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and victims of gender-based violence. ASSAF runs various projects to support those who contact us, empower them, and make services accessible to them, including: community reception and the advocacy and support center, the youth club, survivors of torture support project, assistance for asylum seekers with disabilities, support for the vulnerable, humanitarian aid, and more. The methods of intervention are multi-systemic and include support calls and individual treatment, treatment of support groups, improving rights accessibility, humanitarian assistance, advocacy, and others.

Advocacy and policy change. Along with the direct assistance provided to refugees and asylum seekers, ASSAF works to change policy and promote rights for refugees and asylum seekers in front of government ministries, the Knesset, and local authorities. ASSAF publishes studies documenting what the asylum seeker community is currently experiencing, and writes programs and position papers promoting appropriate solutions and responses.

ASSAF believes that only through a combination of two levels of activity— psychosocial care and policy change—can the many obstacles that stand in the way of the refugees be overcome, bringing closer the day when they will be able to exercise their right to asylum.

Learn more about ASSAF here