Anuar

Jewish & Arabs Leadership Group for Promoting Peace and Gender Equality

Following the expectations expressed by many women in various seats of the Women’s Parliament a Jewish-Arab women’s leadership group, Anuar, was formed in April 2002. Anuar is based on the cooperation between Jewish and Arab women with the purpose of advancing social and political issues in general and feminist issues in particular.

Coordinators: Ibtism Mahameed and Yonat Klar

All about Anuar

Anuar’s Aims & Goals

  • To create a framework of acquaintances based on a human-cultural background.
  • To advance women’s goals in the spirit of gender equality.
  • To act for women’s equal rights, Jews and Arab alike, in all aspects of our lives: in the family, the workplace and in politics.
  • To promote current sociopolitical issues, especially issues relating to implementing the rights of the Israeli-Arab minority.

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Highlights of Anuar’s activity between 2002 to 2006

  • 2002 – First weekend in Shefayim – Ways for establishing trust and understanding between the two groups – the Arab and the Jewish.
  • January 2003 – cultural-political-election event was organized in Kalansua with some 350 participants. The panel that consisted of female candidates (in the general elections) presented their commitment, concerning the struggle for peace, equality for the Arab population and the situation of women in both societies.
  • February 2003 – gathering in Ar’ara – a gathering of some 200 participants took place in the Arab village Ar’ara in collaboration with members of “Sister-for women in Israel”. It focused on the discrimination of women in the various sectors: the Jewish, the Muslim, the Christian and the Druz.
  • July 2003 – weekend seminar was organized in Pki’in – Some 85 women gathered. The seminar concentrated on the “Nakba” (the Arabs’ point of view on the Israeli war of independence) and included a documentary film (“1948”), a meeting with the film-maker, Muhamad Bakri, and family stories told by the Arab women. The discussions brought up the silenced suffering of the Arab women and contributed considerably to the knowledge and understanding of the Jewish women about this tragedy.
  • Mutual visits of women from Herzliya and Qalansawe
  • July 2004 – weekend seminar took place in Nazareth. Some 40 women participated and life stories that were told demonstrated the various ways of women to overcome personal, family and professional difficulties in life. One of the outcomes of these moving discussions was the decision to start a new project in Jisser A-Zarka, where much violence is taking place. A few young women from the village, who participated in this seminar, expressed their deep motivation to make a change in the village. Since then a few meetings took place in Jisser A-Zarka between some 15 young women from the village and the leading group of Anuar.
  • Participation in a demonstration for joined activity, Jews-Arabs for peace
  • The meetings and events included social and cultural activities – singing and dancing etc. which contributed to groups’ solidarity and relationships.
  • During 2004 Anuar has organized 3 house meetings, in which Arab and Jewish women (and some men) participated. They took place in Kfar-Saba, Kfar-Kara and Tel-Mond and discussed the following topics: the refugees’ issue, women’s representation in local government, and women in the labor market.
    Also, during 2004, Anuar has expanded in organizational terms. Two women organizations have joined it: The women from Hertzlia (HEN) and “Sister-for women in Israel”. Thus in the monthly meetings women from these two organizations took part regularly.
  • During 2005 extensive activity took place in Jisser A-Zarka. Several committees were formed and started to plan mutual activities, based on the local municipality cooperation. The Women’s Parliament’s session on “Women against Arms” was the highlight of the activity. Some 350 people, women, men and children attended the event and the head of the local municipality expressed his interest in ongoing activities aimed at preventing violence and promoting high-education in the village.
  • 2006 – Second weekend in Nazareth – The movie “The Syrian Bride” with screenwriter Suha Arraf. A women’s circle, In the wake of the last Lebanon war, a meeting which was difficult and emotionally loaded for everyone, but with a lot of goodwill, love, acceptance and a sincere desire to understand one another, in the reality in which we are living.

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Renewing Anuar’s Activities – June 2015

On June (2015) a weekend gathering was organized in Nazereth, in which about 60 women, Jewish and Arab, participated. The main topic of the discussions was “our stereotypes and racism”. Following the successful gathering several plans for future activities were brought up. One of them is breaking the Ramadan fast together, to which every woman contributes a dish.

Arab and Jewish Women’s Meetings and Gathering

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Anuar’s radio program initiative – A partnership of Jewish and Arab women: love and peace – The feminine voice

In October 2015, an initiative was launched, headed by Dr. Rivka Nardi, for producing a radio program, hosted jointly by Jewish and Arab hostesses from the Anuar group.
The episodes recorded in the studios of “Kol Hashalom” radio station, 107.2 FM, and broadcasted between 29.11.2015 to 3.4.2016 (every Sunday at 12:00).
The name of this series of episodes is, “Anuar – A partnership of Jewish and Arab women: love and peace – The feminine voice”.

The theme of the program is that which connects, and that which divides Jews and Arabs in the Israeli reality. The hostesses talked about war and peace, about society and culture, about psychology, family, education and health. The choice to broadcast on the Kol Hashalom radio station was based on the fact that the station suits the mindset and outlook of the Anuar group, which strives to promote social and political issues. We are opposed to the ongoing occupation, and believe in a mutual and fair dialogue for finding a solution that is acceptable to both sides. We believe in the unique voice of women, which calls for peace and welfare. We especially value mutual listening, as well as creating growing and expanding circles of friends, for women of both sectors of the population, with the purpose of bringing them together, eradicating prejudice and developing common activity in the daily life.

Below is a list of radio programs broadcasted by the activity of Anuar:

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