Dear friend,

I hope you and your family enjoyed the high holiday period and are having a happy and healthy start to the New Year. 

This month’s featured highlights include Palestinian-led and Shatil supported initiatives to mobilise business and technology to reduce crime in Arab communities; solidarity with Palestinians facing outrageous violent attacks; and securing NIS 650 million additional investment in health care for underserved populations.

Many of these highlights demonstrate the power of coalitions nurtured by Shatil and collaboration between NIF grantees, reiterating the greater impact that can be achieved with investment across Israel’s Civil Society through your generous support of NIF.

Whilst we remain cautious about the extent of change emerging from the current Israeli government, one cause for some optimism was the participation of a governing party MK in the solidarity protests for Palestinian victims of settler violence.

Some additional encouraging developments delivered by NIF and our partners:

• Combating gender discrimination with a victory for Israeli Women’s Network and Tmura-The Israel Antidiscrimination Legal Center.
• Shatil’s Center for Policy Change (CPC) held their Opening for Change two-day training conference to assist social change groups in influencing Israel’s new government. Over 120 activists attended the hybrid event which featured CPC experts, civil society leaders, and former politicians and government officials.
• Expanding access to public housing: the Housing and Construction Ministry released a plan for housing for disadvantaged populations including the purchase of 1,700 new apartments for public housing by 2023. This followed a campaign led by the Shatil incubated Public Housing Forum. In Tel Aviv, the District Court ruled that the Ministry of Housing must determine specific, transparent criteria for housing subsidies and public housing placement. The petition was brought by ACRI, with involvement from the Public Housing Forum.

Please join us to recognise our Human Rights Awardees and celebrate with our growing community committed to Israel and concerned for Israel to fulfil its founding vision of “liberty, justice, and peace taught by the Hebrew Prophets” and to “uphold the full social and political equality of all its citizens, without distinction of race, creed, or sex … guarantee full freedom of conscience, worship, education, and culture … and dedicate itself to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.”

Thank you for your continued support.

Warmest wishes,

David

	Hackathon Seeks to Hack Crime in Israel’s Arab Communities A movement of Palestinian citizens of Israel, facilitated by our Human Rights Award Winners Shatil, are using technology to combat the growing violence in Israel’s Arab communities. Click to learn more
Hundreds protest Settler Violence and Lack of Water in Hebron Hills Hundreds of Israelis came to the South Hebron Hills last weekend to protest settler violence and stand in solidarity with the Palestinian villagers in the region. Click to learn more
	Leave a Legacy to the New Israel Fund NIF are excited to offer a free will writing service during the months of November and December. We would love to get even more of our dedicated supporters on board to create an equal Israel for future generations. Click to learn more
Health Ministry Allocates Additional 650 Million Shekels for Arab Community’s Health After years of campaigns for improved health services in Arab communities, the Minister of Health announced an additional 650 million shekels to the Arab health sector. Click to learn more

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