Women’s Rights Projects

New Israel Fund founded most of Israel's women's rights organizations and networks, dating back to our establishment of Israel's first Rape Crisis Center network more than twenty years ago.  NIF has achieved landmark legislation, including the Equal Employment Opportunity law, and precedent-setting court rulings.  Our programs empowering economically disadvantaged women are in place in inner cities, development towns and unrecognized Bedouin villages. Take a look at some examples of NIFC’s ongoing work empowering women in Israel.

Kolech

Kolech (the Israeli Religious Women's Forum), was founded in 1998 to promote the inclusion of women in communal, scholarly and public life; to improve the dignity, opportunities and well-being of women within the Orthodox Jewish community; and to prevent abuse and violence against women. Kolech promotes its goals through discussions, leadership development for religious Jewish women, and social programs that operate within the framework of Jewish religious law.

In 2012 NIFC is working with Kolech on a number of initiatives including a mentoring project that links participants representing a range of Jewish communities within the Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox sectors with mentors. Kolech recruits mentors who have demonstrated strong women’s leadership abilities within the religious community to provide practical and emotional support and guidance to the women as they develop and implement their own community service projects.

SHATIL - Community Organizing for Bedouin Women

Shatil (seedling in Hebrew) a program of NIF is the leading capacity-building organization in Israel’s voluntary NGO sector. Shatil has extensive experience working with Israel’s Bedouin population and has implemented NIFC activities in this region in the past. Notwithstanding previous efforts, there is still a need to continue to strengthen Bedouin women's organizations and Bedouin women themselves. Bedouin women’s organizations and other organizations that work with Bedouin women in the Negev have made great strides in governance and input, but still need assistance to function ptimally.

In 2012 SHATIL is working with a number of Bedouin women’s organizations to help nurturing boards and memberships of Bedouin women’s organizations and organizations that work with Bedouin women in the Negev as well as continuing to promote Bedouin women’s involvement in their communities.