| Don't be silent
At two in the morning on Sunday, October 2, overcome with drowsiness, I was standing in the security line at Ben-Gurion Airport, on my way to Switzerland on a regular trip to meet with a client.
Parents complain that the Ministry of Education is making it difficult for children with special needs to integrate into the educational system
Three-year-old twins, Gilad and Daniel Evan, will go to a regular kindergarten this year, which is no easy matter for their mother, Dalia. Since they are both autistic, they have thus far attended a special kindergarten.
Finance Ministry will not give budget for activities for tens of thousands of the disabled
The accountant general's office at the Finance Ministry has decided not to transfer to community centers nationwide 2.5 million shekels for social activities for the handicapped.
We ask for forgiveness
Our forefathers decreed that Yom Kippur allows a person to repent for transgressing the laws that govern the relationship between man and God, not the laws that govern the relationship between man and man.
What can the disabled do during Sukkoth?
There are about 500,000 disabled people living in Israel , 200,000 of whom are severely disabled. Dozens of celebrations, large and official, small and intimate, are held in Israel throughout the days of Sukkoth, known as the holiday of festivals.
Prosecution witness retracts statement in court: The Shin Bet forced me to implicate Fahima
Another prosecution witness in the Tali Fahima case, who was declared a hostile witness during his testimony before the Tel Aviv District Court, claimed that he was forced by a Shin Bet interrogator named Susiya to make a statement incriminating Fahima.
The commander forcibly shaved my beard
After receiving an exemption from military service several times as a graduate of a yeshiva, Mordechai, 21, forgot to go through the usual process and was arrested on charges of evading military service.
The humanitarian struggle of “a very curious woman”
Tali Fahima entered prison about 15 months ago, spending most of that time in solitary confinement. The state authorities that put her there have portrayed her as an “enemy of the state” to prevent any public criticism of her arrest.
Recognize those who serve you
Back when I was a student long ago, there was a very small room at the end of a hall. Inside it was an old chair and a small table on which sat the Book of Psalms, in addition to a broom and cloth for washing the floor, whose rotten smell overcame you whenever you approached it. There was a sign on the door which read, “School servant.”
“We work in security because nobody wants an Ethiopian lawyer”
More than 2,500 student of Ethiopian origin studied in academic institutions in Israel last year, but this figure does nothing to cheer up the Ethiopian sector because the students who do finish their studies are unable to access the job market. As a result, there are social workers working as sales girls and lawyers working as security guards.
A personal testimony from the courtroom during the most recent hearing
In June 2003, Finance Minister Benyamin Netanyahu decided to revive Israel’s deteriorating economy and came up with a fascinating idea: He would change the social situation in Israel. How? By sacrificing the most expendable sector, the weakest sector in Israel as far as he was concerned—the segment that receives welfare benefits.
An innocent question: Why should there be a poverty line?
As is the case every year, as Rosh Hashanah approached we found ourselves besieged by advertisements asking us to donate food to families with limited incomes.
Justice in numbers
Between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we want to write about some of the things we believe should be part of the process of self-reckoning and soul-searching.
A law that entrenches discrimination
Three years ago, Yedid* called for a school-lunch law that would guarantee a hot meal for every child in the Israeli educational system
Request to prohibit Prison Authority from releasing personal information about Tali Fahima
Last Thursday, September 15, 2005, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) submitted an objection on behalf of Tali Fahima to the High Court of Justice
Netanya: Homeowner refuses to rent apartment to Ethiopian couple
“The neighbors asked me not to rent to Ethiopians because they bring down property values. You’re a nice couple, but I don’t want to cause problems with the neighbors,” said the owner of a home in Netanya, in response to the inquiries of an area resident of Ethiopian origin who wanted to rent the apartment for herself and her husband
Oh judges, have mercy
The orthodox religious establishment exercises virtually complete control of religious services provided in Israel. This absolute control goes back to the early days of the state, when David Ben-Gurion made agreements with representatives of religious parties who were concerned about the religious nature of the infant state
IDF prohibits Peace Now demonstration in Hebron
Peace Now made plans for a demonstration today in downtown Hebron under the slogan, “The next evacuation is coming soon to Hebron,” but the group has not yet received a permit for the demonstration or an official refusal
Most complaints about excessive use of force are not investigated
The State Comptroller’s Report enumerates a series of failures in the functioning of the Police Investigations Department, a unit of Justice Ministry responsible for handling complaints about improper conduct by Israel Police officers.
The humiliation continues
On the gates of the Or Avner School in Or Yehuda, a colorful banner was hung welcoming the new Ethiopian students. The pressure exercised by the State Comptroller, the Education Ministry, and Knesset members bore fruit and forced the city’s mayor, Yitzhak Bokovza, to allow 42 Ethiopian students into the city’s schools
Neoliberal cruelty
Vicky Knafo’s* struggle triggered a spontaneous movement in society. She struggled without the help of media consultants, staged a march, and protested the socioeconomic policies of the neoliberal economists who have taken control of the terms of public discourse
“Real Jews hate Israel ”
Morris Motamed, the leader of Iran 's Jewish community, participated in the anti-Zionist rally organized for Jerusalem Day (October 28). He said that all real Jews, and believers in the Lord and the prophet Moses, hate Israel because of the Zionist regime's “brutal conduct.”
Are there gifted Ethiopians? Not here
Twenty years after the major wave of migration from Ethiopia there are still big gaps between the level of students of Ethiopian origin and other students in the state educational system.
Four Ethiopians in Ramat Hasharon
According to these statistics there are 88 Ethiopians living in Herzliya, 14 in Raanana, and in Tel Aviv, population 460,000, there are only 121 Ethiopians. In Modein—a small city full of available housing—there are only six Ethiopians; in Ramat Hasharon there is one family of four Ethiopians; and in Hod Hasharon there are 70 Ethiopians
Lev Leviev educational network prefers Bukhari students to Ethiopians
The 42 Ethiopian children who were refused admission to local schools by Or Yehuda Mayor Yitzhak Bokovza were finally registered yesterday.
Grandmother wants custody of her orphaned grandson; the state says it sidesteps the Law of Return
The Population Registry and the State Prosecutor have refused to allow a grandmother to take custody of her orphaned grandson, even though the Child Association, which is in charge of his adoption file, decided that “it is in the child’s best interest to be adopted by his grandfather and grandmother, or else his fate will be to remain in orphanages in Russia.”
Six-month prison sentence for teacher Erez Tzivoni who abuses an autistic student
The Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court sentenced a math teacher in the Dekalim School to six months in prison for mistreating a disabled person and aggravated assault against an autistic student of his.
It’s not the bouncer’s fault
Violent incidents in bars were seen again last week, and once more, newspaper headlines stressed the bouncers’ responsibility to be selective
Disabled children not attending kindergarten due to lack of transportation funds
Dozens of deaf and blind children with rare birth defects will not begin the new school year due to lack of transportation funds, even though they have a legal right to transportation to and from rehabilitation centers and even though a District Court judge ordered the authorities to provide this service to the children
Investigation of discrimination against students in ultra-orthodox schools
The Justice Ministry has promised to end ethnic discrimination in ultra-orthodox educational institutions. For years, parents have complained about discrimination to the Ministry of Justice rather than the Ministry of Education, arguing that it is a violation of the children’s rights law
UN envoy: Human rights organizations in Israel enjoy freedom
In a press conference held in East Jerusalem to mark the end of her visit to Israel and the territories, Hina Gilani, a special envoy appointed by the UN secretary-general to examine the status of human rights advocates, said yesterday that human rights’ activists in Israel enjoy freedom of action. Nevertheless, she added that the situation is worse for minority rights
Wage discrimination against Ethiopian clerics
Seventeen Ethiopian keses and rabbis wrote this week to the Prime Minister’s Office, which has been in charge of religious services since the Religious Affairs Ministry was disbanded, demanding that their wages be made equal to the wages of rabbis who are not of Ethiopian origin.
They’re still outside
The protest over Luna Park’s refusal to admit disabled children in Tel Aviv was so intense that it was crowned with a victory: Luna Park will admit disabled children, but will restrict their access to certain rides.
We don’t want secular neighbors
During a government meeting, Housing Ministry officials said that religious families slated be moved to Nitzan asked that secular Jews be prevented from living there because they may offend religious sensibilities
Termites attack the homes of immigrants
New immigrants that bought homes in Ofakim complain of termite infestation. They say the houses have begun to fall apart in recent years because of it
Go complain to the police
A teenage boy arrived at the central bus station in Tel Aviv last Friday afternoon, pulled a knife and tried to stick up a kiosk. The policemen who arrived on the scene treated him with kid gloves
Tel Aviv daycare director suspected of banging toddler’s head against a mattress
For the second time in recent months, the director of a daycare center is being charged with abusing the children under her care
Cuts in Welfare Ministry budget will hurt the poor
Deputy Minister of Welfare Avraham Ravitz received assurances from the Finance Ministry that his ministry’s budget would not be cut in 2006, but he learned yesterday that the new budget proposes a NIS52 million cut in the ministry’s budget. Sources at the ministry say the cuts will directly harm many vital social services
Ethiopian parents of suicides: It’s time to wake up
Two months after the first conference was held to discuss the future of Ethiopian young people in Israel, Ethiopian community leaders gathered yesterday to address the crisis facing young Ethiopians
What does it mean to be black on the outside?
On Thursday, at 1 am, I went to the Allenby 40 Club in Tel Aviv. I went in jeans and a new knit shirt, exuding clouds of cologne, and wearing sports shoes to show that I was there to have fun
The nanny hits and the camera records
Abuse at a nursery: The head of a nursery in Netanya has been accused of abusing infants aged nine months to one year. The woman allegedly force fed the infants, made them eat sand, and dragged them. Video cameras filmed the abuse.
Salary does not mirror level of education
When two native Israelis meet, it is customary for each one to judge the other based on several factors, including place of residence.
Apartheid in public religious education
A few days ago, the new school year started, and, bursting with happiness, I intended to write a positive article here. In the first paragraph, I intended to praise the fact that this year we had heard no prominent religious figures explaining to us why Ethiopian students could not attend their schools.
MK Eitan calls for the prosecution of policemen for illegal use of handcuffs
Tax inspectors yesterday handcuffed defendants accused of extortion as they were led into court for a bail hearing. Their photos were also published in the media.
Children without an identity ( Part - 1 )
Wubit Wubalem was only 22 when she sought an amicable separation from her partner Alamu Asiyase. She invited him to dinner on Saturday
Children without an identity ( Part - 2 )
Mamu, 56, immigrated to Israel eight years ago with his wife and eight children. After staying in an absorption center in the north for a while, the family bought a nice four-room apartment in an upscale neighborhood in central Israel
Lieberman's brilliant idea
…The same dream team that brought us “two banks to the Jordan river ” had no idea that its ideology would be kidnapped by religious leaders that fear no God
Israeli society is violent and that violence has reached the children
During a presentation Monday to discuss the incident in which two six-year-old boys attacked a female classmate in class, cutting her nipple, Dr. Yitzhak Kadman, the head of the National Council for the Child, said, “We are not paying attention to the kinds of messages we are sending our children, and then we are shocked that first-graders do such things
Some schools cancel trips to Luna Park; Matnasim and IDF disabled veterans call for a boycott
A group of children and young people who had planned a trip to Tel Aviv's Luna Park is the first group to cancel the trip to protest the amusement park's refusal to allow disabled children to enter
The colors of love
For many years they were a strange phenomenon in the reality of adoption in Israel: healthy, intelligent, pleasant children whose only “crime” was that they were born dark skinned
Workers at Superland: The management violates wage laws and exploits workers
Yesterday former and current workers for the Superland amusement park told Haaretz that the park's management does not pay overtime or additional pay for work on holidays and Saturday, nor does it offer severance pay
Settlers earn double the minimum wage and more than the average wage
Settlers earn higher than average wages and twice the minimum wage, according to a report prepared by economist Etai Shurtz, a member of the Adva Center .
Study: Families that receive welfare benefits are more prone to illness and eat less
Families that receive welfare benefits suffer from more health problems than the rest of the population. They live in homes that lack proper maintenance and also suffer from malnutrition
75% of patients who need to stay in intensive care units cannot find a place
A majority of patients with serious illnesses who need to be hospitalized in public intensive care units (about 75%) cannot find a place due to an ongoing shortage of beds. Only intensive care units offer medical care along with intensive, specialized nursing
Increasing violence in our lives
Increasing, rampant violence in high schools—and even elementary schools—is no longer surprising. Children bring sharp objects, knives, and switchblades in their school bags, as wells as licensed guns belonging to their fathers or brothers and stolen from home.
In violation of Section 5
The drama can be summed up in a single sentence: What began as an ordinary story of removing a child from his mother's care and giving him up for adoption—a human tragedy in any event—has evolved into a legal issue that embodies all the complexities of an Israeli society that has been transformed by the wave of immigration from the former Soviet Union
Proposal to review immigration visas
MK Yitzhak Cohen (Shas) is busy these days with a bill that would require a review of all immigration visas issued in the last ten years.
Breaking the glass ceiling
The Israel Bar Association recently called on its members to hire law students of Ethiopian origin. This is the first initiative by a private body to assist Israelis of Ethiopian origin to enter a profession considered prestigious and desirable.
Family members of Jewish converts do not have the right to immigrate to Israel
The Law of Return—which grants Israeli citizenship and immigrant status in Israel —does not differentiate between those born Jews and those who have chosen to voluntarily become a part of the Jewish people by converting. Tali Fahima declares: “The Shin Bet is a terrorist organization” Since her arrest Tali Fahima has not been allowed to give interviews to the press. She spent nine months in administrative detention, part of which was in solitary confinement. “ Boycott Luna Park ” The disabled file a complaint with the police against Luna Park and Superland after it was announced that disabled children are prohibited entry to the amusement parks Rights of cleaners at ministries violated Over the past four months a group of law students from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem have been trying to document the work conditions of persons employed by cleaning subcontractors to service government ministries and public authorities in Jerusalem The state saves NIS800 at the expense of a disabled woman For more than a year and a half, the bureaucracy at the Health Ministry and the Transport Ministry has been a heavy burden on the disabled seeking exemptions from car licensing fees—there are appeals committees, harassments, forms, and letters A boy from a good home It seems our ancient tongue has unintentionally acquired some new phrases that subvert the real meaning of the words. There are many phrases said in various contexts that actually do change the simple meaning of the words National Insurance will continue with humiliating tests for the elderly Many senior citizens whose applications for welfare benefits from National Insurance were rejected can breathe a little more easily. Dr. Ilan Pappe: The Sephardim are Arab Jews Dr. Ilan Pappe has managed to anger many Israelis because of his critical view of Zionism and because of the role he played in the academic boycott imposed on Haifa University , where he teaches. Hamodia opposes Russian immigration Following the wave of violence that has recently shaken the country, the ultra-orthodox Hamodia decided to point the finger at