A New York Times story published on January 9 highlights the growing inclusion of Israeli Arabs in the tech industry and job market in Israel.'Israel, with a population of about eight million, has long been a global leader in high technology. But the country's Palestinian Arab minority, which makes up about a fifth of the population and includes the Bedouins of the arid south, one of the poorest and most neglected sectors of Israeli society, has been largely left out,' the piece said, setting the context for the increasing numbers now being employed in Israel.But what you may not know is that JDC - in partnership with the Israeli government, local NGOs, and Israeli Arab leaders - created the pilot program, Excel HT, that was developed to enable Arab programmers, engineers, and graduates in high tech to become part of Israel's rapidly growing tech space.
As Israelis continue to face increasing terror attacks, Prof. Yossi Tamir, JDC's Israel Regional Director, sent the following dispatch on JDC's role in addressing the tensions and fears among Israelis at this time of uncertainty and violence: 'Israel is yet again going through a difficult time.
Earlier this month, we shared the launch of GuideStar Israel, a comprehensive database and resource on the 30,000 registered charities in Israel realized by JDC, the Israeli Ministry of Justice, and Yad Hanadiv (The Rothschild Foundation). NP Tech (established by JDC and Yad Hanadiv), the operating organization behind GuideStar Israel, helps these non-profit organizations further their missions by making information and communication technology more accessible to them. That means helping NGOs use comms and info tech tools to fundraise, mobilize volunteers, focus the public debate on specific issues, and more.
We recently received some encouraging news from Taub, a research institute that studies and makes recommendations concerning Israel’s social policy. One finding: increasing numbers of Israeli women are entering the workforce and procuring gainful employment to help support their families. Among the most important factors contributing to this positive change is an increase in access to education, which is making it easier for more women to pursue university degrees. Other explanations for this improvement include more accessible/affordable child care, anti-discrimination laws, subsidized maternity leave, and the expansion of Israel’s service sector.
As communities the world over commemorate the Holocaust, JDC’s 21 Jewish Service Corps (JSC) fellows—currently serving in year-long volunteer positions in Belarus, Ethiopia, Germany, India, Israel, Rwanda, Slovakia, Turkey, and Ukraine—connected in Jerusalem for a week-long seminar to share their overseas experiences. This morning, following a poignant period of silence outside JDC’s Jerusalem office, the fellows memorialized the 6 million murdered Jews by gathering on the Givat Ram campus of Hebrew University to recite kaddish and participate in a peer-led discussion on JDC’s renewal work in communities with dark histories.
It’s not every day women are celebrated for their contributions around the globe—but it is at least once a year. International Women’s Day, celebrated today and every 8th of March since 1911, is the perfect opportunity to showcase JDC’s Eshet Chayil program, one of dozens of JDC projects empowering women worldwide. First piloted in Israel in 1994 and currently part of JDC’s cutting-edge TEVET employment initiative with the Government of Israel, Eshet Chayil orients immigrant women from Ethiopia, the former Soviet Union, and beyond to the Israeli workplace, helps them acquire job readiness, and teaches them to harness the power of networking to successfully enter—and advance in—the working world. Happy International Women’s Day!
