01/08/2017

Zazim (a campaigning community for social and political change) has seen huge growth since it launched over a year ago: It now boasts over 40,000 active members, and aims to reach as many as 80,000 (roughly 1% of the population of Israel) by the end of the year. Guided by the experience of other members of OPEN (Online Progressive Engagement ​Network) such as 38 Degrees, we know that mobilising this percentage of progressive activists is key to achieve critical victories on the issues that are important to us.

Their work in community-and-list-building is strategic, aimed at bringing together a base of people who are committed to shared values and action. They have been able to recruit members who join campaigns across a variety of issues (not just the ones closest to their hearts), contribute financially to these campaigns (100,000+ shekels from grassroots donors so far this year), and feel a sense of ownership over the community.

It really shows how this organisation – an initiative incubated by NIF, with the support of our donors and as part of our New Initiatives for Democracy movement that was needed in the progressive landscape in Israel – has come to be an essential voice for so many Israelis.

Zazim won one of our 2016 Human Rights Awards – watch a video about them below: