WP Session 2011
Multiculturalism or Conflicting Cultures? Education and Gender in a Society of Immigrants
The third session took place in Kiryat Gat in July and was hosted by Ya’akov Iframov, vice mayor of Kiryat Gat. Hillary Olsin-Windeker, an advisor of the American embassy in Israel on press and culture was the guest of honor. The event was organized with the cooperation of Shulamit Sahalo, vice mayor and head of the women’s division and Mazal Snir, head of the health and women’s departments. The latter convened the event and the speakers were: MP Alex Miller (head of sports committee in the Knesset), Gila Klein and Shulamit Sahalo. A stand-up show was performed by “Fatma” when the discussion was over.
Several issues, concerning the “melting pot” of divergent migrant-groups that live in Kiryat Gat, and their reflection in the education system came up in the discussion. The spreading of racism toward the Ethiopian immigrants’ children and of violent incidents in schools were emphasized and criticized. Two possible explanations were suggested in the discussion for the worsening situation: poor education at home or in school and a discriminating policy, hiding behind cultural explanations. Mother-activists in the audience expressed their expectations from teachers to be more decisive and exert “teacher’s authority”. Teachers expressed their expectation from parents to encourage their children’s respect to them.
WP Session 2007
Women Immigrants – a Feminist Perspective of their Integration in Israel
The sixth session of 2007 took place in June in Rechovot. It was organized with Mara Knebel the vice mayor and the Women’s Forum for advancing women and was hosted by the Shuki Forer, the mayor. Dr. Varda Diamant-Granot convened the discussion and the panelists were: Tatian Perverov, Mali Nagusa, Shoshana Ashual, Prof. Yaffa Berlovitz and Dr. Esther Hertzog.
This event conveyed the warm support for women immigrants from divergent origins. “Let’s believe”, a song that was written by Dr. Varda Diamant Granot was sung by Ethiopian and Russian women’s choirs in Amharic, Russian and Hebrew and also sung by Varda and the mayor in Idish. Testimonies of first years’ difficulties as well as successes in the integration processes, were presented by “veteran-new comers” from Ethiopia, Russia and Yemen. Stories about the immigrants’ harsh conditions in the Yishuv period and their impressive struggle to obtain equal rights, emphasized the fact that women were involved in the struggle for their recognition, status and rights from early times of statehood. The critical analysis of the bureaucratic absorption policy, in Israel that was also discussed, used the case of the absorption practices toward the Ethiopian women as an example.