Combating Racism

Projects we support:

Israel Racism Crisis Centre

In just a year, the Racism Crisis Centre, run by the Israel Religious Action Centre (IRAC), has dealt with more than 70 cases, ranging from discrimination in employment to racial profiling, and even violent and physical attacks.

Two-thirds of cases come from Palestinian citizens of Israel, but the Centre also deals with victims of racism from the Ethiopian community, people seeking asylum, Russian immigrants and the LGBT community.

In addition to providing individual case management and referral service, the RCC also leverages its successes to change the discourse in wider Israeli society through appearances in the media. Appearances in major media outlets ensure that the impact of countering racism starts with the individual affected, but also ripples out to the wider public.

Post by NIFAustralia.

Grants:

2023 – $600
2022 – $20,000
2021 – $37,000
2020 – $20,000
2019 – $10,050
2018 – $20,000
2017 – $52,500

Besen Family Foundation

We are grateful to the Besen Family Foundation for their support of the Israel Racism Crisis Centre over a number of years.

Association of Ethiopian Jews

In July 2019 we made an emergency grant to the Association of Ethiopian Jews following the police shooting of a young Ethiopian Israeli man named Solomon Teka z"l and the subsequent protests.

The Ethiopian community in Israel has been telling us for years that they are unfairly targeted by police.

Our emergency grant in 2020 funded a 'community affairs director' who provided legal assistance and case management assistance to the community, as well as work to end the institutionalised racism experienced by the Ethiopian community in Israel.

We have continued to support their important work promoting education, inclusion and equality for the Ethiopian community.

Grants:

2023 – $1,567
2021 – $10,000
2020 – $12,000
2019 – $20,000

Tebeka

Through Tebeka, a prominent voice for Ethiopian-Israelis, NIF Australia’s funds have been used to run local clinics in Petah Tikva, Netanyahu, Rehovot and Rishon Letzion for more than 1,103 members of the community.

Recently, after representation and intervention from Tebeka’s lawyers and advisers, the police officers who committed a hate crime against an Ethiopian-Israeli soldier in uniform were brought to justice.

Tebeka also runs workshops for teenagers from diverse backgrounds to provide basic training so they understand their basic civil rights.

Grants:

2023 – $10,714
2022 – $20,000
2021 – $24,500
2019 – $20,000
2018 – $20,000
2017 – $10,000

Tmura – The Anti-Discrimination Legal Centre

Tmura uses tort law against companies which discriminate against minority voices in Israel. Clients from diverse backgrounds, including women in public housing, public transport users, victims of domestic violence, call on Tmura to help them get justice against perpetrators of racism and discrimination.

In one case, Tmura represented an Ethiopian woman whose daughter was denied registration at a creche simply because of her background. In more than 12 years, Tmura has lost only a single case, making its use of tort law a most effective strategy to promote a more tolerant Israeli society.

Grants:

2020 – $25,640
2019 – $25,135
2018 – $20,000
2017 – $20,000