one segment of the population: non-Jewish immigrants from Russia . The Education Ministry prefers to lay off immigrant teachers The teachers' union and the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption claim that the Ministry of Education prefers to lay off immigrant teachers because they cost more. Luna Park and Superland bar the entry of disabled children The Luna Park administration has decided to ban disabled children from entering its facilities. This means that disabled children attending the summer camp run by the Israel Foundation for Handicapped Children (ILAN) will not be able to enter Luna Park in Tel Aviv or Superland in Rishon Lezion Employees at nuclear reactors demand compensation Today, the Tel Aviv District Court is hearing 11 lawsuits filed by employees at the Dimona and Nahal Sorek nuclear reactors against their places of work. The plaintiffs say that during the course of their jobs, they were exposed to hazardous materials that gave them cancer. Residents of Kiryat Moshe dream of equality, fear a new generation controlled by crime The neighborhood of Kiryat Moshe, in southern Rehovot, was established in 1948, and is now the area where most Ethiopians in the city live. The first residents of the neighborhood were Holocaust survivors and immigrants from North Africa Abuse from the National Insurance Institute I was summoned by the National Insurance Institute at the end of 2004 so that Yair's medical condition could be re-examined (based on their request and according to their own standards). Weak marks in ethics Recently Haaretz readers learned that in Israel in 2005, dozens of people are detained for treatment in psychiatric hospitals with no medical need Ethiopians live in one neighborhood and social workers find it difficult to help them About 7,000 Ethiopian immigrants currently live in Rehovot. There are more only in Ashdod and Netanya. Journalist Ayano Parda-Sentabo has been following the lives of Ethiopian youth in Rehovot neighborhoods for years Haifa police chief: We need to screen immigrants After it was revealed that the man suspected of killing four people in Haifa had been arrested, Haifa police chief, Col. Nir Mariash told Ynet, “I mmigrants to Israel include the sick, homeless, and alcoholics Unfair working conditions for Knesset waiters While MKs are talking to the media about helping waiters and cashiers, claiming they work in sub-par conditions, it is becoming clear that conditions for Knesset waiters are not much better On the kidnapping of an ultra-orthodox youth: The police will demand that the Attorney General issue special order to investigate Rabbi Amar The police intend to ask Attorney General Mani Mazuz to obtain a special permit to investigate Israel 's Chief Sephardic Rabbi, Shlomo Amar. The rabbi is currently visiting Thailand , and is expected to return to Israel on Tuesday May 5, 2005 Percentage of laid-off immigrant teachers in the South higher than the overall percentage; MK Solodkin suspects that the problem is due to ethnic considerations Despite promises from Education Ministry director general Ronit Tirosh to try to avoid firing new immigrant teachers, a review of the facts indicates that in southern cities, where there are large immigrant populations, the proportion of immigrants among the teachers fired is disproportionately large. Rishon Lezion nursery school teacher charged with abusing a young girl An indictment against a teacher was submitted to the Rishon Lezion Magistrates' Court today, charging her with child abuse A study finds a decline in personal security and a lack of trust in the police A study published by the College of Management and published today revealed that 34% of Israelis feel that the last year witnessed a decline in their sense of personal security. The police and immigrants: A breakdown in communication “They started beating me up, handcuffed me and continued beating. When I fell they lifted me, put me up against the police car and continued hitting me 37 people die in medical trials From the State Comptroller's report: Among the alarming findings in the State Comptroller's report on the health sector are reports of 37 deaths that occurred in 27 medical trials conducted in 2003 NII: Budget cuts have made Israel poorer Recent budget cuts have reduced social expenditures in Israel to such level as to make them among the lowest in western countries, while the parallel income tax reforms have benefited the wealthy primarily, leading to one of the largest social gaps in the West, according to the National Insurance Institute's annual research report released yesterday Police ignore handcuff law Early this month Hebron police arrested two 12-year-old Jewish girls because they were throwing bags of water at a Palestinian house. Late at night, they were taken from their homes to the police station, with their hands cuffed MK Porush demands conversion census With a majority of seven, an 11-justice panel headed by High Court Chief Justice Aharon Barak ruled that the Law of Return will apply to people who have converted to Reform or Conservative Judaism outside of Israel “The police beat me for no reason and called me a kushi ” Suspicions over a serious incidence of racist violence: Nir Dasta, a 23-year-old of Ethiopian origin who lives in Afula, says that some undercover policemen beat him severely after they demanded to search the car he was in with two friends Psychometric exam keeps Ethiopians out of prestigious departments The Hebrew University in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv University are closing their doors to Ethiopian students, especially those wishing to study in prestigious programs, Ethiopian activists and university graduates say. The daughter serves in the IDF but the Ministry of Interior wants to deport her mother Despite the government's decision to grant the parents of soldiers legal status in the country, the Ministry of Interior has decided to deport the mother of two Israeli