Ameinu Peace and Democracy Fund

The Ameinu Peace and Democracy Fund (APDF) is operated by Ameinu and is overseen by the APDF Committee, Dan Fleshler, Chair.

The APDF was established to reinvigorate and strengthen the mainstream peace camp, proponents of democratic values and liberal Zionism in Israel. The non-partisan APDF will use contributions to fund activities in both Israel and the United States, including, but not limited to, grass roots civil society building, public education, research, polling and get out the vote activities. To donate to the APDF follow this LINK and include “APDF” in the box marked “Designation.”

The APDF builds on long-standing strategic relationships between Ameinu and several prominent Israeli civil society organizations.  Currently Ameinu has strategic partnerships with six dynamic Israeli organizations: Project Rozana, Givat Haviva, NISPED, BINA, YEDID and Dror Israel. Ameinu additionally has extensive contacts with numerous civil society organizations and has assisted where possible with their social and economic justice work. Our goal has been to be supportive of the work being done by these organizations, while also providing unique connections to Israel for Ameinu’s members and activists.

Below are descriptions of Ameinu’s current strategic partners.  This work continues and is also provided as examples of the type of organizations in the region that may be supported through the grants work of the APDF.

Project Rozana

Project Rozana was founded in 2013 as a multi-faith, international initiative that raises funds to build health capacity in the West Bank and Gaza – a critical aspect of infrastructure for a future state of Palestine – as well as provide treatment in Israel for critically ill Palestinian children when proper care is not available in their own communities.

Ameinu has decided to join this effort, with an emphasis on raising funds and building partnerships to invest in training of Palestinian doctors, nurses and therapists as well infrastructure initiatives, including building a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in Ramallah.  Medical institutions already involved on the ground include Hadassah Hospital, Wolfson Hospital, the Save a Child’s Heart organization and the St. Johns Eye Hospital in East Jerusalem.

Synagogues, churches, organizations and individuals that would like to get involved with this effort can contact Ameinu.

Givat Haviva

Since 1949 Givat Haviva has worked on a “Shared Society” agenda for Israeli Jews and Arabs promoting mutual responsibility, civic equality and cooperation between divided groups in Israel as the foundation for building a shared future and shared society – critical elements of a sustainable and thriving Israeli democracy. To this end, Givat Haviva serves as a catalyst in activating divided communities to work together towards achieving their common goals, while engaging in a process of interaction, support and empowerment.  This is done through facilitating cross-community projects; leading training and capacity building activities; convening seminars, workshops and conferences to cultivate concrete ideas that foster change; and translating these ideas into action. A leader in its field, Givat Haviva was awarded the UNESCO Prize for Peace Education in 2001 for its longstanding work in promoting Jewish-Arab dialogue and reconciliation.

NISPED

The Negev Instititute for Strategies of Peace and Economic Development (NISPED) is a non-profit association which promotes peace and development, focusing on the centrality of the civil society. Founded in 1998, NISPED conducts courses, seminars and workshops for leaders, activists and trainers drawn from relevant civil society and governmental bodies; it engages in the initiation, planning, guidance and implementation of concrete projects; offers consultancy services to public and private institutions in Israel and abroad. It also acts as a facilitator in networking between groups with similar interests and agendas.

BINA

BINA, which means wisdom in Hebrew, is called in English “The Center for Jewish Identity and Hebrew Culture.  Founded in1996, BINA is a vibrant center for the Jewish notion of repairing the world.  It provides innovative programs for young adults focusing on Jewish study, social action and social justice and community and leadership training.  BINA helps students understand their Jewish roles as citizens and leaders of Israeli society and the Jewish people, inspires a lifelong appreciation of textual study and a heightened sense of social justice and expresses these values as essential to a compassionate, humanist national ethos, which is both Jewish and Israeli.

YEDID

YEDID (“friend” in Hebrew) was established in 1997 to promote social justice in Israel by operating Citizen Rights Centers in poor communities around the country. Now operating 20 Centers and Satellite offices, YEDID is changing the face of Israeli society by empowering individuals and communities to break the cycle of poverty in economically disadvantaged and disenfranchised areas. YEDID actively promotes the values of human dignity, individual and communal responsibility, equality, social action, voluntarism and tolerance in a multicultural society.

Dror Israel

Dror Israel is a Zionist educational movement established by the graduates of the HaNoar HaOved VeHaLomed youth movement. Currently numbering 1,200 young men and women, the members of Dror Israel have chosen to live according to the values of equality, peace, volunteerism and Tikkun Olam. They have established educators’ kibbutzim located throughout Israel’s socio-geographic periphery, develop and run educational programs and guide and teach in a variety of formal and informal educational frameworks to engage and empower over 100,000 vulnerable children and youth through its expansive and varied programs.

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