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THE SIR CHARLES CLORE JEWISH-ARAB COMMUNITY CENTRE,
WOLFSON NEIGHBOURHOOD, ACRE

	THE WOMEN'S CENTRE
The Women’s Club Life Coaching –Determining & Achieving Personal Goals The Listening Circle – Arabic, Hebrew & Mixed Sessions Women’s Enterprise – Empowering Women to Achieve Economic Independence Home Counselling Service for New Mothers Empowerment Programme for Unemployed Young Women Living Under Fire” - Resilience Building Project Weekly English Language, Computer & Handicraft Courses Mother–Child Parenting & Support Workshops Culturally-sensitive sexual health and sexuality education programme Total Projected Budget 2008 - £71,579

Carol Brauner writes: Our Women's Centre is forging ahead and although still very much in its infancy, is offering diverse opportunities to some 154 regular weekly users. Although the majority of our users are currently from the Arab sector (where the need is indisputably greater), we have an enthusiastic and strong seed group of 19 Jewish women and yes, we have begun bringing the women together for mixed encounters which they have greatly enjoyed.

We have also, hopefully, come up with a creative solution to bring Arab and Jewish youth together for our Young Enterprise, Theatre and Duke of Edinburgh's International Award projects. For the former two, we are linking up with Beit Hyman, a local Jewish community centre with some teenagers interested in coexistence projects, but no funding. We have agreed to pay a quarter of their (Jewish) youth coordinator's salary who from March will be responsible for recruiting Jewish youth and supervising the joint programming together with our Arab youth coordinator. The venue is to be alternated between our Centre and Beit Hyman. If all goes well, which we so hope it does, we are planning an adventure weekend in the north of Israel when the youth can get to know one another on neutral ground. I know that it's hard to comprehend, but Acre's Arab and Jewish youth really have no experience of one another, and so fear and dislike are instinctive to them!

Since the reluctance of Arab and Jewish youth to mix is a nationwide problem, the organisers of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards scheme - Israel Youth Awards - are scheduled to meet here at the Centre in Akko this week to discuss joint projects - bringing groups from different parts of the country together for mixed programming. It is likely that our youth will be paired with a Jewish group from Netanya. Again, we are very keen for these first, cautious steps towards non-contraversial interaction to take place.

So, as you can see, life is not easy, but we are still ready and willing to jump over the hurdles and push through the barriers.

Carol Brauner
The Sir Charles Clore Jewish-Arab Community Center, Acre
Empowering & Supporting Arab & Jewish Women - Currently 154 Regular Weekly Users

Tel: 972-4-991 2066 Fax: 972-4-981 4373
Carol Brauner Direct Line: 972-4-954 4011 Mobile: 972-524 753375 email: braunerc@zahav.net.il