citizens, one of whom served in the IDF while the other is currently serving New ad campaign reads: “Blacks not allowed” Many Israeli citizens were astonished today when they saw a billboard proclaiming, “Blacks not allowed,” next to which there was a picture of the Alps An experiment at the recruitment center: special assignment for Ethiopians Affirmative action in the Israeli army: Soldiers from the Ethiopian community will receive special assignments at the army induction center, to place them in leadership positions and combat support specializations 1.4 million poor people disagree with Netanyahu To what extent does the economic situation coincide with the positive statistics released by Finance Minister Netanyahu yesterday (April 10)? According to statistics recently published by the Social Security Authority, the Employment Office, and several other socioeconomic organizations, the economic situation of many citizens has deteriorated in the past two years. We must free the slave Like every year, these days we are witnessing a festival of charity on the occasion of Passover. Various charitable organizations and associations are calling on us to open our hearts and our pockets to help poor families celebrate this blessed holiday Growth is good, if you're rich Economic growth is an essential condition for improving the welfare of the residents of the state, but it is not the only condition. Graffiti condemning Dan Halutz in his own neighborhood This morning, Activists Against War Criminals vandalized the neighborhood north of Tel Aviv where incoming Chief of Staff Dan Halutz lives. We are still living in the 1950s In the Talpiot Shikonim neighborhood in Jerusalem there is a large community of Ethiopian immigrants totaling about 93 families. Absorption institutions are making serious efforts to absorb these immigrants Five policemen accused of beating a citizen in Beersheba whose son was playing a drum Yesterday, the Ministry of Justice's police internal affairs bureau conducted an investigation following complaints submitted by two Beersheba residents through their attorney Noam Eligon Israeli atheists to marry at the consulate Interior Minister Ophir Pines has agreed to recommendations supported by Attorney General Mazuz to allow consular marriages in Israel to enable Israeli citizens who identify themselves as atheists to marry. “The Ethiopians were imported as a labor force” Yaakov “Yasha” Kedmi, the former head of the Nativ's communications office, sparked an uproar during his meeting with students at Haifa University when he explained the reasons behind Operation Shlomo* in 1991. Health Ministry suspects that two patients in a geriatric hospital died after participating in experiments illegally and without their consent The Health Ministry is probing suspicions that two elderly patients died last year at Gedera's Hartzfeld Geriatric Hospital after undergoing an illegal invasive medical experiment.
When a patient attacks a doctor, it makes the headlines, but what happens when a doctor harms a patient? Many patients say that doctors humiliate them and scream in their faces, even subjecting them to various, bizarre punishments.
The Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Labor announced that it often tries to employ welfare beneficiaries with the objective of saving the state the welfare payments. We call them black Neglected children, thrown out to the outskirts of developing cities without being noticed by anyone, found themselves in the street looking for alcohol and drugs and sniffing glue A policeman during an interrogation of leftist activists: You'll bring disaster on us In the coming days, the Shai Police will launch an investigation into statements made by police investigator Benny Shukrun the day before yesterday during his questioning of leftist activists who were arrested in demonstrations against the separation wall near the village of Belain A warning To my brother, Mordechai Vanunu: The Declaration of Independence says, “The state of Israel will uphold full social and political equality of all its citizens
A report prepared by the Ministry of Educations reveals that there was a 70% increase in the number of incidents of sexual violence among students from 2000 to 2004. Israeli attorney: The Israeli army orders its soldiers to torture Palestinians as part of reeducation efforts Felicia Langer, an Israeli attorney who has represented Palestinian detainees for 23 years, said in a seminar in East Jerusalem that the Israeli army uses the torture of Palestinians as part of its soldiers' education. Tel Aviv and Jerusalem : A wave of intense racism; hard to speak Russian An employee in a branch office of a company affiliated with the municipality of Tel Aviv paid a dear price when she “dared” to speak Russian during working hours after her immediate superior asked her to speak only in Hebrew. When she refused to do so
The leadership of Mekanaf Lezion* took an urgent request to the Prime Minister asking that the process of bringing the remaining Ethiopian Jews to Israel be sped up, and that the current quota system on Ethiopian immigration be abolished. The Jewish Agency's time has passed It requires a measure of arrogance for a state to turn to the citizens of another state and call upon them to emigrate, claiming it offers superior qualities The blind demand equality The complaints of the blind are focused on private factories that employ the disabled, the blind, and prisoners to produce containers and other materials used in industrial projects Hebrew University sues against the exploitation of its own custodial workers Musa Jawalis is a deaf mute from East Jerusalem. He deals with the world in the language of gesture and lip-reading in Arabic, a language he is not fully fluent in.
For years, about 60,000 immigrant families eligible for public housing have been waiting for a solution to their housing problems, says Alex Tanzer, the head of the anti-corruption movement.
