neighbors.org.il - Current Programs

Current Programs

The Sachnin Conference 2010 - Innovative Urban Planning in Israel Arab Towns

April 28th and 29th in Sachnin. led by Dafna Ben Baruch, Neighbors, Merchav (The Movement for Israeli Urbanism, www.miu.org.il) and the Sachnin Municipality,will be hosting a conference that will explore the urbanization of Arab cities. Cities that have been given that name but retain the infrastructures and methods of large villages and towns, hence the challenge. In a country that in many areas leads the 21st century, the gap between the different societies widens. Sachnin is an excellent example of such a situation. A city since the Rabin administration, Sachnin still has no sidewalks, communal areas, or adequate infrastuctures. This conference hopes to enlighten professional urban planners, architects, decision makers, politicians, Neighbors' members, and more and develop feasible alternatives.

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A Master Plan for the Heart of the Galilee – Latent Urbanization

This policy paper studies a phenomenon unique to the Israeli Arab population, "latent urbanization", a term coined by Michael Meir-Brodnitz in the 1960's to describe the situation of virtually no immigration to and from Arab communities. Every male born in a town or village will seek housing solutions for himself and his descendants within the same locality, leading to an increasingly difficult situation, a "pressure cooker" whose pressure grows continuously as time passes. The policy paper will present the ramifications of this phenomenon, such as density, land use, immigration, and more. The study is being conducted by Tovi Alfandari.

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A Master Plan for the Heart of the Galilee – The Effects of Latent Urbanization on Infrastructure and Services

This second policy paper on the theme of latent urbanization focuses on the effects of the pressure created by this phenomenon on infrastructure and services. Land-owners in Arab localities concentrate solely on housing solutions, expanding residential areas more and more. This results in infrastructure and services for a continuously growing population being concentrated on a limited land base. The ability of municipal governments to serve these growing populations is limited, as the infrastructure cannot grow at the same pace. The study is being conducted by Michal Belikoff.

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A Master Plan for the Heart of the Galilee –Toward Urbanization in Arab Communities

The goal of this project, which follows and builds on the above policy papers, is to develop models for actual future urbanization and migration. The project will be implemented by three teams: the social and demographic team, to work on the social, economic, and demographic aspects of migration, led by Tovi Alfandari; the physicalt planning team, to study population density, transportation, infrastructure, and public services, as well as seeking the actual site or sites for the proposed urban center, led by Izdahar Malik Habish; and the municipal team, to investigate changes in local tax base, improvement of infrastructure, and efficient management of services, led by Michal Belikoff. All of the teams will initiate workshops with various target groups such as residents and local leaders as part of the research and planning process.

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Neighbors Helping Neighbors - An Employment Initiative

This project willdevelop a new model for employment and economic growth to realize themulti-faceted untapped human potential of the Galilee. Neighbors iscollaborating with the JDC Tevet Employment Initiative taking place inTamra. Neighbors' role in the project will be to form a strategic planning unitto provide information on employment and economic opportunities in the region, while building a model for economic growth and employment for the future thatmay be replicated in other regions. A second element in Neighbors' involvementin the project will be strengthening Jewish-Arab cooperation in developing jobopportunities, through the formation of a Jewish-Arab employers' network andfurthering new joint small business endeavors. Tovi Alfandariis theproject director.

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Implementation Project.

Over the years, Neighbors has built unique tools and theories regarding planning in Arab towns and in areas that include Arab towns. Our relatively small organization is interested in positioning its planning potential and distribute the knowledge that it has built hance serving as a known professional organization in the Arab planning and development world. In order to do this, Neighbors is running an internal project aimed at learning what its members' needs are and involving them more in the organization; development and distribution of the knowledge acquired and shared; creation of partnerships with relevant organizations; "putting neighbors out there". Dafna Ben Baruch is leading this project. If you have not yet heard from her, you will.....

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Creating Addresses in Israeli Arab Communities

Neighbors is collaborating with the Progressive Forum to create an orderly system of street signs and addresses in Arab cities and villages, something that does not exist today. The initiative will begin with a pilot project in the village of Judeide-Maker. A minimal investment in infrastructure will generate great social, democratic and economic gains. In addition to increasing accessibility of residents to services and businesses and vice versa, while making it much easier for tourists and visitors to find their way, perhaps the most significant outcome of the project will be enabling freer and more democratic elections, as polling stations will be assigned to neighborhoods, rather than allocated according to last names, as in the current system, one that increases pressure on voters by extended family clans (hamulot).

Images of a meeting with potential neighborhood coordinators who will work with residents on the mapping process.

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The Galilee Coalition

The goal of this project is to influence government development plans for the Galilee, through a collaboration of non-governmental organizations in the region. Dialogue between these civil organizations is taking place in order to understand the current reality, agree on common goals, and build a work-plan for various teams, while involving experts in those fields chosen as most central. In addition to producing policy papers, the coalition will hold meetings and study sessions for Galilee residents, placing inclusion of the public at the center of the process. The coalition will create a citizens' forum for the development of the Galilee to conduct a constructive discourse with government bodies. In addition to Neighbors, other member organizations include Sikkuy, Link to the Environment, and An Alternative Voice in the Galilee, and Al-Zahara women's organization. Naim Daoud represents Neighbors in the steering committee of the coalition and is a member of the environment team. Other members of Neighbors are active in the coalition: Tovi Alfandari is in the social issues team, Sami Saadiparticipates in the economic team, and Architect Daphna Nevo is a member of the physical planning team.

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The Sachnin Valley Park

The project aims to preserve the Hilazon Valley in the Lower Galilee and to turn it into a recreational and educational park for residents of the region, tourists, and future generations. The park will include a clean and flowing natural stream, farm lands and open spaces, with minimal intervention to allow for various activities within it. The park is being planned through a collaborative effort of the Sachnin Municipality, the Misgav Regional Council, the Abraham Fund, Link to the Environment, Noga, and Neighbors.