A report found that one in every four elderly Israelis suffers from neglect. The report is the first of its kind in Israel and will be presented to President Moshe Katsav today. Arad : Children are not going to the kindergarten because there are already too many Ethiopians Is there no religious, racial, or gender discrimination? Three Ethiopian immigrants in Arad have not been going to school now for more than five months since the kindergarten “has too many Ethiopians.” Two children of Ethiopian immigrants eligible for compulsory kindergarten were able to go back to school only after continual pressure Or Akiva joins the list of cities with over 10% unemployment A pile of resumes covers the desk of Moshe Nissim, director of the government Employment Office in Or Akiva. A folder is packed with additional resumes, and the fax machine is putting out more 350,000 children in Israel are at risk and need help There are many statistics that require Israeli society to take a long look in the mirror, and some of the most difficult ones are those issued by the Ministry of Social Welfare indicating that at least 350,000 children in the country are classified as “at-risk.” The unemployed in Israel treated worse than anywhere in the Western world In a study conducted in nine Western nations, Israel came in last place for its treatment of the unemployed; 20 years ago, it occupied sixth place The ugly Israeli shame Dust collected on the suit in my closet while I watched my colleagues continue on their path to the desired goal. I won't deny that I would have been more than happy to participate in their journey, but over the small screen in my house, I realized that this twisted style is not the best way to represent the state. MK Eli Yishai: Israeli is a nation that eats its children Addressing social policy, MK Eli Yishai, head of Shas, said in during a conference on children's health held in Beersheba at Ben-Gurion University , “ Israel is a nation that eats its children.” Beiter spokesman responds to Sarid: Then let's close the Knesset Last Monday's match between Beitar Jerusalem and Bnei Sakhnin, which ended in a tie, once more sparked a public debate on racism in Israeli soccer, particularly among Beitar fans Teacher that described Ethiopians as “scum” dismissed The teacher at Naamat high school in Rehovot who made racist remarks to her immigrant students will not be allowed to continue teaching When I see an Ethiopian child I need an oxygen mask Is this a lesson in racism? Some students at the high school in Rehovot say that their teacher uses a lot of racist expressions with students of Ethiopian origin. “She says that they're rotten.” The teacher's response, “The reason for this is the types of foods and spices they eat…anyone who doesn't take care of their cleanliness is filthy.” An inspector from the Ministry of Education is going to the school to investigate these claims. Two Ashkenazim, one Mizrahi Just less than ten years ago, during the era of the Netanyahu-Shas government in early 1997, the government achieved a true balance in the number Ashkenazi and Mizrahi ministers (8 Ashkenazi ministers, and 8 Mizrahi ministers, and one—Tzachi Hanegbi—whose father was Ashkenazi and mother was Mizrahi). University is not for everyone Shai Ozari, a physically disabled student at the history department at Tel Aviv University , has learned how hard it is to be disabled in a respectable academic institution in Israel An advertisement insulting to the disabled The disabled are opposed to the ad campaign being conducted by the National Road Safety Council, and members of Independent Living in Israel of the Disabled Now Association have submitted a new complaint against the committee for ads which they believe validate prejudices against the disabled. You're black? Then stand at the end of the line A pre-recorded program was broadcast this week on Channel Two about the phenomenon of anti-Semitism in the world. This is one of the initiatives being done on the part of the Reshet Network, which we welcome, in view of the fact that it is frightening evidence of the racism that exists in the “civilized” world in the new millennium. Tali Fahima indicted This morning an indictment was issued against leftist activist Tali Fahima in Tel Aviv's District Court. The indictment stated that Fahima assisted the enemy in a time of war, gave information to the enemy The mountain gave birth to a mouse This news fell on the country like a thunderbolt: a thousand military policemen had raided Umm al-Fahm! And they accused Sheikh Raed Salah, head of the Israeli Islamist movement, of having a relationship with the Iranian intelligence and with organizing terrorist attacks! Beersheba to demolish homeless camp The city of Beersheba recently issued orders to demolish a camp in which nine homeless families reside. The demolition orders will be implemented on Sunday, and the protestors are getting ready to confront evacuation attempts Tali Fahima released and placed under house arrest In an agreement with the prosecution, the judges of the District Court of Tel Aviv decided to release leftist activist Tali Fahima and place her under house arrest until criminal proceedings against her are over Nursery nanny arrested on charges of abuse After receiving complaints from several parents about the fact that their children returned home with marks on their bodies and told them that the nanny beats them, investigators of the Gelilot police station began investigations into the matter a week ago. The dilemma of “Jewish-Arabs” In an article he published last Friday, Ben Dror Yemini allocated a long section, entitled, “Arabs—a painful matter,” to the Jews of the East, who describe themselves as “Jewish-Arabs.” Since I do not describe myself in this way, I found this talk to be rather worrisome Racism and journalism The incident involving the naval commandoes unit which was revealed this week, and which involves the killing of a terrorist after he was injured, is another signpost on the road. It does not only signal what we see out in the open, in the state of checkpoints, closed off roads and roundabouts, but also signals our own hidden racism Who is responsible for the violence? Allow me to make an announcement: Israeli society has not become more violent, but the increasing dominance of the law and the judicial system has allowed a handful of criminals to flourish and has created a cultural vacuum conducive to violence. Palestinians in the Gaza Strip call for the evacuation of settlers from their homes Yesterday, Peace Now initiated a large-scale operation to gather the signatures of leftist activists pledging to replace those from the right who are refusing to participate in the eviction of Jewish settlements when the disengagement plan is implemented Children from the neighborhood of death One day at the end of summer five young people from the neighborhood, two boys and three girls ages 15-17, met at a café by the gas station at the town entrance The Histadrut begins public struggle against “unfair employment” As part of the campaign, the Histadrut will call on all workers who feel that their labor conditions or employer's instructions on the job physically or mentally harm them to turn to a special hotline.
For a long time now, equality in kibbutzim has not been the same as it was in the past. In addition, a new offense has now been recorded—an investigative article for Maariv confirms that many kibbutzim no longer accept disabled kibbutz children as members
These unfortunate statistics await the new welfare minister: 1.2 million Israeli citizens turned to welfare departments last year asking for help—an increase of 30,000 on 2003 Anti-Defamation League attacks Hebrew University 's Professor Zimmerman Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, wants Hebrew University to take action in response to statements made by the chair of the institution's German Studies department, Prof. Moshe Zimmerman, who likened Israel Defense Forces soldiers and other Israeli authorities to Nazis. An obscene statement Many people share the anger that reader Eli Lupton (whose response was published in Maariv on December 12, 2004) expressed over the obscene statement made by Shinui MK Chemi Doron. They don't care about disabled guests at the Tel Aviv Hilton Officials in charge of television investigations on the Amnon Levy program, which aired yesterday on channel 2, sent a group of disabled people—one of whom is a medal-winning athlete—out to ask about the possibility of becoming members at the Tel Aviv Hilton Hotel's swimming pool Caution—Where will they get the other half from? For years, the Yad Vashem Directorate has been putting a great deal of effort into creating an archive of the names of Jews killed during the Holocaust. Russian-speakers suffer from blatant job discrimination Representation of immigrants from the former Soviet Union in the civil service, particularly senior positions, is much lower than that of other segments of the population. Report: Only 10% of Israeli society benefited from economic growth in 2004 The Adva Center 's annual report on inequality in Israel , issued this weekend, says that economic growth in 2004 and the growth expected by the Finance Ministry in 2005 only benefits the richest 10% of society. The gap has grown Just last week, with the announcement of economic growth rates, the media interviewed the Finance Minister, who proudly spoke of the increase in the standard of living. But what Netanyahu did not know—or did not say—is that the gap between social classes in Israel is growing Israeli poverty rate 30% higher than NII figures, economist says The poverty rate in Israel is at least 30 percent higher than the measurement by the National Insurance Institute, according to Dr. Daniel Gotlieb, a senior adviser to Bank of Israel Governor David Klein. A boycott of the Tnuva Company, even inside the Green Line The Land of Israel organization and all its local branches have called on its members across Israel to join a boycott of products made by Tnuva Foods, using the slogan “Boycott Tnuva.” UNICEF: Israeli children are poorer compared to other Western countries A report released by UNICEF's research center today indicates that among developed and industrial nations Israel holds the number one spot for children living in poverty. In the last decade the number of poor children in Israel increased by about 15% to reach 30.8% of all children, or three times the rate in other developed countries. Fire and tears are the subject of drawings made by Christian children in Maghar during therapy Tears, fire and fear were the common denominator among dozens of pictures drawn by Christian children in Maghar. The children, ages 6 to 13, were asked Friday by a team of educational counselors and psychologists to draw what they felt and saw during Druze-Christian clashes in their town two weeks ago. The ultra-orthodox still live in the 19th century The ultra-orthodox public is the most racist in the state of Israel . Perhaps for the left, the settlers are the most unregenerate racists in the country, but, trust me, the vast majority of Jewish settlers in Judea, Samaria , and the Gaza Strip would be happy to live in peace with their neighbors, were it not for Palestinian terrorism To solve Ethiopian unemployment in Beit Shemesh the city pays less than minimum wage Instead of receiving national insurance benefits as promised to them for working full-time for the city of Beit Shemesh, a group of immigrants from Ethiopia is receiving less than minimum wage for their efforts. What would Gideon Levy do? Lior Alperovitch assumes that the occupation will end one day, and he's scared to death thinking about the emptiness that will take over our lives I assume that it will happen one day. The dawn will break on a new Middle East, and Israel will be on one side, Palestine on the other A pogrom in Maghar By the time these lines are printed, a few days after the events in the Galilee village of Maghar , there may be a need to remind most readers of what happened there Emil Grunzweig Emil Grunzweig, a key activist in Peace Now, was murdered on February 10, 1983 during a demonstration that set out from Zion Square and moved towards Prime Ministers' Office in Jerusalem . Minister Livni: Attacks on ministers are flagrant violations of the law Minister of Justice Tzipi Livni said that recent attack on government ministers are “flagrant violations of the law. Violence is violence, even under the cover of ideology Around one third of Israelis this year forgo health care due to rising costs Around one third of Israelis this year had to forgo some medical services, including routine check-ups, medicine, or visits to specialists. “I had to eat outside with the dogs” The life of Tomer Shenfield, a 38-year-old disabled man from Kibbutz Afik, and his ongoing attempts to obtain his basic rights Israeli children 2004: Increase in poverty and crime The annual report published today by the National Council for the Child says that Israeli children have become poorer, more involved in criminal activities, and subjected to more violence. The council presented the report to Israeli President Moshe Katsav. The Latin Patriarch: The security of Christians in Maghar has been abandoned Yesterday, leaders of the Catholic community in Israel , headed by Latin Patriarch Michel Sabah, wrote a strongly worded letter to the president and the prime minister in which they charged the state with the responsibility for their children's security. Prince Charles to marry Clearly Prince William and Prince Harry inherited their looks from their late mother Diana, not from their appearance-challenged father Fahima celebrates her birthday in prison Tali Fahima and her relatives celebrated her birthday and the six-month anniversary of her arrest in the Neve Tirtza Prison in Ramle. An airport for Jews only Upon obtaining his flying license, Maxim Zrodnikov invited his girlfriend, who is doing here military service, to join him for a plane ride. Judge Dorner: The law is selectively applied in Israel Retired High Court Justice Dalia Dorner attacked the selective application of the law in Israel during a special conference on applying the law to reform the social system held at Bar-Ilan University Ethiopian immigrants? Not in our town A media uproar erupted after the mayor of Kiryat Malachi said that he can no longer accept any more Ethiopians within his town's borders. Research discovers that more than one third of recent immigrants are not Jewish According to new research by journalist Yair Sheleg, published by the Israeli Institute for Democracy, 240,000-300,000 people who have immigrated to Israel from the former Soviet Union since 1989 describe themselves as non-Jewish, although one third of them have a Jewish father. Get out of here: all Russians are whores A passenger on the 501 Egged bus line recounts a story of the abuse she suffered during a bus ride from Raanana to Tel Aviv, simply because the driver thought she was trying to get out of paying the total price of the bus ticket. Halfway to Tel Aviv No trial for soldiers who shot Naamati Judge Advocate General Avi Mandelblit has decided not to pursue a criminal trial for the soldiers and commanders who shot Israeli citizen Gil Naamati a year ago near the separation wall in Samaria . Boarding schools do not want children with AIDS and no one cares Seven-year-old S., from the south, has AIDS. The mother who gave her the HIV virus died two years ago, and until a few months ago the child lived with her father. We owe the Third World nothing Israeli leftist activists participated in Arafat's funeral, among them Uri Avnery and Teddy Katz. Uri Avnery might be considered a member of the Israeli faction of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, but Teddy Katz deserves special attention. Take action on Jewish terror The state memorial ceremonies marking the ninth anniversary, according to the Jewish calendar, of the assassination of prime minister Yitzhak Rabin opened on Tuesday evening in Jerusalem How do you love your enemy? On January 11, the sentencing of Tali Fahima, accused of aiding the enemy in war time, was postponed. The warm letter sent by Zakariya al-Zubeidi, the professional terrorist and close friend of the accused, was an element in the court's decision. In his letter to Fahima, al-Zubeidi said that he is ready to come to Tel Aviv to testify on her behalf if he is provided with protection by international figures Kindergarten teacher hits children with ruler The abuse of children in kindergartens is spreading like a plague. Two weeks after the arrest of a kindergarten teacher and an aide in Nahariya on charges of abusing children with special needs
The police have launched an investigation following a complaint filed by workers at a kindergarten in northern Tel Aviv. The workers say that a teacher has abused and assaulted several children
As is well known, the wage gap in Israel is constantly growing. A report prepared by the research department of the Social Security Administration, which calculated average wages in Israel according to residence, gender, and age, shows the increase.
One in every eight Israelis—12% of the population—suffers from a physical, psychological, or mental disability. One out of 11 children in Israel is disabled, of whom 16% suffer from neglect or abuse, usually from a member of the family. Bus driver with Egged refuses to allow guard to board because he is Ethiopian This morning Yediot Aharonot reported that a bus driver with Egged refused to allow a guard from the Hebrew University to board the bus because the guard was Ethiopian. The guard wanted to search the bus before it entered the campus. Frightening statistics on the spread of sexual crime in Israel : five rapes every day Last year Israel witnessed 5.6 incidents of rape per day. A total of 2,065 rape cases were reported last year involving men and women, adults and children. The worst 187 cases were gang rapes; half of the victims were under the age of 18. Yahav: we have no place for Ethiopians Racism with the mayor's support: Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav supports the struggle of residents of the Neve Shaanan quarter to prevent the absorption of 60 Ethiopian immigrant families in their neighborhood. They don't want Ethiopians in Haifa Sixty Ethiopian immigrant families are scheduled to be settled in Neve Shaanan, but their future neighbors are not welcoming them. Vanunu will not participate in mass Like thousands of other Christian pilgrims, Mordechai Vanunu also wanted to celebrate the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem , but the Shin Bet quashed his plans to enter Palestinian Authority territories after they suddenly found him at a checkpoint. Sami Michael has no misgivings over terrorist attacks on settlers The press—keenly interested in protest statements issued by the right against Sharon's government—ignored provocative statements made by Sami Michael, even though they were published in Akiva Eldar's well-known column Mazuz: Israel is on its way to becoming part of the Third World “Unfortunately, almost every day we run across some indication or another warning us of the persistent weakening of the ‘immune system' of the culture of authority in Israel . Ignoring these indications will lead to our rapid, painful descent into the culture of the Third World MK Yishai encourages the poor to sue the state at the International Court of Justice Shas head MK Eli Yishai has encouraged all those living under the poverty line to join together and sue the Israeli government at the International Court of Justice for violating their right to a dignified life. Yishai made this statement commenting on the poverty report, which indicates that 1,427,000 Israelis live under the poverty line, among them 625,000 children “Government bias towards the independent education center and the Hamayan religious educational network must be stopped” The Clean Government Movement has submitted a petition to the High Court of Justice against what it describes as “the ongoing discrimination shown by the Ministry of Education in the allocation of educational funds, in which it favors the independent education center and the Hamayan educational network over other recognized educational establishments 221,200 senior citizens treated for abuse in hospitals in 2003 Ministry of Health statistics show that 221,000 senior citizens were received in hospitals in 2003 after being severely abused. This is a 30% increase on 2002. | 
